Deadline: 9-Dec-22
The Benefact Trust has announced the applications for Brighter Lives, which is focused on helping Christian organisations to respond to the long-term impact of Covid-19 on people’s mental health, through greater training, resources and support.
The pandemic has had a dramatic impact on people’s mental health. What was a huge problem across the communities is now a crisis, and support services are stretched like never before. ‘Brighter Lives’ is the new thematic grants programme. It’s focused on helping Christian organisations to respond to the long-term impact throughout society of Covid-19 on people’s mental health – whatever their faith, or none.
Running until Friday 9th December 12 noon, this programme will help enable churches and Christian charities across the UK and Ireland to provide increased mental health support for people and communities most in need.
It’s the ambition to make fundraising for churches and Christian charities in the UK and Ireland much simpler. Part of providing that simplicity means they’re here for you as more than just a funding source, they’re also a funding resource – helping more projects, communities, churches and charities achieve their fundraising goals over and just providing monetary aid, with up-to-date advice, tools and top tips.
Focus Areas
- The Brighter Lives programme covers three main project areas:
- Supporting existing or emerging specialist services provided by churches and Christian charities for people struggling with mental health issues. Focus is on the most vulnerable who may struggle to access support elsewhere. For example, counselling or similar therapeutic services, which could be delivered in-person, online or by phone.
- Enabling Christian organisations to train, equip and resource other churches and Christian charities to provide:
- Enhanced mental health awareness and /or mental health first aid
- Appropriate mental health and wellbeing support groups and services
- Services provided should demonstrate reach/impact across a local area, regionally or nationally
- Programmes to support the personal mental health and wellbeing of clergy and other church leaders/workers who may be suffering, particularly post-pandemic.
What kinds of project costs are Brighter Lives grants available for?
- In general, Brighter Lives grants are available to help fund:
- Capital costs, such as adaptation of buildings and the purchase of equipment clearly necessary and justified primarily for the purposes of delivering projects which fall within one of the categories.
- Revenue costs, such as staff costs (Salary costs and direct expenses of employing new staff and/or extending contracted hours of existing staff for eligible projects), counselling subsidies, staff and volunteer training costs, volunteer expenses, development of resources and training materials/programmes, and delivery of training. Costs for up to one year from the start date of the new work or project set out in your application are eligible. The costs must relate to work that falls within one of the eligible projects categories above.
Eligibility Criteria
- Churches, cathedrals and Christian denominational bodies, and Christian charities in the UK and the Republic of Ireland are eligible to apply. Churches will normally need to be part of a denomination that is a member of Churches Together in England or the equivalent in Scotland, Wales and Ireland, or belong to a local ecumenical ‘churches together’ group.
- Unfortunately schools and other educational establishments are not eligible to apply, but can apply for grants for other purposes through their general grants programme.
For more information, visit https://benefacttrust.co.uk/which-grant-is-for-me/brighter-lives/