Main Grant (for groups and organisations)
Section 4.1 - Main Grant
Grants of up to £10,000 are available for groups/organisations to provide short breaks for disabled children and young people.
What is funded?
- activities that support disabled children and young people to engage in interesting activities such as sports, arts, and outdoor activities
- play schemes and clubs which support disabled children and young people to play alongside non-disabled children, including siblings and friends
- additional staff to run activities. When providing for a disabled child or young person you may need extra staff to ensure the needs of all children are met. Staff wages must be reasonable. 1 to 1 staffing ratios will only be considered where this is necessary and there is evidence to support this
- care support staff if required during activities and unavailable from other sources (for example to assist with personal care requirements during activities)
- providing money towards training for volunteers that help to run activities
- staff training related to working with individuals. This can include disability awareness or training on specific disabilities
- costs for adaptations to equipment or buildings, where this is a reasonable to meet the needs of the individuals taking part
- equipment and resources needed to meet the needs of disabled people to access the activity
The activities and clubs can be held after school, evenings, weekends and/or in the school holidays. An activity may be just for half an hour or up to a full day. It can be for a single activity session or a series of sessions that an individual would like to attend.
What is not funded?
- purchase of vehicles
- activities during normal school hours
Who can apply?
The Main Grant is for groups/organisations or services meeting any of the following requirements:
- voluntary and community organisations that are formally established
- services within legal organisations, such as Local Authorities and Health partnerships
- groups, organisations, and services, including commercial companies that are clearly able to show their ability, through an award, to deliver benefit to the community within the period of the short break award
- groups, organisations, or services whose activities benefit residents of Southend-on-Sea
The following will not be considered for funding:
- groups, organisations, or services whose main aim is advertising
- activities or projects that promote religion
- activities where the full cost of which can be charged for
Grant criteria and eligibility:
- benefit only children and young people who live in Southend-on-Sea
- each application must be for a single project
- there is no limit to the number of applications that can be made by a organisation/group
- grants will be awarded for the 2024/25 financial year. Funding cannot be rolled over and awards cannot be extended beyond 31 March 2025
- organisations/groups must have valid insurance. Children's Services funded organisations are required to hold £5,000,000 Employers Liability and £5,000,000 Public Liability Insurances. If your application is successful, and you hold a lower level of cover, you can increase your level of cover
- organisations/groups must have policy statements and guidelines for Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Safeguarding Children/Child Protection
- ensure all staff, both paid and voluntary have an up-to-date Disclosure and Barring Service clearance and appropriate training
- comply with reporting and monitoring arrangements
- the organisation/group must have a reasonable charge, parental contribution towards the cost of the activity
We are particularly interested in supporting activities that are available for children without disabilities (sometimes called mainstream activities) to become more accessible for children with disabilities to participate.
How do you apply?
Applications open once a year. Applications open on 2 April 2024 and close on 30 April 2024 at midnight. Decision will be made shortly thereafter, and funding awarded by 17 May 2024 pending all supporting documentation received.
All applications will be considered by the Southend-on-Sea Steering Group based on:
- is it meeting the requirements of disabled children and young people and their families
- does it meet the eligibility criteria for Short Breaks
- does it represent value for money in terms of outcomes against costs
- how many children can this service reach
- cost - what is the direct and indirect cost (cost to parent)
- availability - who can use it and how can children and families engage with the service
If we have a number of bids that equally fit within the grant criteria but amount to more than the funding available, we will prioritise bids that support mainstream activities to become more accessible for children with disabilities.
To support a wide range of activities across Southend, the grants will be shared amongst activities that support a broad range of disabilities and take place in different locations across Southend.
Organisations/group apply by sending an application form to shortbreaks@southend.gov.uk. Please contact the team for the application form at shortbreaks@southend.gov.uk