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In their latest grants round, the Community Foundation for Surrey has announced that £166,056 was awarded to 24 voluntary and community groups of which £144,694 was awarded from Woking Borough Council's Community Fund.
The purpose of the partnership between Woking Borough Council and the Community Foundation for Surrey (CFS) is to deliver voluntary grants in Woking in the most effective way possible in order to:
- leverage funding from other community foundation donors and provide a single front door for applicants to over 80 different funds
- maximise the impact of the grants by applying Community Foundation due diligence to ensure the funded organisations are well run and governed
- ensure projects supporting those in the highest need in Working are prioritised for funding
- ensure projects funded address the strategic priorities of Woking Borough Council.
The Woking Borough Council Community Fund Panel, consisting of Trustees of the Community Foundation, volunteers from the local community, and representatives of Woking Borough Council, met during April to review applications totalling over £250,000 from a wide range of groups, awarding a total of 21 grants. The Fund Panel made their decisions by reviewing grant applications against the fund criteria.
CFS, based in Woking, is a well-established, trusted expert in grant administration who currently manage over 80 funds, working closely with local businesses, Surrey County Council, and borough and district councils.
This collaborative approach has been more efficient in enabling community groups to apply for funding through one single expression of interest, without the need for multiple applications. All those who applied in this round were also reviewed against the other 80+ funds that CFS manages.
Woking Borough Council’s Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for the Voluntary Sector, Cllr Will Forster, said: “I am delighted Woking Borough Council’s partnership with CFS has been such a success and supported our vital voluntary and community groups. Volunteers and community group are the heart and soul of our Borough’s community. It has been great to meet so many of them to see first-hand the work they do on the ground."
On top of the partnership with CFS, the council has directly commissioned some charities that provide an essential service to local people. By providing groups such as Citizen’s Advice Woking, Woking Community Transport, Woking Asian Business Forum, Woking People of Faith and the York Road Project with a service-level agreement, those charities will benefit from secure funding.