Council invites community organisations to take part in UK Shared Prosperity Fund survey

Thanet District Council has been allocated £1.15 million of government funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). UKSPF is part of the wider Levelling Up agenda and is intended to reduce inequalities between communities.The council’s plan focuses on using the funding to tackle some of the challenges facing communities in the district. 

Thanet’s voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE) organisations are key to this. A specialist consultancy, PRD, has been appointed to build a complete picture of these organisations; where they are operating, and the communities that they are working with. 

The council is now inviting all local VCSE organisations to complete an online survey. It includes questions about volunteers and finances, so it should be filled out by someone with a good knowledge of the organisation. It will take just a few minutes to complete.

The online survey can be accessed via this link and it will be accepting responses until 12pm on Monday 6 November 2023.

As part of the UKSPF programme, £300,000 of the funding will be allocated to the creation of a Shared Prosperity Grant Fund. This will be distributed amongst the district’s VCSE groups through a competitive process. It is important that community groups complete the survey so that they can be contacted about the next steps in applying for the funding. They will also be invited to take part in a programme offering advice, training and support.

Cllr Ruth Duckworth, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Growth at Thanet District Council, said: 

“We are proud of Thanet’s strong voluntary and community sector. We want to make sure we use the resources we have to support local organisations in the best way. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a terrific opportunity to really get to the heart of our communities, and to direct funding to where it can have the biggest impact. 

“This survey will give us a better understanding of the great work that our local groups are doing and the challenges they are facing. I urge all of Thanet’s voluntary, community and social enterprise groups to take part.”

Findings from the survey will be shared at a Community Champions Conference which will be held on Wednesday 22 November 2023 at St Augustine’s in Westgate-on-Sea. Further information, and a link to book free tickets, will be published on the council’s website. 

You can find out more about the UKSPF on the council’s website.