There are currently a number of funds open to support groups to continue their work during the Covid-19 crisis. A number of these are detailed under the headers below, including links to where to find further information about the fund.
Featured Funds
Forever Manchester Community Support Fund – Phase 2
The Community Support Fund (Phase Two) will accept applications from voluntary and community organisations based in any of the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester. We want to fund organisations who are supporting those suffering from hardship as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. To apply you need to be a charity or community group with your own bank account and relevant safeguarding policies in place. We expect you to be based in the area where you are offering help.
You must be applying for activity which is in line with your organisation’s aims and objects as shown in your governing documents. The Fund is aimed at organisations supporting those suffering hardship as result of Covid-19 and priority will be given to funding organisations who are reaching the most vulnerable or at greatest risk of negative social, health or economic impacts. As such we would expect to be receiving applications from organisations working in the following types of services:
- Foodbanks and other emergency food/household provisions
- Homelessness support
- Financial and welfare advice
- Domestic violence support
- Mental health and counselling services
Priority will be given to groups with an annual income of less than £200,000. You can apply for up to £5,000, but as we expect a lot of applications and we will not be able to fund them all, we ask that you only apply for what you know you need. Any funds awarded must be spent in full by 31st March 2021.
Please note that there is limited funding remaining in the Community Support Fund and it may close at short notice. For more details, and to apply, click here.
Forever Manchester Community Centre Support Fund
Forever Manchester is offering awards of up to £500 to help community centres make the adaptations that they need to in order to welcome groups and people back into their spaces in a Covid-secure way. The Community Centre Support Fund welcomes applications from locally managed community centres based in any of the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester.
The Community Centre Support Fund aims to support community managed grassroot community spaces. This means community-based and locally led community centres and other multi-use indoor community spaces, that encourage people to get involved as volunteers and which are used by multiple local community groups and organisations. Whilst there is no annual income cap for applicants, if the fund is over-subscribed priority will be given to smaller organisations. Centres run by statutory bodies and housing associations are not eligible to apply.
The fund closes for applications at midday on Friday 21st August 2020. For more details, and to apply, click here.
The National Lottery Community Fund: COVID-19 Community-led Organisations Recovery Scheme
To help us distribute funding quickly and efficiently, some of our COVID-19 response funding is being awarded through a carefully selected range of specialist partners. By using their collective expertise and networks, we can ensure vital support gets to even more communities. This funding is designed to support organisations that work with those communities which have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, as well as social enterprises and community businesses. You will find more information about eligibility, how to apply, and further details, on each partnership’s web page.
- Specialist social welfare legal advice organisations who provide advice and support to people who are pushed into crisis can consider the Community Justice Fund
- Small and Medium homelessness charities can consider the Covid-19 Homelessness Response Fund
- Community Led Organisations who are facing financial difficulties caused by COVID-19 can apply to the COVID-19 Community Led Organisations Recovery Scheme. The scheme is aimed at organisations delivering services in their local community with an emphasis on BAME-led businesses.
- Social Enterprises can consider the COVID-19 Social Enterprise Support Fund Partnership
If the partnerships above are not right for your organisation, please apply to the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, where your application will be considered for either Government or National Lottery funding.
Grants to Support Mental Wellbeing
GMCVO, working in partnership with 10GM, have launched a grants programme to support people from communities of identity or experience, based in Greater Manchester, that may struggle to achieve high levels of mental wellbeing.
The communities identified are:
• Adults from BAME communities
• Adults living with long term physical and mental health conditions
• Disabled adults
• Social isolated older people
• Military veterans
• People who are unemployed
• Adults who identify as LGBTQI
• Adult Carers
Funded by Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership a total of £175,000 will be given out between now and December 2020.
The grants will be awarded, in stages, to small, grass roots voluntary and community groups and social enterprises with an annual income below £25,000, that will support adultsto develop high levels of mental wellbeing. The first stage, a rolling micro grants programme, is now live. Grants of £100-£500 will be awarded on an ongoing basis until 31st August. They will be awarded for activities that support mental wellbeing while working within the current government social distancing restrictions. Decisions will be made within 3 weeks. The deadline for applications is Monday 31st August at 5pm. For more details, and to apply, click here.
National Lottery Community Fund – Covid-19 Response Funding
The National Lottery Community Fund have two funds for projects and organisations helping communities through the COVID-19 pandemic. All the funding decisions National Lottery make for the next six months will prioritise applications which are Covid-19 related and addressing the current crisis. Both funds are ongoing with no fixed deadline, and the National Lottery aim to process bids within 4-6 weeks. This fund will close on 17th August 2020.
Awards for All - Fund Size: £300 to £10,000 - Apply here.
Reaching Communities - Fund Size: over £10,000 - Apply here.
All Funds
For ease of access, funds have now been separated into the below categories. To avoid duplication, funds with multiple priorities are generally listed in the Community section.
Animals
Arts and Culture
Armed Forces
Black, Asian, Minority, Ethnic, Refugee and Asylum Seekers
Children and Young People
Community
Criminal Justice
Disability
Education and Employment
Environment
Faith Groups
Food
Heritage
Housing and Homelessness
Learning Disability
Mental Health
Older People
Sports and Fitness
Free tools for VCSE groups
Information from Funders
For other, non-Covid-19 related funding, click here to download our latest funding bulletin.
These pages are updated regularly, but if you do encounter any paused funds, or come across any open funds we may not yet have listed, please email: info@boltoncvs.org.uk