MORE than 100 of the previously rejected community fund applications have now been deemed eligible by Glasgow City Council.

It was previously revealed that some organisations had their funding bid rejected because they had not submitted all the necessary documentation with their

application.

The integrated grant fund (IGF), which will be replaced by the communities fund, will now be extended for six months from April 1 to allow the new applications to be assessed.

The issue was discussed and a report presented to the city

administration committee, with the IGF being extended as a result.

Councillor Jennifer Layden said: “I want to thank colleagues who have given me input and feedback [on the scheme].

“Following on from a short extension in January to allow organisations to provide missing documents, a further 111 applications have become eligible.

“They will now require assessment and this has meant that the timetable for decisions on the fund has had to be extended for six months.

“This extension is for community and voluntary organisations.

“One of the important points that we really need to emphasise here is that this extension is not an automatic transition to the

communities fund for current IGF recipients. Applicants need to plan accordingly if they are not successful. We have ensured that no area partnership will lose funding.

“We hope that we can come to the city administration committee after summer recess to propose groups that would be allocated funding through this programme.

“We want to implement a new grant funding programme that is fair and transparent to all third-sector organisations across the city but there is still more work to do.”

A total of £47,631,924 will be allocated from the funding pot between 2020 and 2023.

Labour councillor Martin Rhodes welcomed the news and the six-month extension to the IGF.

He said: “I think it’s important that we do move forward with this and create stability and security for organisations.

“One of the issues throughout the process – and it has been referred to by the city convener – is the little number of staff working on

this.

“Are we confident now that we will get the work done or are there more resources needed? If so, you will certainly have the support of this group.

“Overall, we need to involve the third sector more in this process in terms of new initiatives.”

Mr Rhodes was informed that staff resources were being looked at by the director – but that details were limited as the issue

is ongoing.