Funding Round-up – Grants & Support from KCC & KSAS (Part 1), Autumn 2023

MVA offers a new collection of announcements focusing on themes of funding and support for Individuals aimed at helping charities and similar groups continue their work.

Due to the varying nature and progress of public policies and other related activity, MVA do advise that some of the information below may have changed since the time of its issue, and whilst every effort has been made to provide up-to-date details, they ask that readers please check with each organisation’s website for the latest news.

Refer Kent
A growing online system is available designed to strengthen referrals across Kent for adults and families who may be experiencing financial hardship.

Delivered by Kent County Council (KCC) Refer Kent is a safe, secure, and local online referral system, allowing services to be recommended securely between advice agencies and local partners.

The organisers advise the system is growing into an online directory of organisations and services accessible to Kent residents and can act as a referral platform directly into these organisations.

KCC also advises that through this system, local organisations can help adult residents through referrals, making sure that they get the right support needed to alleviate their circumstances.

For more information, visit the KCC website.

Projects and Schemes from Digital Kent (KCC)
There is a growing online resource from KCC, allowing residents in Kent to find the information they need to start and improve their digital journey.

Digital Kent is designed to help and support those that are struggling to be digitally inclusive.

They do this by raising awareness of being able to access and use the growing number of online services, as well as building confidence and trust in using digital services.

Initially formed during the COVID pandemic, the service provides resources to help those who struggle to do things online, as well as offer digital support and similar services to improve their skills.

There are various services designed to help residents including:

• Hardware Access Scheme – available to supply individuals with access to digital equipment
• Connectivity Access Scheme – a service largely offering digitally excluded residents with access to connectivity (currently with a mobile 4G Router) and
• The Digital Support Scheme – a service that offers informal support to individuals (18 years old or over) that would like to improve their digital skills, motivation, or confidence.

Delivered through KCC’s Helping Hands Scheme, there are a growing number of other services from Digital Kent, each one designed to offer a tailored solution to improve digital inclusion and capabilities across Kent.

More information about these further services can be found at the Digital Kent website, you can also contact them by email at digitalinclusion@kent.gov.uk, or call 03000 410 950.

Kent Support and Assistance Service (KSAS)
KCC can offer urgent financial help and extra support to residents due to an unplanned or short-term crisis or due to exceptional pressure because of an emergency, through the Council’s Home Essentials in a Crisis scheme.

Sometimes known as the Kent Support and Assistance Service (KSAS) they can offer support in the form of goods or services to those experiencing serious difficulties managing income due to immediate or unplanned crisis or emergency.

The organisers do stress this help is available for short term, and only if applicants have no other means of support, and if all other avenues of support have been exhausted.

They also advise they do not provide money, but deliver support with essential items, like food, and help with utilities.

More information about this service is available on the KCC website.

Local grant giver and community support organisation Kent Community Foundation (KCF) also has services that can offer support to individuals and families in need. To find out more, you can contact KCF on 01303 814 500.

MVA continues its efforts to provide coverage of local and national news and events from the Voluntary and Charity Sector.

If you would like to see coverage of specific news or subject to help your charity, your project, your community group or enterprise, you can get in touch by email at info@mva.org.uk, you can also contact MVA via the website.