UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) – in Thanet
In February 2022, the government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities launched the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), highlighting that Thanet was allocated £1.15 million. This fund forms part of the wider Levelling Up agenda, intended to reduce inequalities between communities. Thanet District Council was invited to develop a plan of how the funding would be spent in line with the government’s parameters and criteria.
The aim of the funding is to build a sense of community, restore local pride and increase life chances for Thanet’s residents. It focuses on three priorities:
- Community and Place
- Supporting Local Businesses
- People and Skills
The objectives of the UKSPF are to:
- Boost productivity, pay, jobs and living standards by growing the private sector, especially in those places where they are lagging
- Spread opportunities and improve public services, especially in those places where they are weakest
- Restore a sense of community, local pride and belonging, especially in those places where they have been lost
- Empower local leaders and communities, especially in those places lacking local agency
We developed a plan in spring 2022, setting out how we will use the funding in Thanet. This was required to adhere to the government’s set criteria and was approved by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in December 2022. It outlines an approach for project delivery and engagement with key groups within the voluntary and community sector.
The aim is to tackle some of the challenges facing communities in Thanet, with a focus on projects that will have the biggest impact in each location, within each priority.
Funding has been allocated to a number of projects (officially called interventions). These include a range of activities such as carrying out feasibility studies to better understand the needs of the voluntary and community sector, engaging with local community groups, exploring employment opportunities, chances for volunteering and a community champions initiative. A small grants programme will be launched in autumn 2023, to support the community, volunteering and social action projects.
The interventions will be delivered through a phased approach. It is expected that the Community and Place objectives will commence in 2023-24, with Support for Business, and People and Skills to follow in the next financial year, with further details and timescales to be scoped. The projects are required to be delivered by March 2025 as stipulated by central government.
UK Shared Prosperity Fund – £1.15 million
Project Management over 2 years – £105K
Priorities identified through the Voluntary and Community Sector mapping, Big Ideas Challenge, Levelling Up projects, Margate Town Deal and Future High Street Fund in Ramsgate will inform delivery of all UKSPF projects.
Year 1 (2023-24)
Year 2 – (2024-25)
Community and Place
Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector (VCSE) Mapping (year 1)
Identify VCSE organisations in Thanet and their needs, challenges and capacity
This will allow us to target funding, support and interventions.
As part of this we will have a BIG Ideas Challenge which aims to engage with people in focus neighbourhoods, to identify projects that could benefit from support of the Fund. These will be fun, interactive events to encourage engagement
Small Grants programme (year 1)
Set up a Small Grants programme to fund local social action projects and activities.
Support local projects with engagement and local pride.
Use the findings of the Mapping to inform focus for funding and support.
Community Champions programme (year 1 and 2)
Set up a Community Champion Programme to support VCSE leaders.
Strengthen the VCSE network through sharing knowledge, ideas & best practice.
Collaborate for most impact & reduce duplication.
Capital Investment (year 1 and 2)
Support community organisations to improve facilities.
Develop opportunities for community engagement and activity.
Explore match funding opportunities through partnerships.
Support for Business
Growing Social Economy (year 2)
Work with key neighbourhoods to reach those most in need of support into employment.
Support social enterprises and community businesses to engage the community into projects, employment or volunteering.
People and Skills
Employment Support for Inactive People (year 2)
Link people to key employment opportunities including creative and digital sectors in Margate and green and maritime sectors in Ramsgate.
Develop opportunities to engage and train people to work in the visitor and night time economy.
Enrichment and Volunteering Activities (year 2)
Build community capacity to create volunteering opportunities within the most deprived areas.
Provide engagement opportunities for enrichment, training and volunteering opportunities.
Green Skills (year 2)
Identify local people who can connect to existing opportunities including wind farms and to the growing circular economy.
Work to provide early engagement with Green Campus and Green Port projects.