CREDITON COURIER

AN initial pot of £450,000 is being made available over the next two years to help support the social economy in meeting the needs arising from welfare reform and wider public sector budget cuts, for the benefit of communities across Devon.

The Community Impact Support Scheme (CISS) aims to promote independence and self reliance in communities and expressions of interest are now welcomed through the new Communities website: new.devon.gov.uk/communities/CISS .

Applications are welcomed from organisations within the social economy who work to support people most affected by welfare reform, focussing on those who are unemployed or in work but heavily benefit-dependent.

The Scheme seeks to encourage and support action that leads to improved longer term prospects for these beneficiaries and the applicant organisations that support them, particularly by means of employment and enterprise.

It is intended that successful applicant organisations will be supported to become more attractive to a range of other investment opportunities, such as from the private sector and social investment, and in turn help secure their long-term sustainability and their ability to do more of what works.

Support from the CISS will comprise one-off grants, typically ranging from £10,000 to £50,000, together with access to business support to help applicants develop ideas, business plans and financial forecasts to make sure they are "investment ready".

As far as possible, the CISS will also assist with signposting and cross-referrals to other potential sources of support and financial advice.

Interested organisations will be required to make a two-stage application, which will be managed through on-line forms available on the Communities website.

An initial Expression of Interest will be expected to set out how applicants intend to use CISS support for their own organisational development, as well as meet the needs of the end beneficiaries, and contribute to the overall Scheme outcomes.

Those shortlisted will go to the next stage where business support and advice will be offered to support development of a full application. All proposals will be reviewed by an expert panel made up of key stakeholders and local authority representatives.

The need for the CISS has arisen due to changes introduced by the Welfare Reform Act 2012, and the withdrawal of the Local Welfare Support Scheme funding.

The Act makes changes to the rules concerning a number of benefits, including the introduction of Universal Credit. The roll out of Universal Credit in Devon is unlikely to happen before 2016 and this, along with other changes to benefits and tax credits, could have a significant impact on communities.

It is estimated that £343m per year will be taken out of the Devon economy through reductions to welfare benefits with the losses impacting on working age households.

The CISS is one of a number of key mitigation measures to support the transition through these changes.

The scheme is being run by Devon County Council's Economy and Enterprise service in partnership with district councils and other key stakeholders, including Dartington School for Social Entrepreneurs, Devon Community Foundation, Devon Communities Together, Devon and Somerset Business Finance Network and Department for Work and Pensions.

Cabinet Member for Performance and Engagement Barry Parsons says: "This scheme is the latest in a number of investments made by the County Council towards supporting a strong social economy in recognition of the increasingly important role of this sector.

We have shared best practice in this field with peers across the UK and Europe through our programmes with the Young Foundation and the SEEING Project and we are continuing to take this work forward in a variety of ways.

"This includes the launch of CISS as well as the new Communities web resource and support for the recent Devon Social Entrepreneurs Development programme with Dartington School for Social Entrepreneurs."

More information including Scheme aims, objectives, eligibility criteria and how to apply are available through Devon County Council's new Communities website. The first call for Expressions of Interest is open until June 12.