Taking on board feedback from a recent listening exercise and research, Oak Foundation is working with Trust for London to develop a three-year, £1.5m programme of funding and other support for organisations working to support and advocate for and with Londoners with experience of temporary accommodation (TA). Initial thinking is that the main goals of this is to build organisations’ capacity, strengthen access to support, and to strengthen advocacy by, for and with Londoners with experience of TA.

It is hoped that the initiative will include:

• A call for applications for grant funding, aimed at support and advocacy organisations and those offering legal advice;
• A small fund for ‘micro-grants’ of a few hundred pounds, open to unconstituted organisations;
• Network coordination including connections to advocacy opportunities and access to consultancy or training (e.g. working with a journalist to train people with experience of TA to talk to the media, or a graphic artist to help tell peoples' story).

Trust for London anticipates making potentially up to 10 grants and up to 30 micro-grants in the first phase. They will also work with the sector to integrate the views of organisations working on the frontline and people with experience of TA into the design and delivery of the initiative.

The Trust is particularly keen to work with front-line, smaller, BAME- and user-led organisations with this strand of work and will be continuing dialogue with the sector between now and Spring 2022 to make sure the initiative meets need and is as accessible as possible.

It is anticipated that Oak Trustees will make a decision as to whether to fund the Oak contribution to this grant programme around February 2022, after which Trust for London will publish an update and funding guidelines, in the hope of making the first awards in May/June 2022 for 2022-25.

Closely linked to this developing small grants programme with Trust for London, Oak is looking to potentially make another grant, to support advocacy work through an ambitious investment, linked to reducing the use of and/or improving TA.

The details of this advocacy project are still being developed in consultation with partner organisations, but the initial thinking is that this work will focus on campaigning across England over a five year period and involve establishing an advocacy coalition or campaign, building on the current work by the sector, which is shaped by the voices of people with lived experience.

Organisations and potential partners who wish to find out more are invited to contact Susie, email susie@trustforlondon.org.uk and those wishing to discuss the developing advocacy part of the project (although this will link to thoe involved in the small grants programme focused on the TA Sector in London) email Paul paul.wishart@oakfnd.org