Communities for Afghans Scheme - phase 2

Overview

They are inviting applications for this grant with the aim of partnering with one or more Voluntary and Community and Social Enterprise Sector (VCSE) Principal Sponsors to lead phase 2 of the Communities for Afghans scheme. 

They will retain flexibility on this, depending on the bid and geographical coverage of those they receive. The Principal Sponsors would have primary responsibility for recruitment, and support of Sponsor Groups.  

Principal Sponsors will recruit ’Sponsor Groups’ who support a resettled Afghan household by sourcing accommodation for a period of three-years and providing integration support. The accommodation should meet local authority standards and be appropriate for the household. Sponsor Groups should support households with integration into society and local orientation. Most responsibilities and non-statutory duties for the scheme will be devolved to civil society.   

They expect Principal Sponsors to recruit and support Sponsor Groups through the scheme, by making sure they have appropriate training. Their role will also be to match Sponsor Groups and resettled families and provide specialist support as required, for example mental health provision.

Eligibility

Organisations must be aligned with the Voluntary and Community and Social Enterprise Sector (VCSE), registered in the UK. The organisation must be established for charitable, benevolent, or philanthropic purposes (see ‘Who can apply – in detail’ section of the prospectus). They must also: 

• have a governing body with at least 3 members 
• have a governing document they can produce  
• have capacity to deliver an expected minimum of 125 sponsorship arrangements 

Charity - A registered charity with a UK charity number  

Community group - A group which meets all the following criteria:     

• Established for charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes  
• Has a governing body with at least three members    
• Has a governing document which they are able to produce 
• Can provide accounts for the last two financial years    

Community Interest Company - A special type of limited company which exists to benefit the community rather than private shareholders.    

Social enterprise - A business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners. 

Consortium - A group of applicants, with a designated lead partner to manage the programme, and a system for dividing the work and funds appropriately and effectively. The lead partner must be a charity or a community group with a charitable purpose.    

Organisations must be based in the United Kingdom and provide an offer that can cover England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Objectives

• The department will partner with up to four lead Principal Sponsors who will have primary responsibility for recruitment, of and support to Sponsor Groups (consortia of more than four organisations are eligible, but we do not intend to partner with more than four consortiums).   
• Principal Sponsors to deliver a service through Sponsor Groups to provide accommodation and support for Afghans who have arrived through a government resettlement route so that they can settle in the UK successfully  
• Principal Sponsors can work directly with Sponsor Groups and/or partner with other organisations such as veterans' charities and faith groups to expand capacity. In either case Principal Sponsors retain ultimate responsibility as part of the Grant Funding Agreement    
• They would also consider applications from a consortium of organisations, as long as appropriate agreements are in place and one organisation is identified as the lead recipient for the Grant Funding Agreement
• Project proposals can vary in budget and size. Organisations should show:
  • their proposed reach and impact
  • how you will track the reach and impact
  • how you will share project learnings with MHCLG and other Principal Sponsors

Funding available

A total fund of £4.145 million for Principal Sponsors which will be split between successful applicants across financial years 2025/2026 and 2030/2031. This funding is for the Principal Sponsor to administer the project. 

There will also be a separate fund available to Sponsor Groups to cover for upfront costs including (but not limited to) deposits, the first month’s rent and other initial costs, this will be £909 per person. Principal Sponsors will be asked to distribute this money to Sponsor Groups. There is no need to bid for this as it will form part of the Grant Funding Agreement. Please note there is no cap on household size.

Funding of £136 per person per month for 3 years is available for ongoing monthly costs, including help with rental costs for example. There is no cap on household size. This will be paid via the local authority.