CFO and OCVA administered the Supporting Communities Through Covid-19 fund, part of Oxfordshire’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF), on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council.
In total, we received 111 applications amounting to £1,582,329 in total funds requested and had £256,500 to distribute. The high number of applications clearly shows the tremendous amount of work taking place across Oxfordshire to support our communities and the funding required to do this.
Of the 111 applications, we were able – and delighted! – to award funds to 26 applicants (see table below).
Of course, the majority of organisations who developed very good projects and applications were unsuccessful namely because of the limited pot of funds available, however we are very conscious that we offer support beyond funding.
With this in mind, we have employed a Community Development Programme Officer to support community groups and organisations which applied for the funds (successful and unsuccessful applications). The Community Development Programme Officer will proactively offer a range of ongoing support to help funded and unfunded projects to achieve their aims sustainably, allowing communities to emerge stronger, with durable solutions to the challenges they face.
| Successful Group | Project Summary |
| Archway | To continue befriending Mental Health and Disability clients |
| Asylum Welcome | Continuation of coordinating our COVID-19 response |
| Barton Community Association | To help us to continue and expand our Community Larder to include essentials packages, and also allow us to recruit a dedicated Larder coordinator to oversee the day-to-day running of the Larder |
| Benson Volunteer Centre | Ongoing costs of providing support to local community |
| Berinsfield Information & Volunteer Centre (BIVC) | Ongoing running costs of the charity to support the local community |
| Chalgrove First Steps | To continue to provide support for those who are self-isolating and to gradually re-open safely and continue to develop online services |
| Chinnor Rugby Football | Packaging to provide meals for vulnerable residents. |
| Citizens Advice North | Oxfordshire Connect! Empowering digitally marginalised Oxfordshire residents to get online by developing volunteer Digital Champions |
| Citizens Advice South and Vale | To fund two part-time advisers who will provide advice on debt, benefits, employment and housing and support available in wake of Covid-19 impacts |
| FISH Volunteer Centre | Continue our working in the community – transport to vaccination centres, PPE for drivers etc |
| Great Western Park | Purchase software that we use to manage, distribute and collect data in order to deliver community services and pay for printing materials. |
| Home Start | Safe Connections: Inclusion Coordinator to reach disadvantaged, disproportionally affected families with under 5’s in Oxfordshire to reduce the spread and impact of COVID-19 |
| Kennington Strollers | Training for volunteer walk supporters as needed, promotion and publicity for the walks in the locality to reach the people who may most benefit from gentle exercise |
| Leys CDI | Supporting Young People in Blackbird Leys through Covid and beyond with a Weekly Girls Group, Weekly Boys Group and Weekly Friday night open to all group |
| Oxfordshire Association for the Blind | Being There for You – befriending/telephone support |
| Oxfordshire Crossroads | To deliver a digital inclusion project for Carers and people with care needs to support them to live well at home |
| Refugee Resource | Bespoke Citizens Advice Service to address the multiple, complex needs of highly vulnerable refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants |
| Rose Hill Junior YC | To support and enhance our work at the Rose Hill Food Bank |
| RVS Banbury | Weekly Welcome – a service whereby individual trusted volunteers are partnered with local communities in Banbury and surrounding areas |
| SOFEA | Getting Oxfordshire Online – reducing digital inequality. To set up a third hub to receive donations of devices, wipe them securely and reconfigure them, before distributing them to those in need |
| Syrian Sisters | Together we can better (Syrian Sisters wellbeing project) to run series of activities and services which support the mental and physical wellbeing of the refugee and migrant women |
| The Gatehouse | Home delivery of food and other essential items to vulnerably-housed guests, and one to one support provided through our Casework Team. |
| The Maple Tree | Online session for parents with new babies for support and learning and befriending scheme with parents |
| Thomas Gifford Trust | Charlbury Community Support – to help residents with shopping, prescription collection etc |
| Volunteer Driver Service | IT equipment and software because of increased demand for services |
| Volunteer Link Up | Enhance the Good Neighbours scheme network support |
