Case study · Housing
Evaluating community grants and fuel-poverty support
A mixed-method review of the Cost of Living Grant and Fuel Poverty Event Fund explored impact, future needs, and how Clarion Futures’ provision compared with other housing providers.
AudienceFunded community organisations and people in comparable housing providers
ApproachOnline surveys, seven depth interviews, and sector benchmarking
Value to Clarion FuturesEvidence on long-term impact, emerging needs, and opportunities to develop future grant support
The brief
- Clarion Futures provides grants to community organisations as part of its work supporting households experiencing financial hardship
- Clarion Futures commissioned Enventure Research to review the Cost of Living Grant and Fuel Poverty Event Fund, understand their impact, identify areas for development, and explore similar provision elsewhere in the social housing sector
The approach
- We designed an online survey for community organisations that had received a grant in the previous 12 months, supported by personalised invitations and reminders, and created an open-access version for wider promotion
- Seven 30-minute depth interviews were completed with survey participants
- A second online survey targeted people in comparable roles, identified through desk research across 12 housing providers of a similar scale to Clarion
The outcome
- The evaluation provided Clarion Futures with feedback on the longer-term impact of its grants, opportunities to develop the support package, emerging issues expected by community organisations, and how its approach compared with other providers
- Feedback from organisations receiving financial-support grants
- Seven follow-up depth interviews providing richer qualitative context
- Sector comparison involving comparable housing providers
- Evidence on impact, future needs, and development opportunities