The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, has today announced that application are available for the Coronavirus Community Support Fund – part of the Governments unprecedented £750 million package of support to ensure that our charities and social enterprises can continue to step up to respond to the crisis, and keep their doors open to those most in need.
A central part of this package is the £200 million Coronavirus Community Support Fund, which is being administered via the National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF). From today charities and social enterprises in England can submit applications through the NLCF website (www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk).
The Fund has two key objectives:
-
To increase community support to vulnerable people affected by the Covid-19 crisis, through the work of civil society organisations.
-
To reduce temporary closures of essential charities and social enterprises, ensuring services for vulnerable people impacted by Covid-19 have the financial resources to operate, and so reduce the burden on public services.
Grants will allow organisations to meet service costs, where they are experiencing increased demand and/or short term income disruption. Grants will also allow organisations to refocus services to address more immediate beneficiary needs in light of Covid-19.
In addition to this, the Government has allocated £160 million to other government departments, which will support the work of charities and social enterprises delivering services that are central to their policy agenda and public services.
The following funds are currently open for organisations to apply to:
●The £3.45 million Covid-19 Food Charity Grant Scheme to provide immediate support to keep food charities and front-line food aid charities open and supporting the vulnerable, due to the economic impacts of Covid-19, with a continual supply of food otherwise not accessed through usual routes.
●A £10 million Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Fund: COVID-19 emergency support fund to support domestic abuse safe accommodation services who provide beds and offer the critical help victims and their children need.
● The £6 million Covid-19 Impact Programme to ensure that people from Armed Forces communities can keep accessing important services, where resources for these services have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
●The £5 million Loneliness Covid-19 Grant Fund National organisations working to tackle loneliness and build social connections are invited to apply for a share of £5 million of funding, which the government is investing to help them to continue and adapt their critical work.
●The £6 million Covid-19 Homelessness Response Fund to provide emergency funding to homelessness charities directly affected by the Coronavirus.
Last month the BBC held it's Big Night In to raise money for a variety of charities, with the Government matching the £35 million raised on the night, with the first £20 million this match funding going to the National Emergency Trust, to distribute through local community foundations, and the remainder to support the work of Children in Need and Comic Relief.
Justin Tomlinson Said: “I know it is an incredibly difficult time for charities, with many revenue streams being closed and fundraising initiatives having to be scaled back. However, I am pleased that the Government is making a significant amount of money available to charities to help them through this tough time. I really would encourage local charities to consider applying for this funding to help support the vital work they do.”
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden said: “Charities and social enterprises are an essential part of our response to the extraordinary crisis we find ourselves in. I know that across the political spectrum we will all want to help as many of them as possible access the support they need. I look forward to updating you on progress with our vital work.”
Details on how to apply for funding can be found:
www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk
www.ukcommunityfoundations.org/our-network
www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/grants/apply/
www.comicrelief.com/the-big-night-in-how-you-are-helping
