Co-design in Action: Grenfell Projects Fund 

The Grenfell Projects Fund offers grants to support North Kensington’s community-led recovery, with the 2024/2025 fund totalling £600k for successful projects.

Since 2019, across three rounds of funding, 100 projects have been supported, including environmental, cultural, and community-led employment programmes. For Grenfell Projects Fund 2024/2025, the Council co-designed the grant-making process with a group of seven residents – the Resident Panel – each representing a different ward in North Kensington.

The co-design of the fund saw officers working hand-in-hand with the panel to shape the project from the ground up. This meant that the Resident Panel had real responsibilities that were vital in the creation and allocation of the grants:

• Shaping grant themes, priorities, and principles

• Designing the application and scoring process

• Assessing applications, creating shortlists, and monitoring projects

• Reviewing communications material to the wider North Kensington audience.

By embedding the community's perspective at every stage, the panel acted as a "critical friend" to the officers. Their involvement ensured that the residents’ lived experience carried as much weight as professional knowledge.

Officers received live feedback and resident-led ideas and challenges throughout the process. By working this way, this grant programme resonated more with the community and maintained pace and focus.
 
North Kensington residents voted on the 26 shortlisted projects, which closed on Sunday 16 February. Successful projects will be announced in April.
 
This round of Grenfell Projects fund demonstrates how by co-designing the process with the people who will benefit from it can only make a project better. Using knowledge and expertise held by local people is a vital part of ensuring the Council makes the right decisions. That’s why we are increasingly working in a way that reflects the lived experiences of those people who live, work and learn in Kensington and Chelsea, and providing routes of communication for local people to have your say.

Co-design is an excellent way of working collaboratively with our communities. It gives residents the space to actively shape and improve local services, fostering a sense of ownership and involvement. 

You might see promotional material online and in person featuring the Your Community Your Voice badge, like this one. When you spot this, it means there’s an opportunity for you to get involved and have your say.