The Hardship Fund is now open for applications. The Fund is sponsored by the Office of the Third Sector (OTS) and managed by Community Development Foundation.
AIM: The £16.7m Hardship Fund builds on the £42.5m Real Help for Communities action plan. The Hardship Fund will provide grant support to third sector organisations in England delivering front-line services to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in society that have been affected by
the recession. This funding will enable these organisations to maintain their service delivery at a time of increased demand for these services.
GRANT SIZE: Grants of between £50,000 and £250,000. The expectation is that grants will primarily fund revenue costs.
ELIGIBILITY: Grants will be available to organisations with annual income of at least £200,000 that are in financial hardship which is impacting on their ability to deliver services in the following areas:
* Health and Social Care
* Housing Support
* Education and Training
* Information, Advice and Guidance
Applicants must:
* Be a third sector organisation (this includes voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprises, cooperatives and mutuals), constituted in their own right, with a constitution which verifies the organisation's financial autonomy from public or private sector control.
* Have been constituted and active for a minimum of 18 months at the date of application, with a proven track record in delivering the services they need funding for.
* Have demonstrable evidence of facing immediate financial hardship due to the recession which is impacting on their ability to deliver front-line services. This financial hardship might be due to loss of income, donations, grants, contracts, savings or interest.
* Have evidence of stable or increasing demand for those services demonstrating that the services are being used.
DEADLINE: They will assess applications in the date and time order that they receive them at CDF (on a rolling programme) until there are sufficient relevant applications up to the value of the Fund. Grants will be paid from October 2009 and need to be spent by September 2010.
CONTACT: For more information, application form and guidance notes visit the website: http://www.cdf.org.uk/web/guest/hardship-fund
Grassroots Funding - Leilah Vyner, Harrogate Borough Council (details above) will be
putting on information evenings in Harrogate & Ripon. Please contact if interested in attending one of the
sessions for more information.
Meet the Funder - 12 October at Ripon Community House. More details to follow.
Funding Central has now been launched. The website is a FREE guide for the voluntary and community sector, including
social enterprise. It gives you access to funding and finance opportunities, plus tools and resources to support your organisation in
developing sustainable income strategies appropriate to your needs. For more information visit www.fundingcentral.org.uk.
GRANTfinder is a funding database containing comprehensive and up-to-date
information about grants in the UK. North Yorkshire County Council has a
quick and easy version called ‘Grantnet’ which is available free of charge to
everyone through their website: www.northyorks.gov.uk/grantfinder
Funding Advice Service
Do you need help with funding?
Local Funding Advisors based within local infrastructure organisations are available to provide support to voluntary and community organisations through:
- Assistance with searching for sources of funding.
- Guidance with writing quality funding applications.
- Support with planning your fundraising and writing funding strategies.
- Advice on enabling your project to continue should funding come to an end.
To find your local Funding Advisor’s contact details go to the NYFVO’s funding advice website page: http://www.nyfvo.org.uk/fundingadvice.shtml
The York & North Yorkshire Funding Advice Network - website can be found at www.ynyfundingadvice.org.uk. The site contains funding related news, including the downloadable monthly Funding Bulletin and information including links to statistical data for inclusion in funding applications, funding Factsheets and links to other useful sources of information. Dates and venues for forthcoming funding training programme courses are also published on the website, along with contact details for local funding advisors.
FunderFinder
If you need help identifying trusts who may fund your project, your starting point could be consulting the FunderFinder computer programme available in the Ripon CVS office for voluntary and community groups to use FREE. To make an appointment please contact Jill Lawson, Admin Officer Ripon CVS on 01765 603631 or email jill@riponcvs.co.uk.
Britannia Building Society Community Fund supports non-profit events and voluntary groups working across the UK. Their support is primarily one-off, smaller value donations for equipment or help in kind to projects that will be of direct and immediate benefit to Britannia's home communities. Contact Elaine Clews on 01538 391806 /elaine.clews@britannia.co.uk or visit www.britannia.co.uk/membership/community_charitable.html.
Yorkshire Bank provides funds that help organisations supporting a variety of causes to make life safer, healthier and better for us all. To be considered send a short letter setting out confirmation of your charitable or not-for-profit status and how you plan to use the funds for which you are applying. Trustees have preference for the following areas of activity:
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engagement in youth work
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facilities for the less able-bodied and mentally handicapped
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counselling and community work in depressed areas
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some support for the arts and eduaction
Information can be viewed at www.ybonline.co.uk/0,,64896,00.html. Letters requesting a donation should be sent to The Secretary, Yorkshire Bank Charitable Trust, 20 Merrion Way, Leeds, LS2 8NZ.