Deadline: 3-Jan-23
Applications for the North West Welcome Hub Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) Grants Programme are now open for organisations to submit their bids for funding.
Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) status holders and their dependants can apply for a new immigration route, enabling them and their dependents to come to the UK. Applicants and their family members will be able to live, work and study in the UK but will not have access to public funds. 12 Welcome Hubs have been funded to ensure that newly arriving BN(O) status holders are able to access information to help their integration into the UK.
Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations play an important role in delivering local support services to newly arrived migrant communities. As part of their programme of support in the North West the Regional Strategic Migration Partnership will be funding a number of organisations to welcome Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders and help and assist them as they seek to make North West England their new home. Through this grant programme VCFSE organisations can apply for funds to deliver programmes, projects, events, workshops or other services to support the welcome, integration and wellbeing of BN(O) visa holders.
Funding Information
- Grant 1: Up to £5,000
- Grant 2: Up to £10,000
What they can Fund?
- Grant 1: Up to £5,000
- Organisations bidding for this grant can apply for funding up to £5,000 to deliver local integration activities for newly arrived BN(O) visa holders. Examples of applications could include:
- Funding to run events to support Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders to settle into life in the North West and integrate with their local community.
- To support the integration of newly arrived BN(O) visa holders into life in the UK. Such as, informal conversation clubs, a general introduction to the NHS, council services, education or housing.
- Cultural exchange events to support the celebration of Hong Kong culture and to educate newly arrived Hongkongers, local communities in the North West and wider British society of the historic and cultural links between Hong Kong and the UK.
- To help BN(O) visa holders and their families meet, engage and share with other migrant communities in the areas they live.
- To run events or programmes to support specific sub-groups within the BN(O) community who may face additional barriers to integration e.g. Children, Older People, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities.
- Organisations bidding for this grant can apply for funding up to £5,000 to deliver local integration activities for newly arrived BN(O) visa holders. Examples of applications could include:
- Grant 2: Up to £10,000
- Organisations bidding for this grant can apply for up to £10,000 to deliver longer term programmes of specific advice and support to enable BN(O) visa holders and their families to integrate into their communities, access services, and to be a full part of British society. Examples of applications could include:
- Assisting BN(O) visa holders to access support and services, such as through their local council, college, other VCFSE organisations or national organisations which are able to deliver support to individuals with No Recourse to Public Funds.
- Supporting BN(O) visa holders to access services for which funding has been made available, such as English language support and, if needed, support for those at risk of destitution.
- Delivering structured programmes or courses aimed at improving BN(O) visa holders English language ability. These can be accredited or unaccredited courses.
- Delivering structured programmes or courses to support BN(O) visa holders into employment or to improve their employability.
- A programme of multiple events, workshops, drop-in sessions, information sessions, accredited or unaccredited courses supporting integration and life in the UK.
- Organisations bidding for this grant can apply for up to £10,000 to deliver longer term programmes of specific advice and support to enable BN(O) visa holders and their families to integrate into their communities, access services, and to be a full part of British society. Examples of applications could include:
Eligibility Criteria
- Beneficiaries: Although they expect and encourage integration and engagement between Hong Kong communities and local communities (including other migrant communities), the targeted beneficiaries of the projects must predominantly be Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders settled in the North West (Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Liverpool City Region).
- Any voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisation that operates, or seeks to operate, in the North West can apply.
- You can apply if you are:
- Registered, exempt or excepted charity.
- Charitable incorporated organisation (CIO).
- Community Interest Company (CIC) limited by guarantee.
- Charitable company (limited by guarantee).
- Community benefit society (Bencom).
- Constituted community group.
- Faith group, where the activity is not promoting religion.
- Only the organisation that meets the criteria may be a lead applicant and submit the application form. Please note, Limited Companies cannot be funded through this grant programme. While they welcome applications from organisations, they will not fund private individuals.
- Organisations which have previously been funded to support Hong Kong BN(O) residents, by the RSMP or from central Government, are permitted to bid again for funding. However, the application you submit must be for a different proposal than what you were funded for previously. We hope you are able to use your experience from the previous funding period to build on your knowledge of delivering services to this cohort and therefore expand and/or improve your provision.
For more information, visit Hub VCFSE Grants.