In September 2016, our Cabinet approved a new three year strategy (2017 to 2020) for the Council’s Grant Aid budget to the Voluntary and Community Sector in Sheffield.
This grant investment is used to support voluntary sector organisations that deliver city-wide services and activities that support the Council’s Corporate Priorities. In 2019-20 the grant aid is split across the following grant funds.
Suicide Prevention Small Grants Fund 2020-21
We are pleased to launch the Suicide Prevention Small Grants Fund to support men’s mental health in the city. The fund is for existing or new activity that helps enhance and promote men’s mental health with a specific focus on suicide prevention. Priority will be given to applications that support activities for men planned by local men themselves, with a focus on improving men’s mental health, reducing social isolation, raising awareness of suicide, reducing stigma, creating safe spaces, increasing access to timely help and support and increasing uptake of suicide prevention training.
All applications are expected to demonstrate how they meet one or more of the fund priorities:
- increase awareness of and reduce stigma associated with suicide in men
- create/build safe spaces for men to talk about mental health and suicide
- increase men’s awareness of suicide and where and how to access timely help and support
- increase access and take up of suicide prevention training, especially the Zero Suicide Alliance awareness training
The total grant amount available is £30,000. Organisations and partnerships can apply for between £500 to £2,500.
Council officers and staff from the CCG will assess the proposals in the application form, based on how well the activities will meet the fund priorities. These officer assessments will be then considered by a Grants Advisory Panel who will make the final decision. We will contact successful applicants in March 2020.
You should read the guidance carefully and return both the Application Form and the Signature Form to smallgrants.publichealth@sheffield.gov.uk.
If you would like to discuss your application please contact Joanna Rutter on 0791 759 4544.
Grant Aid Annual Report 2018-19
This is the second year of Sheffield City Council’s three-year commitment to a city-wide grant aid funding strategy in recognition of the vital contribution Sheffield's local voluntary, community and faith (VCF) sector makes to life in the city.
Highlights from 2018/19 include:
- total Grant Aid investment £1,503,985
- 64 organisations received a grant
- grant recipients supported a total of 27,781 individuals
- grant recipients employed a total of 309 staff
- grant recipients had a total of 1,690 volunteers contributing 217,274 hours, equivalent to a volunteer dividend of £1,955,462 (using the Real Living Wage)
- 42% of individuals who were supported by Grant Aid report having a disability or long-term condition
- 49% of individuals who were supported by Grant Aid are BAMER (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic or Refugee)
- contact us if you would like a copy of our Annual Impact Report Infographic
What to do if you need a letter of support or endorsement from the council
If you are applying for a grant, and your bid links to the our current corporate plan objectives, and your application will be strengthened by a letter of support from the council then please contact the voluntary sector liaison team. They can talk to you and get a manager to provide a letter stating that, although your project may not be directly linked to the council, it supports our objectives for the city.
If you are applying for a fund and you need a letter of endorsement stating that your application is the only one the council supports for the local authority area, then please get in touch with the voluntary sector liaison team who will be able to assist you. If we get numerous request for an endorsement for an external fund (eg The Big Lottery), and only one can be put forward, an internal panel of officers and Councillors will make a decision about which bid is the strongest and request the Chief Executive endorses that one. If an application links to an area of commissioning that you already have a relationship with then contact your commissioning officer.