New £750 million emergency Covid-19 fund for charities - and it’s first-come, first-served so accountants Lovewell Blake urge local charities to apply now.
Charities delivering services to people and communities affected by the Covid-19 crisis can now apply for funding on a first-come, first-served basis as part of the £750 million cash boost announced by the government in April, writes Mark Proctor of accountancy firm Lovewell Blake.
A total of £200 million is being made available initially for charities in England in two separate funding streams: grants from £300 to £10,000 for smaller organisations; and £10,000 to £100,000 for larger charities.
The funding is designed to support projects and organisations playing a vital role in helping communities in the pandemic – as well as helping charities overcome financial difficulties triggered by the crisis.
Priority is being given to three key areas. First are organisations supporting people and communities experiencing disproportionate challenge as a direct result of Covid-19, including those supporting older people, disabled people, BAME communities, those pushed into crisis as a result of the pandemic, and people and families receiving end of life care.
Second are organisations providing services and support for vulnerable people that will face an increased demand due to the crisis, such as people experiencing financial hardship, domestic abuse or violence, homeless people, vulnerable children and young people, and those with mental health issues.
Third are organisations that connect communities and support them to work together to respond to Covid-19. The online application process has now opened, and as it is not yet clear how long it will stay open, the advice is not to hang around before making an application.
The application process is straightforward for the smaller grants. Bids can either cover projects, or six months’ expenditure. As with many of the Covid-19 schemes, there is an online eligibility checker you can use to see if your charity qualifies (click here to use it).
For the larger grants, proposals can be made by video, or by using the online form. Unsurprisingly, this level of funding requires more information to be submitted, including up-to-date cashflows and budgets for organisations applying for more than £50,000 (click here for more information).
The funding is being channelled through the National Lottery Community Fund, and applications can be made now.
For more information about Lovewell Blake or to get in touch, click here.
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