Community groups across Cumbria are being invited to bid for their share of a new £300,000 community resilience grant programme.
Cumbria Local Resilience Forum has awarded £300,000 to
Cumbria Community Foundation (CCF) to manage and deliver the programme over the
next two years.
The programme is funded through the Local Resilience Forum
Trailblazer Programme by the UK Government, led by the Cumbria Combined
Authority, and delivered by Cumbria Community Foundation.
The funding will provide small grants to community
organisations that have a community resilience plan in place, helping them to
prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and local challenges.
The aim is to help fund community groups to put practical
plans in place, from improving local coordination to strengthening how
communities support one another before, during and after emergencies.
This could include funding for community emergency
equipment, local co-ordination arrangements, training, or improvements to
community hubs.
Eligible applicants include community and voluntary groups,
parish and town councils, and community resilience groups with an existing
community resilience plan.
The grant programme forms part of a government-funded pilot
which is helping Cumbria build resilience into everyday decision making, rather
than only responding once emergencies happen. It has been developed in
partnership with the Cumbria Combined Authority (CCA), Cumberland Council and
Westmorland and Furness Council, building on existing work to strengthen local
resilience and support community-led solutions.
Cumbria Community Foundation will be responsible for
managing all aspects of the grant programme, while the Local Resilience Forum
will approve the awarding of the grants themselves.
Grant criteria are currently being finalised by the Local
Resilience Forum, with full guidance and application details to be published on
the Cumbria Community Foundation website. Links to the scheme will also be
available via the Cumbria Combined Authority website once applications open.
Ben Ryder, Chair of the Local Resilience Forum, added:
“Community resilience is a crucial part of how Cumbria prepares for and
responds to emergencies.
“This grant programme recognises the knowledge, commitment
and leadership that already exists in our communities, and provides practical
support to help strengthen local preparedness.”
John Barradell OBE, Interim Chief Executive of the Cumbria
Combined Authority, said: “Strong, resilient communities are at the heart of a
safe and thriving Cumbria. This funding is about supporting the people and
groups who look out for their communities every day.
“It’s part of a bigger effort to help Cumbria plan ahead,
reduce risks where we can, and be ready when challenges come along.
“These grants will help groups build on what they already do
well, so they’re ready to support people when it really matters.”
Dr Jenny Benson, Director of Programmes & Partnerships
from Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “Community groups play a vital role in
supporting people before, during and after incidents, and we know that grant
funding can make a real difference to delivering community-led approaches and
to building local resilience.
“We are delighted to be managing this grant programme on
behalf of the Local Resilience Forum and supporting communities to turn their
resilience plans into action.”
Further details about the grant programme, including
eligibility criteria and application timelines, will be shared shortly.
For more information visit www.cumbriafoundation.org
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