Funders have been quick to issue statements on how they will support their grant holders in the coming months. The message is clear – they will listen to their grant holders and try and be as flexible as possible in terms of deadlines, reporting requirements and financial flexibility. Over 230 funders have now signed the covid-19 funder pledge to this effect.
In terms of funding, many have decided to support central appeals such as the National Emergencies Trust or national organisations such as the Trussell Trust. Others have created their own emergency funding schemes, details of which can be found below. We will of course keep you informed as new funds and resources emerge in the coming weeks.
Thursday 2 April
Sport England launch £195m Coronavirus funding support package
Sport England are making up to £195 million of funding available to help the sport and physical activity sector through the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis.
The package, which is a combination of National Lottery and government funding, is made up of the following:
- Open now: £20 million Community Emergency Fund, which will be opened immediately for clubs and community organisations to bid into. Grants between £300 and £10,000 are available
- £5 million pot for existing partners to bid into if they’re facing specific financial difficulty
- An additional £55 million to support our sector during an ongoing period of restrictions, to fund new and innovative ways to keep people active and, when the period of restrictions is over, to help organisations get back to business and adjust to a different environment
- £115 million rollover of current funding into 2021/22 to give long term certainty to over 100 well established partners who play a vital role in the delivery of sport and physical activity in England.
Alongside this, they’ve also agreed to?consider requests to release six months of the coming year’s funding (50% of awards) to their partners, meaning additional funding will be available sooner.
The package follows their recent decision to offer major flexibilities to those who currently receive funding – including the ability to change timings, key performance indicators, targets and conditions, and redirect money to new activity in response to coronavirus.
Find out more and apply here:
National Lottery Heritage Fund launches £50m emergency fund to support the heritage sector due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
The £50m fund will be available for grants of between £3,000 and £50,000.
It is available to organisations across the full breadth of heritage, including historic sites, industrial and maritime heritage, museums, libraries and archives, parks and gardens, landscapes and nature.
Organisations which have received funding in the past and are either a current grantee, or still under contract following a previous grant, can apply.
Priority will be given where:
- there is limited or no access to other sources of support
- where heritage is most at risk
- where an organisation is at risk of severe financial crisis due to COVID-19
Find out more here
Tuesday 31 March
New £500 million Economic Resilience Fund for Wales
The Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced a new £500m fund to support businesses and charities experiencing a sharp drop in trading as a result of the coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic. The Fund aims to plug gaps in the support schemes already announced by the UK Government, and will provide a mix of loans at favourable interest rates and grants to support organisations’ cash flow.
Monday 30 March updates
Charities Aid Foundation launches Coronavirus Emergency Fund
CAF has launched a £5m fund to help smaller charitable organisations in the UK affected by the impact of COVID19. Grants of up to £10,000 are available. This is intended as a rapid response fund; CAF aim to make payments to selected organisations within 14 days. There is an online application form where applicants can register and complete their application.
National Lottery Community Fund adapts approach to respond to COVID19
The NLCF is changing its approach to help grantees and applicants . All funding decisions for the next six months (up to £300m of National Lottery funding) will be devoted to addressing needs related to the current crisis. NLCF will prioritise activities specifically geared to supporting communities through the crisis and to help organisations overcome liquidity issues, by delivering faster payments for existing grant holders and applicants.
Emergency funding for organisations
Third Sector Resilience Fund – Scotland
The Third Sector Resilience Fund (TSRF) is a £20m emergency fund for charities, community groups, social enterprises and voluntary organisations working in Scotland. The fund will support organisations that already deliver services and products but find themselves in financial difficulties directly as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The primary intention of the fund is to help third sector organisations to stabilise and manage cash flows over this difficult period.
Steve Morgan Foundation – Covid-19 Emergency Fund
The fund will provide up to £1 million of funding per week for an initial 12 week period. It is open to charities and not-for-profit companies in the foundation’s catchment area (North Wales, Merseyside, Cheshire and North Shropshire) and will help with the costs of emergency services to help people affected with the virus. It will also help charities experiencing a loss of fundraising revenue to stay in business.
The Arts Council is making £160 million of emergency funding available to ensure organisations and individuals working in the cultural sector are protected during the Coronavirus crisis. The council has also changed the funding requirements for individuals and organisations currently in receipt of its funding.
National Emergencies Trust Coronavirus Appeal
The appeal has now raised almost £12m from donations by the public, companies and other charities. The trust will work with community foundations to distribute funds to local charities supporting people affected by the outbreak.
London Community Response Fund
The fund, which will be coordinated by London Funders, will be available to organisations facing immediate financial pressures and uncertainty because of the Covid-19 outbreak. The fund now stands at over £5 million, with further funders expected to announce their contributions in the coming days.
The fund is backed by several of Neighbourly’s partner businesses, such as M&S, Lidl, Aldi and Coca-Cola, who have collectively contributed £500,000 and 500 volunteer days available to organisations in need. Currently, only existing Neighbourly charities and community groups can apply for funding. Eligible organisations can apply for micro-grants of up to £400 for ‘good causes that are helping communities affected by the new coronavirus outbreak’.
Forever Manchester Community Support Fund
Forever Manchester has launched a Community Support Fund for grassroot community groups that are responding to the impact of Covid-19 by helping those most affected. Awards of up to £1,000 are available.
The Salford Crisis Fund is a responsive fund offering VCSE organisations grants of up to £500 to help address immediate need arising from the coronavirus crisis.
Community Foundations
Community Foundations will be distributing funds from the National Emergencies Trust and are in the process of setting up emergency response funds. Check your local Community Foundation’s website for further information.
Responses from major funders
National Lottery Community Fund
The fund has assured recent grant-holders that it will be flexible, in terms of accommodating changes to any timelines and reporting deadlines, accommodating changes to activity in response to the current climate and critical needs. Any changes made to projects can be reconciled at a later date. The fund also stresses that it ‘will support you and your teams through this crisis’ by continuing to pay staff salary, to enable an organisation to support members of staff who are sick, have caring responsibilities or need to self-isolate.
The foundation is in process of rearranging its pipeline to ensure that priority is given to activities providing immediate relief for vulnerable people and those experiencing hardship as a result of the pandemic. It has provided ‘immediate and simple guidance’ to charities wanting to alter the terms of their grant and is offering flexibility around timescales and reporting. If your organisation has a pending application submitted prior to 20th March 2020, the foundation will be in touch by email to confirm that the proposal still reflects your organisation’s current needs. Any amendments should be communicated to the foundation by 6th April.
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
The foundation promises to continue to support its beneficiaries through this uncertain time with a flexible approach to funding. Grant holders are encouraged to contact their grant manager if they would like to move payment or reporting dates, enquire about grants plus support and emergency top-up grants.
Comic relief is committed to helping its beneficiaries through this crisis, by allowing its funded partners to adapt their activities, review timeframes and/or re-budget remaining funds. Grant-holders are advised to get in touch with their contact person to discuss how the pandemic is affecting their work and their team. The charity has also pledged that part of the funds raised through Sport Relief 2020 will be donated to organisations on the frontline of the response to the virus, working with some of the most vulnerable people likely to be affected.
The charity states they wish to be as helpful as possible during the coming weeks and understand there will be some disruption to activities. Communities, services or organisations receiving grants from Children in Need that have been affected by coronavirus can contact the organisation to discuss moving their reporting deadlines if they are struggling to meet them to agree a more realistic time. In addition, if grant recipients are unable to achieve the agreed outcomes they should discuss this with Children in Need to adapt their activities. The charity will be reasonable if funding needs to be moved between budget headings to ensure work can continue.
The Covid-19 FAQ section on the Children in Need website answers a number of specific questions grant recipients may have about the current situation.
The Sainsburys Family Trusts have given assurance to the organisations and projects that they fund that they will continue to receive support and that the funding is flexible and intended to help organisations deal with challenges.
The trust has signed the joint statement of support co-ordinated by London Funders. Organisations that are receiving funding can contact the trust by phone or email to discuss moving payments or reporting dates, flexing the timeframes for the delivery of outcomes or adapting activities if this could be helpful. As the office is working from home, there may be a small delay in response.
Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales
The foundation says it wants to make sure it supports its charities during this time in any way they can so work can be continued without any additional barriers.
Organisations may change the focus of their grant in order to respond to the impact of the coronavirus crisis on their service users, the Lloyds Bank foundation will support this. Those receiving core funding may use it in anyway needed to deliver services. Those receiving project funding should discuss with the foundation about using their funding to support their wider service users. Payments will not be withheld if outcomes for the year have not been met due to disruption from coronavirus. The foundation has said that in exceptional circumstances, if an annual payment is due but the monitoring report cannot be completed due to the disruption, the payment will still be released.
Requests to amend grant payments so that 50% of the total grant can be received in one year will be considered. Applications for funding can still be made through the website. Enhance support will be delivered through Skype or Zoom and could be provided on an urgent basis.
Organisations that have questions or concerns should contact their Foundation Manager or if they’re not sure who that is, contact the foundation’s team on 0370 411 1223 or enquiries@lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk. As the office will be shut, there may be some delays in communication but all requests will be answered as soon as possible.
Other resources
A list of resources and emergency funding provided by Ian McLintock, founder of the Charity Excellence Framework. Updated regularly.
Good Finance Covid-19 Resource Hub
Tools, resources and information for social enterprises and charities navigating Covid-19.
A global virtual summit on 2nd April supporting charities through Covid-19.
SCVO Coronavirus Third Sector Information Hub
Resources and information (including funding) for charities, community groups, social enterprises and voluntary organisations in Scotland.