Community groups across Cumbria are 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 to manage and deliver the programme over the next two years.
The programme is funded through the Local Resilience Forum Trailblazer Programme by the 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 and Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness councils, 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.
