Agenda item

Report of the Chief Funding Director

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Funding Director presenting and summarising the Anchor Programme, its background, aims and objectives, and activity to date. The report also proposed an additional allocation of £5m to the programme, bringing the total allocation to £25m, and presented 15 Round One applications totalling £15,948,630 for decision. The Chair introduced the item, commending the substantial work undertake non the programme so far, before the Chief Funding Director introduced the report and presented the proposals to the Committee. The Committee noted that seven applications, if endorsed, would be referred to the BHE Board on 26 September 2023.

The Committee then proceeded to discuss the proposals, noting that there had been 173 applications to the programme. The Chief Funding Director advised that all expressions of interests had been analysed, with the most common reasons for declination listed on the website. Officers had also held pre-application webinars for the programme and were planning a drop-in session for organisations to receive and discuss feedback.

In response to a question from a Member regarding systems change, the Chief Funding Director advised that having recognised the complexity of systems change, officers developed this criteria based on the work of the Propel programme and other funders, and had tried to maintain a broad definition so as not to discourage applications. A reflection period ahead of Round Two would be used to ensure organisations understood what was meant by systems change.

The Chief Funding Director further advised that a ‘buddy’ system had been piloted as part of the programme to ensure that officers understood the programme’s intentions with regards to systems change, with specific training also provided for staff. The Chair responded that training around systems change would also be beneficial for Members and asked that this be taken away for consideration, noting that opportunities to promote learning from the programme might also be progressed.

Noting the longer-term nature of the programme’s funding, a Member queried how the charity could identify the root causes of issues at which to target funding, whether the right things were targeted, and how best to measure the impact of the funding distributed. The Chief Funding Director advised that on a wider level this formed a core part of various workstreams and would be deliberated as part of current strategic work to be considered by the Committee. With regards to the Anchor programme, officers had worked with a learning partner and had designed a 3-year feedback loop in order to understand the work undertaken by organisations and their journey going forward.

A Member commented that the proposals demonstrated learning from the sector on the co-design process, and that officers could be proud of the work undertaken, adding that most organisations had reflected what had been asked of them, which was a significant positive. The Member suggested that more clarity be provided on protected characteristics and their relevance, as this was important in the context of understanding the law versus experience, particularly around poverty and migration.

The Chief Funding Director advised that other funders had shown interest in the work and officers would share learning on the programme, particularly on the co-design process. The co-lead model had also worked well, providing numerous benefits in running the programme.

The Chief Funding Director then outlined the case for the additional allocation of £5m to the programme, advising that this would increase the significance and impact of the programme by enabling a further five grants, in addition to the remainder of the current allocation, which could facilitate a maximum of four further grants. The level of interest in Round One had demonstrated a sufficient level of demand, and an additional allocation would facilitate a better return on the investments in the learning partner and innovative approach to the programme. With Members supportive of an uplift in principle and noting the level of need demonstrated, the Chief Funding Director undertook to explore whether an uplift greater than £5m might be considered, and advised that this would be brought back to the Committee.

The Chair then drew the Committee’s attention to the applications recommended for approval and took each proposal in turn, beginning with applications to be recommended to the BHE Board. In response to a question in respect of the application from The Ubele Initiative, the Chief Funding Director advised that officers had explored the potential duplication with available skills-based charity training and were satisfied that the organisation’s tailored support, work with specific communities and culturally-sensitive working constituted a pertinent and needful offer. Noting the applications which appeared to be focussed on specific boroughs, the Committee was advised that both organisations supported other boroughs with high needs, with their network and policy work also having a wider geographic impact.

The Committee agreed to recommend the applications over £1m presented before considering the applications for their approval. In response to a question from the Chair in respect of the application from Migrant Rights Network, the Chief Funding Director advised that previous rejections from the organisation had been discussed, with officers satisfied that these had been addressed, with the organisation also having achieved increased income and free reserves. The Chair then drew the Committee’s attention to the recommendations, which were agreed, before thanking and congratulating officers for their work on the programme so far.

RESOLVED - That the Funding Committee of the Bridge House Estates Board, in the discharge of functions for the City Corporation as Trustee of Bridge House Estates and solely in the charity’s best interests:

i)                Agree an additional allocation of £5m to the Anchor Programme, bringing the total allocation to £25m;

ii)               Endorse to the BHE Board the recommendations for funding of the following six grants (totalling £7,888,670):

1. £1,491,000 over ten years to Action for Race Equality (charity no. 1056043);
2. £1,500,000 over ten years to Alliance for Inclusive Education (charity no.1124424);
3. £1,408,400 over ten years to Consortium LGBT (charity no. 1105502);
4. £1,202,900 over ten years to Imkaan (charity no.1105976);
5. £1,003,000 over seven years to Spectra CIC (charity no. 07975254);
6. £1,283,370 over ten years to The Interlink Foundation (charity no. 1079311);

iii)              Endorse to the BHE Board, in principle subject to the following conditions being met, £1,048,500 over seven years (£149,200; £149,600; £150,000; £149,800; £149,900; £150,000; £150,000) towards core costs to help The Ubele Initiative (TUI) develop a ‘Centre of Financial Excellence’ and support Black-led organisations overcome systemic barriers in the voluntary sector;

Confirmation of the award and the first payment will be subject to the following conditions:

·       The TUI Directors/Board confirm and provide satisfactory assurance that they have considered, understood, and accepted the risk of taking on liability for advice provided within the Centre of Financial Excellence.

·       TUI confirms that the role of Chief Finance Officer (CFO) is in post and will determine the staffing structure, roles, and Job Descriptions for the new Centre, noting that the CFO may wish to consider the use of consultants to provide advice.

iv)             Approve the following eight recommendations (totalling £7,011,460):

1. £999,990 over eight years to Council of Somali Organisations (charity no. 1154667);
2. £979,370 over seven years to End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) (charity no. 1161132);
3. £993,700 over eight years to Galop (charity no. 1077384);
4. £999,200 over ten years to HEAR Equality and Human Rights Network (charity no. 1168591);
5. £979,500 over seven years to Inclusion Barnet (CIO no. 1158632);
6. £591,300 over seven years to Migrants Rights Network (charity no. 1125746);
7. £925,000 over ten years to Muslim Charities Forum (charity no. 1166149);
8. £543,400 over eight years to Southall Community Alliance (charity no. 1104671).