Equality and Human Rights Commission Strategic Funding Programme

The Commission announced a new £10.2 million Strategic Funding Programme, providing three-year project-based funding of up to £450,000 for community and voluntary sector organisations.

• A first priorityⁱ area will fund organisations providing guidance, advice and advocacy services in areas including education, health and employment, as well building capacity where there are gaps in local provision, for example for women who have experienced violence. 
• A second priority area will support increased co-operation between groups - including ethnic or religious communities - in areas where there are known tensions.
• A third priority area is support for legal advice and awareness of legal rights. This will operate as a separate Programme which is expected to launch in June.

The Commission will hold a series of local funding surgeries, providing information, advice and guidance to those voluntary and community organisations that wish to apply for the funding will be held across the nine English Regions, Wales, Scotland and from 18 May – 3 June 2009.  The deadline for applications for strategic funding is 5pm, 12 June 2009. Results from the first tranche of applications will be announced towards the end of July 2009. The programme includes a simplified two stage application process to reduce paperwork and bureaucracy and ensure that applications that don’t meet the Commission’s criteria are identified at an early stage. For further information please visit: Equality and Human Rights Commission Strategic Funding Programme