Funding for Engage Renfrewshire 2026-27
Renfrewshire Council · 29 April 2026
Back to Leadership Board — 29 April 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________________ To: Leadership Board On: 29 April 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Funding for Engage Renfrewshire 2026/27 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This paper outlines proposals for the allocation of grant funding to Engage Renfrewshire for 2026/27. Engage Renfrewshire is Renfrewshire’s Third Sector Interface and this funding from the Council supplements national funding allocated by the Scottish Government which enables Engage Renfrewshire to fulfil this role and deliver a range of targeted activities. 1.2 Within this report, information is provided in Section 4 in relation to the activities delivered by Engage Renfrewshire in 25/26 in relation to the grant funding allocated, whilst section 5 highlights the priorities that will be progressed during 26/27 subject to approval of the grant funding. 1.3 As elected members will be aware, the Council is progressing its Connected Communities programme which is being led by the Head of Policy and Partnerships. As part of this, work is ongoing to review current activities which support the development of community capacity in Renfrewshire, and the funding relationship with wider support organisation such as Engage Renfrewshire is part of this review. Activity in this area has not been prioritised within the first 3 workstreams which are being progressed within the Connected Communities programme due to available capacity, however this is scheduled to be complete by end December 2026, with new arrangements
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PUBLIC being brought forward ahead of the next financial year for consideration by elected members. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that elected members: • approves grant funding of £360,610 to Engage Renfrewshire to deliver the priorities set out in sections 4 and 5 of this report. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 Engage Renfrewshire is the designated Third Sector Interface (TSI) for the Renfrewshire Council area. Engage Renfrewshire provides services to support the operation and growth of community and voluntary sector organisations (also known as the third sector), including Social Enterprises, within the area. The organisation: • supports social enterprises, community development trusts, charitable groups, mutual aid groups and more. • helps groups to build capacity and to be safe, by providing information, advice and training for everything from charitable structures to funding. • supports volunteering by involving organisations with recruitment and volunteer support, and working with individuals to find them rewarding and uplifting volunteer opportunities. They also work with local charities and public sector bodies to promote volunteering for all. 3.2 Engage Renfrewshire is funded to provide support to local community and voluntary sector organisations by the Scottish Government, and to deliver against the TSIs outcome framework for Scotland. The organisation is based at the Engage Hub in Ferguslie Park, and a number of local organisations from both the third and public sector are tenants within the Hub. Membership of Engage Renfrewshire is free to organisations and individuals. 3.3 Engage also generates its own income through trading, through the provision of financial and payroll services to individuals, organisations and voluntary groups. 3.4 Renfrewshire Council has historically provided grant funding to Engage Renfrewshire to supplement Scottish Government funding, to ensure support
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PUBLIC is provided to third and sector community organisations in Renfrewshire. This has been vital in ensuring close partnership working. 4. Key activities delivered during in 25/26 4.1 In April 2025, Leadership Board approved the allocation of £360,610 in grant funding to Engage Renfrewshire for 2025/26 and a grant support agreement was subsequently put into place to deliver against the following agreed priorities: • Building Renfrewshire’s community and voluntary sector capacity • Representing the third sector in the delivery of our Community Plan and its strategic priorities • Providing the strategic and operational lead for volunteering in Renfrewshire 4.2 Engage have submitted quarterly monitoring reports in relation to the grant funding received from the Council, in order that progress against these priorities can be tracked. An annual report is also published, which is available on the Engage Renfrewshire website. Senior officers from the Connected Communities Service meet with the Chief Executive of Engage Renfrewshire on a fortnightly basis to discuss emerging issues and activities required. 4.3 In summary a number of key outcomes were achieved during 25/26 against the initial priorities set: Priorities High level outcomes Building Renfrewshire’s community and voluntary sector capacity • Growth in Engage membership to 477 from 454. • Co-ordinating the Renfrewshire Social Enterprise network, enabling its 156 members to access specialist support to develop their organisations. • In the last year Engage has supported 10 companies to register as a social enterprise, double their annual average. • Co-ordinating national and local partners to provide information and support on Community Asset Transfer. • Continuing to manage and distribute over £0.5m of funding from the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund per annum which is now awarded on a multi year basis to promote and develop good mental health and wellbeing and/or mitigate and protect against the impact of distress and mental ill health within the adult population. • Co-ordinating Renfrewshire Wellbeing Network alongside the HSCP, with regular network meetings and opportunities provided to network members.
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PUBLIC • Relaunching the Renfrewshire Integration Network (IN-Ren) and supporting wider community integration of New Scots in Renfrewshire. The network now has over 40 local and national organisations as members. This year they produced a Strategic Action Plan, provides a shared framework to guide collaborative action and influence across sectors • Launching the SURE Fund, on behalf of the Alcohol and Drug Partnership, which seeks to support community-led projects that reduce alcohol and drug related harm, support recovery, and help build stronger, more connected communities. Representing the third sector in the delivery of our Community Plan and its strategic priorities • Chairing the Community Learning and Development (CLD) Partnership Executive Group and supporting the CLD Partnership Forum, with this role recognised as a key strength by HMI. • Supporting the Community Planning Partnership, including chairing the Forum for Empowering Communities, connecting Renfrewshire’s third sector to the wider Community Planning agenda and supporting other partnership groups and activities relating to children and young people, employability, connectedness and mental health and wellbeing • Representatives on all Local Partnerships, and in particular supporting a partnership approach to identifying appropriate community funding sources • Supporting and promoting various local funding initiatives including Winter Connections programme and Cultural Heritage and Event Funding. In particular over 2025/26, Engage played a key role in supporting the design of community funding approaches as well as assisting with partnership decision making. • Engage also now host a Community Officer focussed on vaping and tobacco prevention, funded by Renfrewshire HSCP. Providing the strategic and operational lead for volunteering in Renfrewshire • Supporting local volunteering activity, promoting Volunteers Week and co-ordinating Saltire Awards across Renfrewshire. 2,172 potential volunteers are registered on the Team Kinetic system, receiving weekly updates from 153 providers on volunteer opportunities. 5. Grant funding for 2026/27 5.1 As noted in previous reports to board, the funding agreement with Engage Renfrewshire is being reviewed as an element of the wider Connected Communities Programme. It is therefore proposed that funding for 26/27 is continued at the current level, in order for the review process to completed by December 2026. The key strategic priorities that will form the basis of the funding agreement will remain as set out for 25/26, with a particular focus for 2026/27 include supporting programmes of work in relation to Fairer
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PUBLIC Renfrewshire, Digital, Equalities, Migration, Asylum/New Scots and Community Learning and Development. 5.2 Appendix 1 sets out a one-page summary of Engage Renfrewshire’s Business Plan for 2026/27, which will be used to inform monitoring of performance. 5.3 Engage Renfrewshire will continue to submit a quarterly performance monitoring report to officers in Renfrewshire Council Chief Executive’s Service for review and agreement. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – commitment of £360,610 in grant funding to Engage Renfrewshire which can be met from the Chief Executive’s Service budget for 26/27. 2. HR & Organisational Development - None 3. Community/Council Planning – funding for the Third Sector Interface supports the third sector contribution to all priorities detailed within both the Council and Community Plans. 4. Legal – None 5. Property/Assets - None 6. Information Technology - None 7. Equality & Human Rights - No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. Supporting the Third Sector Interface would have a positive impact on equalities outcomes, by developing and engaging a range of diverse voices in the community planning process and supporting the development of equalities-led third sector organisations. 8. Health & Safety - None 9. Procurement - None 10. Risk – Funding the Third Sector Interface mitigates risk of community and voluntary sector organisations not being able to contribute to community planning outcomes. 11. Privacy Impact - None
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PUBLIC 12. Cosla Policy Position – Cosla supports the principle of community planning as a means of improving outcomes and reducing inequalities and the importance of Third Sector Interfaces in delivering this. 13. Climate implications - no direct implications, however Engage have supported all partnership work in this area and encouraged active participation across the sector. 14. Children’s rights – no direct implications, however Engage Renfrewshire are core members of the Children’s Services Partnership in Renfrewshire, which has a key focus on involving and engaging with children and young people, and meeting the needs of this group. ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers - None ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Annabelle Armstrong-Walter, Connected Communities Manager, annabelle.armstrong-walter@renfrewshire.gov.uk
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Engage Renfrewshire – Business Plan 2026/27 Our aim is to help charities and community groups to be well managed, well resourced, Medium Term Outcomes (2026 to 2029) Schedule of Monitoring Quarterly updates prepared for Engage Renfrewshire board & Renfrewshire Council Annual report for Scottish Government well represented and well connected. INTELLIGENCE CAPACITY CONNECT VOICE Volunteering - key to health, wellbeing, and employability Understanding the needs of our network Building a strong culture of volunteering Helping to strengthen local organisations Organisations accessing increased amounts of sustainable funding Helping more organisations work collaboratively enterprise start up Providing practical and responsive financial support Local organisations - well governed and delivering quality services Local organisations are contributing to a strong local social economy Creating new partnerships and new ways of working to bring resources into Renfrewshire Connecting people and organisations, ensuring our networks are strong and effective Working with public and private sectors to ensure we’re making the most of all resources Improved levels of cross sector collaboration our network is heard & understood by decision makers and funders Helping to enhance health & promotes life chances Ensuring our networks influence, engage with, and promote emerging social strategies Community Empowerment central to local governance Supporting social Ensuring the voice of During 2026/27 we will: •Strengthen strategic collaboration with the Scottish Government, Renfrewshire’s Community Planning Partnership, and local communities to drive meaningful, long-term change. •Enhance cross-sector partnerships by fostering deeper collaboration across Community Learning & Development (CLD), Drugs & Alcohol services, Childrens’ Services Partnership initiatives, and other key areas. •Champion the Third Sector’s role in civic society, promoting alignment with the of the National Social Enterprise Action Plan and the Volunteering Action Plan. •Maximise the impact of the Community Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund over the next two years by ensuring funding leads to sustainable improvements in local support services. •Elevate volunteering standards across our membership while positioning volunteering as a key pathway to employment and better health. •Expand social enterprise opportunities by delivering high-quality workshops and training, empowering organisations to thrive as sustainable businesses. •Equip partners with a deeper understanding of the Third Sector’s role, fostering stronger, more effective collaboration. •Scale up access to Engage Financial Services, ensuring all members and partners benefit from tailored financial support and sustainability planning. •Support and facilitate area-based initiatives that strengthen community assets and build resilient local networks. •Advance equality and inclusion by supporting the delivery of the IN-Ren Network and advocating for systemic change. •Maximise external funding success by providing expert guidance on funding applications and strategic development. •Provide rapid and informed support in response to crises, while encouraging a compassionate Third Sector response. •Measure and showcase the impact of volunteering, reinforcing its role in community resilience and social cohesion. •Drive digital engagement, by Co-chairing #DigiRen, and in turn leveraging technology to enhance Third Sector visibility, outreach, and service delivery. •Deliver a range of training that is fully responsive to the evolving needs of our members, equipping them for future challenges. •Strengthen private sector collaboration by deepening engagement with Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce and other business networks. •Champion strong financial governance as a core responsibility for local organisations and trustees, ensuring long-term sustainability. •Continue to support a collaborative response to the National Health & Wellbeing Survey. This includes supporting the Smoking and Vaping Prevention roles delivered in partnerships with Renfrewshire HSCP. •Support the Alcohol and Drugs Partnership to deliver a range of new engagement programmes, led by local third sector members Funded project reports submitted as required to external funders