FOI Request - Grants to the VCSE Sector

Request 101003580525

1.  Listing separately for each year, in the years 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 what was the

i.  Total annual financial value of grants given to the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector by your authority?

ii.  Total number of grants given to the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector by your authority?

2.  Listing separately for each year, in the years 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 of the above grants (question 1) what total number were awarded through

i.  Competitive/open application processes?
ii  Grants in aid?
iii. Unknown?

3.  Listing separately for each year, in the years 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 what was/were the:

i.  Total number of formal challenges you received around your grant processes and decisions on the basis of alleged non-compliance with: State Aid, Subsidy Control, or Public Procurement regulations?

ii.  And of these what number of these challenged resulted in legal proceedings?

A glossary defining the terms used above can be found below

Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VSCE) sector - “The VCSE sector is a broad
spectrum of organisations which comprise what is commonly referred to as ‘civil society’.
Procurement Policy Note 11/20 defines VCSEs as: any organisation (incorporated or not)
working with a social purpose. This ranges from small community-based groups/schemes,
through to larger registered charities and social enterprises, public service mutuals and
cooperatives that operate locally, regionally and nationally. This term is often
interchangeable with the terms ‘third sector’ or ‘civil society’ organisations”

Voluntary organisation: “organisations whose primary purpose is to create social impact rather than profit. They are independent from local and national government, and distinct from the private sector.”

Community organisation: “organisations aimed at making desired improvements to a local community's social health, well-being, and overall functioning.”

Social enterprise: “a business with a social or environmental purpose, whose profits are reinvested into fulfilling their mission.”

Open/competitive application processes: “council grants which are advertised to the public, and open to any eligible organisations to competitively apply for.”

Grants in aid: “council grants which are not advertised to the public, which only select organisations can apply for.”