New grants for Grenfell-affected communities

Published: Friday 6 September 2019

New grants for environment, culture and education projects for Grenfell-affected communities

Grenfell-affected communities will soon be able to apply for a share of a £600k fund created by Kensington and Chelsea Council for local organisations to deliver priority projects.

The Grenfell Projects Fund – set up following extensive consultation and codesign with residents – is part of the Council’s Grenfell Recovery Strategy and was formally approved by the Leadership team at its meeting on Wednesday 18 September.

The Fund will officially launch on Friday 20 September and applicants will have until the end of October to apply.

The community has decided that bids for grant funding should fall within one of the following categories:

  • Wellbeing for children and adults
  • Educational opportunities to increase people’s skills, knowledge, qualifications and enterprise opportunities
  • Social and cultural events that bring communities together and reduce social isolation for older people
  • Community safety
  • Activities for young people
  • Food growing/greening and activities that bring communities together and enhance the local environment

Councillor Anne Cyron, Lead Member for Communities, said:

“The community has done an enormous amount of work to support its own recovery and the new Grenfell Projects Fund has been designed to facilitate continued community leadership.

“The fund has been shaped by extensive, honest and informative conversations with people and organisations affected by the Grenfell tragedy.

“The communities themselves played an instrumental role in defining each of the funding categories to address the issues that matter most to them.”

Those wishing to apply for a grant can email [email protected] or come to an information day at Latymer Community Church, 116 Bramley Road W10 6SU on either:

  • Friday 20 September from 5.30pm to 7.30pm
  • Saturday 26 October from 10am to 12pm 

People can turn up on the day, no need to sign up in advance. The events will allow individuals and groups to talk about their ideas – no matter how big or small – and receive support in applying for funding, including arranging individual meetings with members of the Council’s Community Engagement Team.

An event in November will then be held for residents to discuss the applications and vote for the schemes they support.

The Grenfell Projects Fund, previously known as the Community Grants Programme, follows the Council’s announcement of a new Community Leadership Programme, designed to help organisations and individuals who want to provide innovative and sustainable services to the local community. It builds on extensive work which revealed that residents in the area want to continue playing a leading role in helping the community heal and to deliver services on the ground.

The Community Leadership Programme initially has schemes run by local organisations in North Kensington and organisations with skills in a variety of different areas.

Workshops are already running on building digital skills, management training and advice on setting up and launching a business. 

The Programme will offer advice and support to those who wish to apply for funding from the Grenfell Projects Fund.