The Deputy Chief Executive – Citizen and City Services presented a report to Cabinet:

·       To highlight to Cabinet the positive impact of Oxford Community Impact Fund 2023-24.

·       To seek Cabinet approval to the criteria and weighting for assessing Oxford Community Impact Fund grant applications for delivery from 2025-26 set out at paragraphs 47-58.

·       To seek Cabinet approval to administer a new bidding round for Big Ideas grants maintaining grant agreements for 3 years from 2025-26 financial year – 31 March 2028. 

·       To seek Cabinet approval to administer two bidding rounds per year for Small grants for the next 3 years with activity being delivered in year.

·       To seek Cabinet approval to maintain the current levels of core funding for Advice Centres for 3 years from 2025-26 financial year – 31 March 2028.

·       To delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive – Citizen and City Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities to make grant awards in line with the assessment process and criteria.

Cabinet is recommended to:

·       Note the social value and economic impact of the fund – see appendices 1-4

·       Agree the criteria and weighting for assessing Oxford Community Impact Fund grant applications for delivery from 2025-26 as recommended in paragraphs 50-61 of this report.

·       Agree to maintain the current levels of core funding for Advice Centres for 1st April 2025-31st March 2028

·       Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive – Citizen and City Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities to take decisions as to the grants to be made by the Council against the approved criteria and in line with the assessment process.

The Deputy Chief Executive – Citizen and City Services had presented a report to Cabinet:

·       To highlight to Cabinet the positive impact of Oxford Community Impact Fund 2023-24.

·       To seek Cabinet approval to the criteria and weighting for assessing Oxford Community Impact Fund grant applications for delivery from 2025-26 set out at paragraphs 47-58.

·       To seek Cabinet approval to administer a new bidding round for Big Ideas grants maintaining grant agreements for 3 years from 2025-26 financial year – 31 March 2028. 

·       To seek Cabinet approval to administer two bidding rounds per year for Small grants for the next 3 years with activity being delivered in year.

·       To seek Cabinet approval to maintain the current levels of core funding for Advice Centres for 3 years from 2025-26 financial year – 31 March 2028.

·       To delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive – Citizen and City Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities to make grant awards in line with the assessment process and criteria.

Councillor Smith presented the report. She said that the report sets out some of the ways that community grants had been put to use and it sets out their approach to the distribution of these grants. Councillor Smith said she was pleased that they were streamlining the process and simplifying the process for applicants and for the Council. She was also pleased that from now on, they will have a focus on the use of these grants for reducing inequality in Oxford. Councillor Smith said that when assessing grants, they will be assessed in part on how the project helps to tackle inequality in Oxford. 

Councillor Arshad noted that the information on page 416 appeared to be cut off. She asked a query regarding the groups listed on the report. She stated that there were several groups which were not included in the report, and she asked why those groups where not included in the report.

In response to a question from Councillor Brown, Councillor Arshad noted that the graphic on page 416 was cut off and not fully included in the page in the report. Councillor Brown agreed and noted that this issue should be addressed so that the information is displayed on the website properly.

Councillor Arshad noted some of the groups that she had worked with and asked if they were not in the report because they had not applied, or if they were not included because they had not been shortlisted for funding.

Councillor Smith clarified that the report did not contain information about unsuccessful applicants. She said that if there were any particular groups Councillor Arshad was interested in, they could speak about this in more depth offline, about the contact they have had with other groups.

Councillor Arshad thanked Councillor Smith for her response. She also asked if it were the same groups that received the grants each year, or if there was an opening up to new applicants that they had seen. Councillor Arshad thanked the team who had worked on the report for the positive changes that they had introduced.

Councillor Smith clarified that the large grants are made for three years, and the smaller grants are made twice a year. She noted that groups can apply for either set of grants.

Paula Redway, the Culture and Community Development Manager, said that 20% of the applicants this year were new applicants. She noted that they also offer advice sessions to help people apply for the grants. She offered to discuss this in more depth offline if they would like.

Councillor Brown thanked them for their work on this report and noted that there had been a big improvement over the past few years in the grant allocations system.

Cabinet agreed to:

·       Note the social value and economic impact of the fund – see appendices 1-4

·       Agree the criteria and weighting for assessing Oxford Community Impact Fund grant applications for delivery from 2025-26 as recommended in paragraphs 50-61 of this report.

·       Agree to maintain the current levels of core funding for Advice Centres for 1st April 2025-31st March 2028

·       Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive – Citizen and City Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities to take decisions as to the grants to be made by the Council against the approved criteria and in line with the assessment process.