Item 6 - Grants Programme 2021-25 (GE12/09)

Summary 
The current Grants Programme is a four-year programme that is due to complete at the end of March 2021. The programme operates across three priority areas:

Priority 1 - Combatting Homelessness
Priority 2 - Tackling Sexual and Domestic Violence
Priority 3 - Tackling Poverty through Employment

Grants Committee members, in July 2019, supported a 2021-25 Grants Programme. Grants Committee agreed that the current principles remained fit for purpose and review of the programme should take account of the priorities (the pledges to Londoners) that Leaders had already committed to.
This paper draws out points that where raised from the discussion in July that require further consideration, and sets out a timeline of activities that will need to be achieved to develop and deliver a 2021-25 Grants Programme, including governance requirements (Leaders' Committee determines the principles and priorities of the Programme and the overall budget of the Programme; the Grants Committee commissions services, makes awards of funding, manages projects’ performance and may advise Leaders’ Committee on the Programme).

For consideration 
 
Grants Committee Executive is asked to:
- discuss and consider options around Priority 3, i.e.
 continue with a Tackling Poverty priority through different types of support other than employment related support
 use the period of consultation and review noted in the above timetable to seek views on reshaping Priority 3
• consider whether to go forward with a focus on Priorities 1 and 2 - combatting homelessness and tackling sexual and domestic violence
- consider options for meeting changing needs during the life of a 2021-25 programme, including:
• building in flexibility, whilst remaining within the agreed Priorities set by Leaders’ Committee
• a level of reserves that might be committed
• any additional principles that should be applied to a ‘response’ fund, for example, that the funding is used to undertake pilots and action research to support the boroughs
- task officers with undertaking work prior to the November Grants Committee