CCHA

PRESIDENT’S FUND

GUIDANCE AND APPLICATION PROCESS

ABOUT THE FUND / The President’s Fund of £36,500 funds various initiatives, events and activities, with the remainder allocated to research and resident engagement to enable us to plan activities and promote them. The fund is available to add value to ourexisting services and to assist in supporting residents in engaging as part of community cohesion schemes. The Presidents Fund has been merged with the Estate Improvement Fund to create a single ‘Presidents Fund’ and will continue to make a positive difference to our estates and schemes by carrying out improvement works that will positively influence resident satisfaction and wellbeing.
KEY PRINCIPLES /
  • To consider and allocate grants for specific schemes, projects and improvements.
  • To improve the quality of life of CCHA residents
  • A vehicle intended to improve CCHA’s fundraising capabilities for Community Investment related activities.
  • To provide “added value” by providing funding to complement existing projects which may be under funded.
  • To make a positive difference to CCHA’s estates and schemes in partnership with residents by making funds available quickly and easily to carry out improvement works that will positively influence resident satisfaction about the estate or scheme where they live

WHAT WE FUND / We want to create sustainable communities and aim to address the impact of social, economic and environmental conditions by enabling residents and neighbourhoods to effectively change circumstances and environments. We have identified the projects below to deliver and the Presidents Fund is available to assist in the successful delivery of them all if required.
EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING & SKILLS / Tackling unemployment and worklessness is an area that we are fully committed to through the Horizons Programme. This currently offers programmes such as support on CV writing, interview preparation, accessing the job market, work experience, apprenticeships and internal vacancy opportunities.
  • Commission specialist organisations to deliver CV writing and interview skills programmes.
  • Contribute towards local Jobs Fairs where and as appropriate
  • Devise a work experience programme for residents at our offices, as well as with contractors
  • Advertise CCHA and contractor job vacancies to residents seeking employment
  • Ensure apprenticeship opportunities are made available to residents

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT / Partnership is at the centre of almost everything we do, and nowhere is it more important than in the work done with young people. We believe that early intervention is critical to helping young people into a safe and fruitful adult life and so work in partnership with voluntary and youth organisations, other housing providers, the Police and the London Borough of Croydon to help deliver this aim.
  • Deliver the Momentum Youth Conference.
  • Deliver summer scheme programmes on an annual basis for young people to attend whilst assisting parents with a childcare resource for those working or seeking employment.

DIGITAL ACCESS / Challenges in the current environment with the introduction of the Welfare Reform and Universal Credit is leading households even further towards having to ‘get online’. We will continue to invest in programmes to support residents to get online, including the following projects:
  • Offer IT support/training and advice to prepare and keep residents up to date with an ongoing move towards receiving services online.
  • Commission a specialist organisation to engage and deliver digital initiatives for residents wanting / needing the get online
  • Ensure that any computer equipment is recycled and offered to residents where practical, in particular those living within shared accommodation.
  • Specifically target our older person’s schemes, as there has been increased interest in digital access from residents.

SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES / We will always seek to enhance opportunities for our residents by considering and promoting community improvement projects. These endeavours will be regularly assessed to monitor the social value we bring to our services. Specific projects for this include:
  • Consider community initiatives for those living within ourolder persons and supported accommodation to ensure residents are not isolated and socially excluded.
  • Deliver strategic community projects in conjunction with repairs contractors Mears and other housing providers that they may work with that may be of benefit to CCHA residents.

ESTATE IMPROVEMENTS / We want to make a positive difference to our estates and schemes by applying funds quickly to carry out small improvement works that will positively influence resident satisfaction and feeling about the estate or scheme where they live. All improvement proposals will be considered in partnership with residents. Examples of improvement works that will be considered include:
  • The works must make a positive impact or improvement to the estate / scheme
  • The works must be for estates or schemes and not individual properties
  • An item that is either a high cost or would make the service charge unaffordable e.g. bins stores, car park lines etc.
  • Signage improvements or re-brand
  • An improvement to a current asset management responsibility e.g. communal front doors
  • Set up costs of parking controls.

FINANCIAL INCLUSION / We have an important role to play in tackling financial exclusion and alleviating residents from becoming vulnerable to financial distress, debt and hardship, and this aim is based around helping to maximise the income our residents receive from work, benefits and other sources. We need to ensure everyone has access to appropriate financial services enabling them to manage their money effectively. This ultimately supports our aim of maximising income to support the business, as well as to sustain tenancies.
  • Continuing to provide welfare and money advice services.
  • Providing information, support and advice at tenancy sign up.
  • Sign posting to relevant external agencies or services for extended support.

FUEL POVERTY / We have identified a level of fuel poverty affecting our residents and set out a strategy for reducing its impact. As a result we were able to deliver a large number of initiatives to help alleviate fuel poverty. We will continue to support the alleviation of fuel poverty amongst our residents and use the fund to support initiatives.
  • Continue to research and obtain grants for insulation works to our properties.
  • Through our Debt Advice Service we will support residents to switch energy suppliers.
  • Continue to optimise energy efficiency initiatives for all new developments.
  • Through specialist organisations, research new initiatives and technology.
  • Seek external funding where appropriate to support these aims.

MEASURES OF SUCCESS / Employment, Skills & Training
  • More residents back into work / work related initiatives with our support
Youth Engagement
  • Provide opportunities to engage in a range of activities that encourage young people to be physically active
  • Raised aspirations and develop life skills
Digital Access
  • Residents have greater access to IT services
Social & Community Activities
  • Residents less isolated and socially excluded
Estate Improvements
  • Makes a positive difference to our estates and schemes
  • Increased resident satisfaction
Financial Inclusion
  • Rent Arrears target met 2.95%
  • Evictions no greater than 7
Fuel Poverty
  • An average SAP rating of 73 for CCHA stock

THE FUND WILL NOT SUPPORT /
  • Activities that can be funded from other mainstream funding sources or general CCHA budgets.
  • Planned or day to day maintenance obligations CCHA are required to carry out as a landlord
  • An exact replacement of an item that is currently service chargeable
  • Activities that might damage the reputation of the Association.
  • Activities which do not directly benefit CCHA residents.
  • Grants to external bodies will not be allowed.
  • Activities which conflict with CCHA’s vision and values.
  • Applications for welfare assistance to individual residents.
  • The purchase of equipment for schemes/estates that does not support an additional activity, event or improvement
  • Ongoing financial contributions / requirements

WHO CAN APPLY /
  • Requests can be driven by residents’ views
  • Suggestions by any CCHA staff in collaboration with Tenancy Management Officers / Housing Management Assistants or any staff responsible for a group of tenancies
  • Communications & Customer Investment Team

HOW TO APPLY / Residents and/or staff to complete the Presidents’ Fund Application Form using the guidance to ensure the request meets the criteria set out.
Ensure quotes are obtained for projects / initiatives and any resident consultation is carried out where necessary.
Return the completed application form to the Communications & Customer Investment Team.
FAIRNESS FOR ALL / The central co-ordination via the Communications & Customer Investment Team of the fund accessible cross functionally; to Neighbourhood Services, Supported and Sheltered Housing and Property Services ensures that grant applications are considered fairly and objectively.
We are committed to providing high quality services that meet the diverse needs of residents. Everyone has a right to be treated with respect and fairness and we will ensure that equality and diversity best practice is at the heart of all that the organisation does.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION / All successful requests to the Presidents’ Fund must ensure appropriate monitoring is put in place to assess the success of each project / initiative and to evidence that outcomes have been met.
Impact assessment / HACT ……………………………….

PRESIDENTS’ FUND

APPLICATION FORM

Application Sponsor:

Please provide the name & job title of the CCHA staff member that is proposing the application.

Activity / Initiative:

Please provide a brief description of the project you are proposing.

Scheme / Estate:

Please provide the address of the estate / scheme that the funding will be investing in. If open to all CCHA residents please state ‘All’.

Funding Theme:  Employment, Training & Skills

Please tick the most  Youth Engagement

appropriate theme for your  Digital Access

project.  Social & Community Activities

 Estate Improvements

 Financial Inclusion

 Fuel Poverty

Expected success:

Please provide measures of success from the suggested list within the guidance plus any additional outcomes expected as set out in your project proposal.

Funding cost:

Please provide total cost of the project and / or quotes obtained to allow resident consultation to begin.

Financial Breakdown:

Source of cost / Description / Cost (inc. VAT)
Items / equipment
Activities

Resident Consultation:

Please provide detail of resident consultation required / undertaken and in what format (i.e. survey / meeting) and outcome.

Staff signature: Print name:Date: