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