Glasgow City Council has announced a £4 million "transition fund" after officials recommended to knock back over 100 charities, groups and third-sector organisations from lifeline funding. 

We exclusively told last week how council chiefs had proposed to reject 134 city charity, groups, programmes and organisations from £77 million worth of lifeline funding from the Glasgow Communities Fund. 

READ MORE: 'Every community in Glasgow could be harmed': Over 100 charities and groups could be rejected from lifeline funding

The authority had received an influx of applications for the community grants totalling to £135 million. There was however only £58 million worth of grants made available.

Officials had adopted a point-scoring assessment to allow them to make decisions about the appointments of the awards. This included organisation/governance, project development, project delivery, project outcomes and impact of the fund, project finance and sustainability.

After mounting concerns over the potential closures of five city Citizens Advice Bearux, the Castlemilk Law Centre and the Drumchapel Money Advice Centre, the city convener worked with officers and the sector to identify alternative funding.

Proposals to establish a £4 million transitional fund will now be put forward outside of the Glasgow Communities Fund. 

Glasgow Times:

READ MORE: More than half of Glasgow's Citizens Advice Bureaux facing permanent closure

Councillor Jennifer Layden said: “I am pleased that we have been able to identify £4 million transitional funding for the advice sector, violence against women organisations, and communities of interest and equalities groups supporting many of those most severely impacted by the pandemic.  We have also identified additional funding for arts organisations.

“The important work provided by these sectors has never been in question and I trust all political groupings on the Council will support this proposal.

“This will bring our investment in the city’s Third Sector to over £60m over the next three years, supporting valuable projects addressing poverty, inequality and discrimination in our communities. This includes millions of pounds provided to organisations that were shut out of the former grant funding process.

“The Leader and I have had constructive discussions with the city’s advice sector and Citizen’s Advice Scotland over the past few days and it is vital that we accelerate work to develop a sustainable future funding model for the sector which diversifies funding sources. We’ll be seeking the Scottish Government’s active engagement in this process.

“Officers are now exploring how best to distribute this funding and recommendations will be presented to Cllrs in the coming weeks.“

Glasgow Times:

READ MORE: Over 12,000 people in Glasgow to be affected by 'horrifying' impact of Citizens Advice closures

Tomorrow's City Administration Committee will see officials vote on whether to cut £87 million from the Glasgow Communities Fund. 

Meanwhile, council leader Susan Aitken said: "We’ve worked round the clock over the past few days to find a solution for the CAB and other organisations who missed out on grant funding.

"We’ve now identified over £4 million in additional support for the advice sector and VAW, equalities & cultural organisations.

"This brings to over £60 million the investment we’re making in Glasgow’s third-sector over the next three years, including £millions for organisations previously shut out of grant funding.

"Very few councils fund the third- sector to this extent but we choose that investment in our communities.

"The opening up of the old grant fund has clearly been a big cultural change for the sector. But we’re committed to working with CAB and others to find a model for the continued provision of modern, fit-for-purpose advice services, delivered when and where communities need them."