FOI request (FOIR-433362066)

We’re seeking data under FOI on your grant-making practice, specifically related to the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector.

We’re producing a free legal guide to grant-making for public sector commissioners. There is currently no legal guide on grant-making, leading to uncertainty for commissioners about when they can and should use grants or contracts. Our guide intends to clarify the position. This FOI will help draw a picture of current grant-making practice which we’ll include in the guide to enable local authorities to benchmark their funding practice.

Hope this context helps. The FOI request is for the following information:

1. Listing separately for each year, in the years 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 what was the

1. Total annual financial value of grants given to the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector by your authority?
2. Total number of grants given to the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector by your authority?

2. Listing separately for each year, in the years 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 of the above grants (question 1) what total number were awarded through

1. Competitive/open grants processes?
2. Awarded as grants in aid?
3. Unknown?

3. Listing separately for each year, in the years 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 what was/were the:

1. Total number of formal challenges you received around your grant processes and decisions on the basis of alleged non-compliance with: State Aid, Subsidy Control, or Public Procurement regulations?
2. And of these what number of these challenged resulted in legal proceedings?