Name
Ukraine Community Integration grant scheme
Open for applications
Deadline

The deadline for:

  • Follow-on applications is 30 November 2024
  • New applications is 31 December 2024

If you have submitted an application please see 'What happens next' below.

The Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme launched in March 2022. Since this time, volunteer hosts have welcomed hundreds of Ukrainian guests to Herefordshire, with over 800 guests having arrived by September 2024. In response to the Scheme and our growing Ukrainian community, organisations across the county have developed a range of projects to support both hosts and guests as they settle into the county.

We developed a grant scheme in order to support existing activity but also encourage new and wide ranging projects and activities in communities across Herefordshire to support the ongoing integration of Ukrainian guests into the community.

A further round of the grant has opened for applications. The funding for this grant scheme comes from the Central Government Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

Aim of scheme

Projects should meet one or more of the following aims:

The aims of the grant scheme are to:

  • Ensure that Ukrainian guests feel welcome, safe and supported in Herefordshire
  • Support hosting individuals and families to feel confident in supporting their guests
  • Build strong relationships in and across communities through community integration activities
  • Sustain the relationship between hosts and guests
  • Support access to education, training and employment
  • Support Ukrainians to achieve independent living and sustainable housing in Herefordshire
  • Support vulnerable Ukrainians to overcome barriers to successful integration
Outputs and outcomes

Projects do not need to meet all of the outputs listed below, but should meet at least one.

  • Number of hosts supported
  • Number of Ukrainian adult guests (18 years and over) supported
  • Number of Ukrainian children and young people (under 18 years of age) supported
  • Number of Ukrainian guests supported to access formal and informal training opportunities
  • Number of Ukrainian guests supported to access work opportunities
  • Number of Ukrainian guests supported  with housing issues
  • Number of vulnerable Ukrainians supported to overcome barriers to successful integration*
  • Number of Ukrainian guests reporting improved mental health and wellbeing
  • Number of Ukrainian guests reporting that they feel integrated into life in Herefordshire

* You will need to describe nature of vulnerability in your application.

Who can apply
  • Voluntary and community organisations
  • Constituted groups or clubs
  • Registered charities
  • Charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs)
  • Not-for-profit organisations
  • Community interest companies (CIC's)
  • State and independent schools (as long as your project benefits and involves the community and does not deliver activities that are part of the standard curriculum)
  • Town and parish councils
  • Community benefit societies
  • Community Amateur Sports Clubs
  • Religious organisations - as long as the project or activity benefits the wider community and does not include religious content.

All applicants will need to be able to demonstrate their organisational status, relevant skills and have a bank account in the same name.

What the grant or funding is for

The grant can be used to fund a wide range of activities including:

  • Activities that support improved mental health and wellbeing
  • Advocacy and advice for hosts and guests
  • Support for children and young people
  • Services which support the resettlement of Ukrainians within Herefordshire, to include training / employment support, help to secure sustainable housing, support for vulnerable guests

Examples of projects funded during Round 1, and currently providing support across the county, include:

  • A place of welcome with access to food, clothes and household goods as well as advice and support
  • Specific support for hosts/sponsors
  • Targeted support for guests, including specialist link worker support
  • ESOL classes
  • Support to improve access to employment
  • Cultural and leisure activities
  • Support for mental wellbeing for adults and young people

The grant can also cover the following costs as long as they are clearly linked to the project:

  • Translation and interpreting services if not available through the Herefordshire Language Network
  • Transport expenses
  • Volunteer expenses
  • Direct project staff costs plus 15% overheads fee
  • Project staff training costs
  • Small items of equipment linked to the project up to £1500 per item

Costs which are not eligible

The grant will not fund the following items / activities:

  • Purchase of alcohol
  • Contingency costs, loans, endowments or interest
  • Paying someone else to write your application for you
  • Profit-making or fundraising activities
  • VAT you can reclaim
  • Legal fees unless specific and necessary to the project delivery
  • Promotion of religious beliefs
  • Statutory activities
  • Projects that do not benefit people living in Herefordshire
  • Political activities
  • Capital expenditure
How much you can apply for

Applicants can apply for up to £100,000

How to apply

The deadline for follow on applications is 30 November 2024 and new applications is 31 December 2024.

For new and follow on projects please contact us for a form:

Email: delegatedgrants@herefordshire.gov.uk

Telephone: 01432 260753

When we receive your application and project costs, we will acknowledge receipt.

New applicants are required to consult the Ukrainian Community Network meeting (which meets monthly) prior to making a submission for funding.

December 2024 meeting is on Tuesday 10 December, 10am to 12 noon.

Please email ukrainesupport@hvoss.org.uk to ask for an invite. All existing applicants and any successful new applicants are also expected to attend these meetings.

Further information

Help with your application

If you need some help with your proposal or filling out your application form or spreadsheet, please contact the Homes for Ukraine scheme:  supportforukraine@herefordshire.gov.uk

What happens next

Once received, Herefordshire Council will acknowledge receipt of your grant application.  The grant application will be assessed by a project panel who will make recommendations either for the application to be approved or rejected, or the panel may ask for further information before a decision can be made. This will require approval.

Grant applications are assessed on their individual merit by an independent panel against the grant funding eligibility criteria, the impact of the project and that it demonstrates value for money.  All applications are subject to funding availability.

Based on your application and any further information you may have been asked to provide, we will advise you of the decision to:

  • Offer a grant or
  • Offer a grant with some specific conditions or
  • Reject the application detailing the reasons why the application was not accepted

If your application meets the eligibility criteria and you are offered a grant, you will receive an offer letter setting out how much grant has been approved and detailing any specific terms and conditions.  If you are happy to accept the grant offer and associated conditions, you will need to return a signed copy within 10 working days. 

Grant offer terms and conditions

If you are offered a grant, you will be sent terms and conditions specific to your project. 

Key points to consider are:

  • You should not start your project until you have signed the acceptance of grant and returned it to the Delegated Grants Team. 
  • You need to keep all paperwork relating to your project - that is, all invoices, receipts and bank statements, as they will need to be submitted as evidence with your claims. 
  • Information relating to user feedback and progress towards the outputs of your project should also be kept.
  • The grant will only be paid on invoices or receipts that have been paid, and are dated after the offer letter has been agreed by all parties.
  • Other specific conditions of grant will be included within your offer letter.

If your project or budget changes

  • The Council won't be able to give you more grant money if your costs increase, but will consider variations within the agreed budget as long as these are approved in advance.
  • You need to notify the Delegated Grants Team in writing as soon as you realise that you may need to make some changes to your project or budget in order to deliver your project.

How to submit your claim for payment

For grants of under £25,000, the Council will make a payment of up to 50% of the total grant sum upfront in order to help you get your project up and running (depending on the scale and scope of your project). The balance will be paid upon the submission of your final report and claim which will need to include invoices/receipts and satisfactory evidence that you have spent the funding in the way you had planned.

For new grants of £25,000 and above, the Council will make a payment of up to 25% of the total grant sum upfront in order to help you get your project up and running (depending on the scale and scope of your project). You can then draw the rest of the funding down by submitting quarterly reports and claims, with the final sum being paid upon competition of your final report and claim. Claims will need to include invoices/receipts and satisfactory evidence that you have spent the funding.

For follow-on grants you will continue to submit quarterly claims.

By exception the Council may agree to more regular claims, depending on the cashflow situation of the organisation.

All grant funded work must be completed and claims submitted by the deadline date specified in your offer letter. The claim form will be sent to you with your offer letter.

When you need to submit your report

Depending on the nature and length of your project, you will need to complete either an interim, or a final report within six months of claiming your grant summarising what your project has achieved. If you are successful, your offer letter will set out the information that you need to collect and provide to the Council.

Keeping in touch

We would really like to hear about your projects as they develop and love sharing your good news with the community. If you have a story you would like us to share please contact the Homes for Ukraine Team on supportforukraine@herefordshire.gov.uk

Useful information