A wide range of events will be considered for grants, of up to £300 per project, to help reduce social isolation and encourage families to feel involved in their local community and life in Britain.
Project ideas could include buying books for English language classes, ingredients to fund a cookery day, venue hire to host a gathering, buying materials to run an art class, or travel costs to take Ukrainian guests on a trip into Cambridge to see the sights.
Cllr Bill Handley, Lead Cabinet member for Communities, said: “We are really pleased to be able to offer flexible, small grants, to reach right into the heart of our communities. The aim is for the grants to provide a wide range of local activities to help Ukranian families feel a warm welcome while also supporting their integration into life in this country.
“Maybe a local group would like to help Ukrainian guests develop skills for work or can offer emotional support. It could be an activity to help families socialise with their host community, learn English or something to help them feel less isolated. It could be an activity as simple as helping families enjoy their stay here and have as much fun as they possibly can.”
Latest Government figures show that South Cambridgeshire is the district hosting the most Ukranian visitors in England, with 677 Visas issued so far.
The grant scheme is designed to support Homes for Ukraine hosts and can cover things like venue hire, equipment, transport, instructor time or refreshments to bring people together.
A grant fund total of £20,000 is open for applicants from today until the end of the 2022/23 financial year, made possible from money provided to local councils from the Government.
Parish councils, community groups, informal groups or individual hosts can apply. Applications will be assessed by officers from South Cambridgeshire District Council on a weekly basis to ensure a quick turnaround. Criteria, guidance and an application form can be found here.
The grant does not cover activities that charge a fee or generate profits for private gain and will not cover anything which only benefits individuals. Grants cannot be given for activities promoting political or religious beliefs or an activity that has already happened.
Additionally, funding cannot be used retrospectively to pay for things that have already happened. However, it can be used to fund further provision of activities which have already been started. Grants cannot be used to extend activities already funded through South Cambridgeshire District Council projects.
- To find out more, applicants are encouraged to email prior to making their bid submission to ukraine.grants@scambs.gov.uk
- Funding bid support is available from Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service. Please call 01223-464696 or email enquiries@cambridgecvs.org.uk
