Pilotlight Race and the Voluntary Sector Report
Pilotlight have released their new report 'Learning and Listening for Mutual Action: surfacing and building the evidence base to support Black African, Black Caribbean, Asian and other Minoritised Ethnic led voluntary sector organisations', in which they explore and ask what the specific support needs of organisations in BAME communities and led by BAME individuals are. It is authored by Fancy Sinantha, an independent consultant, together with the support of Cornish and Grey.
The pandemic has cast further light on the level of inequality experienced in our society and especially in BAME communities. Thus, it is ever more imperative that we explore what is needed to minimise this inequality, especially across the VCSE sector. The sector itself is plagued with institutional racism, a critical subject explored by many of our speakers at VSNW’s Festival of North West Thinking, and a problem that needs to be triumphed. Pilotlight’s report recognises that ploughing money into these organisations despite being necessary, does not address these systemic issues, thus paving the way for their report questioning: what are the needs of these organisations?
GMCVO Funding for BAME-led Organisations
During our Festival of North West Thinking, a recurring theme throughout all of the events was the unequal affect Covid has had in BAME communities. Furthermore, this has meant that BAME-led voluntary and community organisations have also been under more pressure, due to the increasing demand as a result of the pandemic. Emergency funding has been granted to many organisations; however, issues have been raised over how equal that access is due to the institutional racism that exists within our sector and within funding organisations.
Please watch highlights from our first Festival of North West Thinking first event ‘Covid-19 Recovery: VCSE Leadership Voices Assembly with a Focus on Inequalities’ and in particular the point of views of Natalie Creary, Director of Black Thrive and Farzana Khan Executive Director and Co-founder of Healing Justice (HJL) who talk passionately and eloquently about inequality experienced in BAME communities and how Covid-19 has enhanced this.
GMCVO Funding:
Speaking to some of the issues raised above, last year, Greater Manchester BAME Network distributed almost £200,000 of funding to small GM BAME-led VCSE organisations affected most by Covid in order to respond to the increasing needs of BAME communities. These grants were administered by GMCVO using funding provided by Comic Relief and the National Emergency Fund.
We are pleased to share that in response to additional funding there is a second round of grants now available. The grants are aimed at finding new activities, services and any adaptation needed due to Covid-19.
On 18th December, round two of the small grants (£1000-£5000) opened; this will close on Friday 26th February 2021.
Organisations who have already received a grant are still entitled to apply for further help.