End of discretionary grant funding?

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Is this the end of the road for voluntary sector funding in Derbyshire?

It is potentially devastating news for voluntary organisations and community groups across Derbyshire. From Tuesday 28th May 2024, a 12-week consultation period opens until the 20th August 2024.

The consultation is open to anyone who lives in Derbyshire (not Derby City).

Due to Derbyshire County Council’s financial situation, they are considering how to prioritise spending on services they are required to provide by law against those that they are not required by law to deliver.

The impact of this could be catastrophic for the voluntary sector across Derbyshire AND the thousands of people they support.

The consultation is called “End of discretionary grant funding”. The Council seem to be clear about what their intentions are. If we have any chance of changing their mind we need as many people as possible to complete the consultation.  

What do they want to stop funding?

The proposal is to stop adult social care grants, which would affect 30 community and voluntary groups. In total these currently receive annual grants totalling just over £722,000.

A further 20 groups would be affected by the proposal to stop corporate services and transformation grants. These receive grants totalling just over £333,000.

Seven of the organisations are affected by both proposals.

Derbyshire Voluntary Action receives £18,166 from Adult Social Care and £5,305 from the Corporate Services and Transformation grants scheme. These funds support our infrastructure work for 500+ member groups and the wider health and wellbeing voluntary sector across North Derbyshire.

Our infrastructure services include administering a small grants scheme, assisting voluntary groups in their development and partnership working, ensuring they have a strong voice, and enabling their active engagement in new health and wellbeing service initiatives.

We also offer a community hub in the centre of Chesterfield and deliver projects and training for small community groups across Chesterfield and NE Derbyshire, enhance physical mobility and neighbourhood connections, and provide training for small community groups.

Our Feeling Connected project combats social isolation by helping people to become more socially active. This project also supports individual looking to enhance their community impact.

If the DCC funding was to end it would be very difficult for us to continue that work or to participate in any infrastructure networks, emergency response forums or work collaboratively across sectors. The strength of our response to the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis has relied upon these strong linkages.  

PLEASE, take 5 mins to read the information on the Council’s website and then complete the consultation. Paper versions of the consultation are available to people who do not have access to a digital device.

https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/council/have-your-say/consultation-search/consultation-details/end-of-discretionary-grant-funding.aspx

To go straight to the consultation (it takes less than 5 minutes): https://online1.snapsurveys.com/interview/9b3a1ef4-3cf6-4f27-9daa-5307a8a3408b

There are library drop-in sessions run by DCC to help people take part in the consultation, between 10am and midday at:

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