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National Lottery Community Fund emergency COVID-19 funding in England

26 May 2020 - 13:54 by michelle.foster

national lottery community fundThe National Lottery Community Fund have launched a £200m fund aimed primarily at small to medium organisations in England. The fund is part of the Government’s £750m financial support package for charities and social enterprises announced by Government on April 8. The National Lottery Community Fund will distribute the Government funding alongside National Lottery funding, to support organisations to continue to deliver services to people and communities affected by COVID-19.

The fund is for activities supporting people and communities affected by COVID-19. The Fund can also help organisations overcome any acute financial difficulties they’re facing because of the pandemic.

The types of projects and organisations being prioritised:

  • Organisations supporting people and communities who experience disproportionate challenge and difficulty as a result of the COVID-19 crisis
    This category includes, for instance, organisations supporting older people, disabled people (including people with long-term health conditions) and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities, all of whom are facing specific challenges during the current crisis. It also includes organisations who provide advice and support to those pushed in crisis as a result of the pandemic. This category also includes those organisations supporting people and their families with end of life care.
  • Organisations providing services and support for vulnerable people, for which there will be increased demand as a result of the COVID-19 crisis
    This category includes, for instance, organisations supporting people and families who face financial hardship as a result of the pandemic. It also includes organisations working to prevent domestic abuse and violence against protected groups, those working with homeless people and those supporting vulnerable children and young people. Finally, the National Lottery Community Fund also know that there is increased demand for mental health support and support to mitigate the increased challenges of loneliness and isolation.
  • Organisations which connect communities and support communities to work together to respond to COVID-19
    This category includes organisations supporting local community activity, including volunteering, and community organising. It also includes organisations supporting community and sector infrastructure, including public information. We know there is increased demand for support with the development of digital, data and technology capabilities. Finally, the National Lottery Community Fund want to support building capacity and infrastructure of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and other marginalised communities to ensure they are in a better position after the initial emergency response.

The National Lottery Community Fund encourage applications from small and medium-sized charities as these are likely to be more vulnerable right now.

The National Lottery Community Fund know that some communities, such as disabled people and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, are being hit hard by the pandemic and encourage organisations to apply who are led by people in those communities.

How much you can apply for and for how long
Funding between £300 to £10,000 or funding over £10,000 to cover your spending for up to six months after award. This will give you time to consider what the longer-term implications of the pandemic might be.

Larger awards or longer timeframes will be considered, particularly for organisations working across more than one area of England, on a case-by-case basis.

Beyond this response, National Lottery funding is available for longer-term rebuild and recovery.

For more information and to apply click here

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