Voluntary and Community Frontline Sector (VCFS) Support Grant: prospectus
Posted on: March 8, 2022
Summary
In this prospectus, we will explain the new VCFS Grant and provide the information required to complete your application. The information is set out in the following parts:
- Part 1: Grant summary
- Part 2: How to apply
- Part 3: Timelines and processes
- Part 4: Scoring process
- Part 5: Guidance for completing the application form
If you have any questions, please refer to our frequently asked questions or please get in touch, using the email address below. We will do our best to help.
Please refer to Part 5 of this document for further guidance on completing the application form.
Contacting the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC)
General enquiries: vcfsgrantprogramme@levellingup.gov.uk
Introduction
The government has a clear manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping this Parliament. We are making good progress, but there is much still to do. The voluntary and community sector has been intrinsic to the progress achieved so far, delivering essential support, intervention, and advice on the ground. In addition, the sector provides essential links to local services and ensures individuals experiencing homelessness and sleeping rough are empowered to stay within, and strengthen their relationship to, their local community.
The next phase of our work together, outlined in this prospectus, will bring forward the development of a skilled voluntary and community sector, working in partnership with each other and local authorities to deliver a sustained reduction in homelessness and rough sleeping.
In recent years, DLUHC’s support for the sector’s activity has continued with grants to a number of voluntary sector organisations to build the capacity and expertise of the wider frontline sector. These grants have supported frontline workers in the voluntary and community sector, as well as in local authorities to meet their duties under the Homeless Reduction Act and to develop skills, expertise and partnerships to deliver a range of prevention, intervention and recovery services.
Our recent engagement with the wider sector and local authorities has told us that despite the many challenges of COVID-19, organisations have identified significant improvements to the coordination of rough sleeping services and partnership working during the COVID-19 pandemic, including improved relations with the health sector. We need to ensure this new way of working is sustained.
Despite these achievements, the profile and challenges of the homeless and rough sleeping population has changed over the pandemic and the sector now faces new complexities and issues to address. Now more than ever supporting the skills, capability and networks of the sector is a critical intervention to deliver an end to rough sleeping and homelessness.
The Spending Review in 2021 has given us the opportunity to look afresh at how we can support the frontline to deliver an end to rough sleeping.
The new VCFS Grant demonstrates DLUHC’s ongoing commitment to support and maintain valuable partnerships, develop the skills and experience of staff and volunteers, and to continue to raise the standards of the homelessness sector.
Part 1: Grant summary
1. What is the Voluntary, Community and Frontline Sector Grant?
The Voluntary, Community and Frontline Sector (VCFS) Grant is a new funding approach over the next 3 years, which will continue to support the essential work of the voluntary and community sector. We are making available a Grant programme delivered through 4 individually biddable lots, which will be managed through agreed workplans and regular monitoring. Bidders are welcome to apply for multiple lots and partnership bids are encouraged.
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