COVID-19 FUNDS CLOSING SOON
ESB COVID-19 Recovery Fund (Closing Date, 5pm on 10th August)
Administered by Groundwork NI, open to initiatives and activities addressing the aftermath of coronavirus in communities around their wind farms. Suggested awards of £1,000.
Art Fund: Respond and Reimagine Grants (Closing Date, 17th August)
Grants of £10,000 to £50,000 to help museums, galleries and cultural organisations respond to immediate challenges connected to Covid-19 & offer support to adapt and reimagine ways of working for the longer-term future. Will consider 100% funding.
The COVID-19 Charities Fund (Reopened 3rd August, Closing Date 4pm 21st August)
Reopened on 3rd August for a further 3 weeks to allow charities more time to gather the required information and approvals needed to apply. Criteria remain unchanged – still providing financial support to charities who have lost income due to the impact of COVID-19 and can’t cover unavoidable costs until 30th September 2020.
Can apply for up to £75,000, although the majority had applied for less than half of that and the average request was for £21,000. Over a third of applications to date had been for less than £10,000 so this fund is for local charities of all sizes facing different levels of financial hardship. Having free reserves also doesn’t exclude a local charity from applying. For more information click here. And see who has already been funded Here.
Bank of Ireland: Begin Together Awards (Closing Date 24th August)
Recognises towns and urban places across the island of Ireland demonstrating exceptional leadership during these challenging times. Over 21 financial recognition awards available from a total prize fund of €210,000. 2020 also sees the introduction of ‘special initiative’ awards – a local town promotion initiative, a local community enterprise initiative and a local business and community response initiative – reflecting the challenge that communities and businesses currently face from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Armed Forces Covenant Trust: Positive Pathways (Round 4 Closing 12 Noon 25th August)
Part of the Veterans’ Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund, the Positive Pathways programme will award fixed grants of £35,000 for projects developed by and for veterans. Projects should aim to improve veterans’ mental health and wellbeing by getting veterans out and active.
ROUND UP OF OTHER COVID-19 FUNDS CURRENTLY RUNNING, (including this week’s new funds)
Allchurches Trust: Hope Beyond Grants programme
Grants of up to £50,000 to enable churches and Christian charities to meet changing needs within their communities, helping them and the communities they support to adapt to the challenges and opportunities presented by the Coronavirus pandemic.
ASDA Foundation: Covid-19 Grant
2 new grant streams in response to Covid-19. Hygiene grants are focused on personal hygiene dignity. Healthy holiday grants aim to support groups that typically would be holding summer holiday activities to ensure children are provided with a hot meal. Small grants of up to £500 are available.
Aviva Community Fund (New Round Closing Date 13th October)
Every three months, £250,000 is shared equally among their UK employees to donate to forward thinking projects that matter to them most. Each charity can apply for up to £50,000 for projects within their usual 2 key funding areas of community resilience and financial capability and inclusion.
Burg-Wächter Secure Communities Scheme
During the current national situation, Burg-Wächter is offering cash awards and free security kits for community properties, equipment or outdoor areas that need extra security at this time and have limited funds to meet these needs.
Childs Charitable Trust: Emergency Funding (Rolling programme)
An Emergency Funding programme to support charities that are experiencing financial difficulties as a result of the current pandemic. The trust particularly welcomes applications from Christian based organisations.
Comic Relief: Changemakers (Closing Date, 12 Noon, 28th August)
Looking for change making efforts that are relevant to their social change themes of homelessness, forced migration, gender justice, mental health, and early childhood development. 150K to 600K grants available over 3-5 years
Community Foundation for NI:Comic Relief Community Support Programme (Closing Date,1pm on 18th September)
Managed by the Community Foundation for NI, offers grants of between £5,000 and £20,000 to address issues around social injustice and inequity that have been further unmasked as a result of Covid-19 restrictions. Aims to support and contribute to developing a more caring, equitable and inclusive society that rebuilds, renews and brings hope for the future.
Community Foundation for NI: The New Needs Fund (Closing Date, 1pm on 28th August)
Grants of £1,000 to £15,000 to help organisations and communities to respond better, addressing new needs appearing as a result of the Coronavirus and where restrictions mean finding new ways of meeting existing needs and #build back better, helping to ensure organisations can thrive and continue to provide longer-term support to communities.
COVID-19 Homelessness Response Fund (Next Closing Date for NLCF Funding Scheme 14th September)
5.5 million for 2nd round of grants distributed by Homeless Link. Provides emergency financial assistance to local homelessness organisations, preventing closure, service cuts or staff redundancies threatened by increased operational costs and a loss of fundraised income due to Coronavirus. Also supports organisations that have needed to expand or adapt their services in light of COVID-19 to support people experiencing homelessness safely and effectively.
Do It Now Now: Common Call (COVID Fund) (Closing 7pm, 31st August)
Specifically aimed at supporting Black-led social enterprises and charities to survive and even thrive in the COVID period. Provides grants between £1K and £3K to UK based organisations led by people that identify as Black or Mixed with Black and with beneficiaries who primarily identify as Black or Mixed with Black.
eBay UK: £1.7m funding & training support package to boost charity online retail
A package of £1.7m financial support and training package to help charities use online retail to raise funds with the pandemic still impacting activities. Unrestricted grants of £1.7million to 250 of the charities most affected by declines in online revenue on its platform, to help make up for the shortfall in sales as a result of Covid-19.
Enkalon Foundation Coronavirus Community Support Fund
Moving the focus of their modest funding pot to charities and community organisations helping people who are isolated and vulnerable in their local communities at this difficult time. As a small funder they are currently focusing their funding in the former Antrim Borough Council area. All potential applicants need to contact the administrator directly with an outline of the new or existing project.
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation (No further details until September 2020)
Will be making an additional £16 million of funding available this year in response to COVID-19. £14 million will be in fast-response grants for organisations they currently support across all of their sectors: the arts, children and young people, environment, food and social change. £2 million will be for contributions to emergency funding schemes in collaboration with others.
Fermanagh Trust: Help Our Health Heroes Fund (Fermanagh only - rolling programme - will close when funds fully expended)
Open to organisations and agencies in Fermanagh who need support to improve the well-being of health and social care and home care personnel including volunteers. Focussed on providing support that is needed for those workers throughout our healthcare system to help them to stay safe. Includes those working in hospital, residential settings and those providing community, home-based services to our elderly, ill and vulnerable, including private and not for profit contracted services.
Halifax Foundation NI (Rolling programme)
The Community Grants Programme will support charities to REACT to the COVID19 pandemic, PREPARE to reopen services or adapt their services accordingly, and to RESTORE/RENEW in order to deliver what may be for many a new way of life.
Neighbourly.com (Increased funding pot now in place)
Funded by M&S Family (including M&S Bank and M&S Energy), Lidl, Aldi, Danone UK & Ireland and Coca-Cola European Partners this new fund supports community organisations helping those most at risk during the Coronavirus crisis. NB As of 10th August, more than 867K had been allocated out of an increased funding pot of £1.16 million (The original funding pot was just 500K.)
NHS Charities Together
Now offering £65 million for two new rounds of grants for member charities. Community Partnership Grants recognise the profound impact of the pandemic on all communities outside NHS settings such as hospices, community healthcare and social care, and grants will fund projects through public or voluntary sector organisations. Recovery Grants will help tackle the longer-term effects of Covid-19 and support hospitals in preparation for any second wave.
PetPlan Charitable Trust: Covid-19 Equine Rescues Emergency Fund (Round 3 Deadline 16th October)
The fund is to help smaller equine welfare organisations across the UK who are being significantly impacted by the current crisis. The maximum grant is £5,000 with the expectation that the average grant will be around £2,500.
Rank Foundation (UK): Emergency and Resilience Funds
The Foundation has launched two funds to help existing network and current grant recipients:
- The Emergency Fund is for immediate grants of up to £750 to purchase equipment, technology or memberships;
- The Resilience Fund will provide grants to cover cashflow, fundraising and loss of income, and to help with increased demand for services.
Social Investment Business: Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund (funded by Big Society Capital)
The Resilience & Recovery Loan Fund (RRLF) is run by Social Investment Business (SIB) with an initial £25m investment and support from Big Society Capital.. For social enterprises and charities who are experiencing disruption to their normal business model as a result of COVID-19. Part of a wider package of support announced by Big Society Capital.
Support Adoption for Pets: Funding during COVID-19
Support Adoption For Pets provides funding to pet rescue organisations for purposes which make a real difference to the welfare of UK domestic pets in rescue and aim to reduce the number of domestic pets in rescue. Their grant programme has been redeveloped to support rescues throughout the short and medium-term impact of the Coronavirus.
The Alpkit Foundation: Grassroots Support Now (Rolling programme - will closed when funds fully expended)
Supports projects that champion education, participation, environment, diversity and health. Currently prioritising their funds to support projects that demonstrate an immediate impact on those affected by the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic with grants of up to £500.
The Barclays Foundation: COVID-19 Community Aid Package
A £100 million COVID-19 Community Aid Package - consists of two strands. £50million will be donated to charities chosen by Barclays and £50million will be donated by matching their employees' personal donations (individual organisations cannot apply for this funding. The money will be disbursed principally in the UK, but also in Barclays’ international markets, including the USA and India.
The Childcare Recovery Support Fund (Opened 27th July)
Provides financial assistance (tiered levels of awards depending on the childcare provision offered and the opening/operational dates following endorsement from the HSC Trust. Administered by Early Years – the organisation for young children on behalf of the Department of Education.
The Community Justice Fund
Grants of approx. 25-75K focused on the needs of specialist social welfare legal advice organisations. Aim to help them respond to COVID-19, with flexible support so organisations can respond to the challenges in ways that they feel best meets their needs but for which they do not currently have the funds. This could be about ‘keeping the doors open’, making the necessary shifts to home working, maintaining services, adapting services to reach people in new ways and at greater scale, supporting the wellbeing of staff, or a combination of these and other responses.
The Creative Support Fund
A £4m support package for the arts, creative industries and cultural sector. It will build on the initial emergency package launched on 27 April that was heavily oversubscribed and it will give priority to those who have lost opportunities to use their skills. The fund for individuals will open from 31 July until 17 August and awards will range from £1,000 to £5,000. The organisational strand will reopen for new applications from small and medium sized organisations in August and the maximum award available is £25,000. Priority will be given to those who have been unable to access other forms of financial support from Government or other sources.
The Fore’s RAFT Transition Fund
The Transition Fund is the next phase of RAFT, The Fore’s response to COVID-19, which began with their RAFT Immediate Response Fund (now closed). In Autumn 2020, a 2nd round of funding will open offering unrestricted grants of up to £15,000 to help small charities and social enterprises plan for the longer term and gain a stronger footing in a post-coronavirus world.
The National Lottery Community Fund (formerly Big Lottery Fund)
All funding decisions for the next six months (up to £300m of National Lottery funding) will be devoted to addressing the current crisis. In addition, they are accelerating the cash part of this funding as much as they can, so that they can get money to where it needs to be. This is not new money, but it will be faster money.
The Plunkett Foundation (In Kind Support)
Offering a dedicated package of free Covid-19 support for all forms of community business – including woodlands, farms, bakeries, pubs and shops, as well as those developing groups that have been affected by the pandemic.
The Volant Trust: COVID-19 Response Fund (2 Deadlines, 31st December 2020 & 31st July 2021)
Grants for charities working in the UK and internationally that demonstrate a strong focus on alleviating social deprivation and helping vulnerable groups who have been particularly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Applications for medical equipment and the production or distribution of PPE will also be considered. No minimum or maximum amounts publicly set. (NB The Volant Trust's usual open grant programmes centre on Scotland, but this fund is UK-wide)
The Wolfson Foundation: Covid-19 Support Fund (NB Not open for unsolicited applications - Invitations to apply will be sent out by Friday 21 August)
£10 million to provide unrestricted funding to organisations working in heritage and the arts; and health and disability. The Fund is not be open to speculative applications, and the Foundation will be in contact directly with organisations who are eligible for funding.
United Kingdom Community Foundations (UKCF): BAME Intra Fund
Grants of £5,000 – £20,000 over a maximum of 3 months for BAME-led infrastructure organisations to help more BAME-led organisations to apply for NET grants through their local Community Foundations
William Sutton Prize (Closing Date, 12 Noon, 30th September)
Open to individuals or organisations presenting an innovative concept, product or service that will have a positive social impact on a community. This can include projects or ideas developed during the coronavirus outbreak with potential for long-term impact. 2 categories: The William Sutton Prize for Social Innovation and The William Sutton Prize for Placemaking and Affordable Housing Design. Both offer a prize fund of up to £20,000.
And some non-COVID-19 New/Updated Funding Schemes
NEW Allchurches Trust: Growing Lives
Grants of up to £25,000 to equip and empower churches and Christian charities to engage more young people more regularly, forging lasting relationships that provide an opportunity for individual, family, church and community flourishing.
NEW Community Foundation for NI: The David Cross Young People's Fund
Managed by CFNI, grants of up to £15,000 for community and voluntary sector organisations, youth groups, schools and colleges working with young people aged 12-25 in NI to support youth entrepreneurship; enhance young people’s skills and employment prospects; encourage cross community working and reconciliation and to support creative and innovative thinking and problem solving
Community Foundation for NI: Techies in Residence
Techies in Residence is aimed at supporting VCSE organisations to explore digital innovation solutions to challenges they are trying to address. The programme adopts a design thinking approach bringing together social challenges from VCSE organisations with digital technology professionals to design, develop and test innovative digital products and services that have the potential for deep social impact.