Following months of fundraising led by Sector3 and in partnership with many of Stockport’s local people, businesses and organisations from within the VCSE sector, the #KeepStockportCaring fund has now been able to successfully allocate much-needed grants to 41 Stockport based organisations.
Following a short Expressions of Interest process, organisations from across Stockport were able to apply for a portion of the overall £45,000 raised to help their organisation ‘bounce back’ following the recent Covid pandemic in the region.
Throughout Covid-19, many of the town’s voluntary, charitable, faith and social enterprise organisations have severely suffered from a lack of funding availability, although they have seen a significant increase in demand for many of the services the VCSE organisations are able to offer.
Jo McGrath, Strategic Lead for Sector3 commented:
It has been great to finally allocate these funds to the organisations who need them most. We didn’t want the process to be long and laborious, as many funding bids can be. We wanted to get the money out to the organisation, so they can start using it for the purpose it was intended – Keeping Stockport Caring.
‘The value Stockport’s VCSE brings to our borough has never been in doubt. However, Covid-19 highlighted just how vital the services the sector provides are in ensuring our communities are fully supported in times of crisis. A huge thank you to all the VCSE organisations, their staff and volunteers’
A panel made up of Sector3 representatives including Steve Hughes, Jo McGrath, Simone Callaghan and Helena Banfield, reviewed all of the Expressions of Interest received and awarded the funding accordingly. To be able to access money from the fund, an organisation had to be based in Stockport and be either a voluntary, charitable, social enterprise not-for-profit organisation.
Steve Hughes, Chair of Sector3 commented:
To be able to give funds out to 41 Stockport based organisations is brilliant. When we came up with the idea for the #KeepStokportCaring campaign back in April, we never thought we would be able to help so many or raise over £45,000. We have had donations from a number of sources – thank you to everyone who donated. I’m looking forward to seeing the fund being put to good use and these organisations flourishing.’