Deadline: 31-Mar-23
Applications are now open for Both those organisations registered as Winter Wellbeing Hubs and other organisations supporting people around food and essential supplies.
A £200,000 fund for organisations supporting people in need with food and essential items.
Funding Information
- The total value of the fund is £200,000 and applicants can apply for a maximum grant of £6,000.
- Tier 1: This payment will automatically be made if you sign up to become winter wellbeing hub on the directory (if you have already signed up they will be in touch). It is non-competitive and is not means tested. Any monitoring information requested will be purely voluntary.
- Tier 2: This is a competitive process to be awarded a block grant of up to £2,000. They expect to make this award to smaller organisations and/or those who aren’t seeing a significant increase in their overheads or do not anticipate a significant change to their current service delivery (e.g., footfall to increase up to 10% maximum, no new or minimal new services/operating hours offered, likely to be existing service users). As a smaller grant, monitoring information will be light touch.
- Tier 3: This is a competitive process to be awarded a block grant of up to £6,000. They expect to make this award to larger organisations and/or those who are experiencing a significant increase in their overheads or expect a significant change to their service delivery/operating hours (e.g., footfall increase of more than 10%, increased operating hours/days open, new services/activities offered, new resident demographic engaged). As a larger grant, monitoring information requested will be more robust but not onerous.
What is the fund criteria?
- They want to ensure VCS organisations can cope with increased demand and limit the risk of reduced services in order to best support residents at risk this winter.
- They would like to prioritise organisations who are able to support key public health outcomes that will protect those most vulnerable of the social and health harms of poverty and prevent additional pressure on public services.
- Reduce illness, admissions and deaths associated with respiratory disease associated with fuel poverty, cold weather, malnutrition and isolation.
- Support access to seasonal vaccination programmes for eligible groups
- Promote healthy diets and support actions to address food insecurity
- Promote physical activity and outdoor engagement
- Promote mental wellbeing, social connection and reduced loneliness and social isolation
- Early intervention to mental health support, substance misuse and suicide prevention
- Reduce risk of crime, violence and anti-social behaviour
- This may be through universal or targeted activities for specific population groups eg
- People in crisis including those experiencing violence/abuse;
- Homeless and poorly housed people;
- Vulnerable older people including those living in care settings;
- Disabled people and people with long-term limiting health conditions including mental health issues;
- People on low and/or insecure household incomes;
- Children and young people from disadvantaged areas.
Eligibility Criteria
- Community centres and other hubs and facilities providing advice and guidance services;
- Organizations providing targeted support to vulnerable groups to support resilience and wellbeing
- Food banks and others providing free/low-cost food and essential items to people experiencing poverty
- Applications must come from a constituted group/organisation with a bank account in the organisation’s name.
- They want to hear from established organisations/services that have an existing relationship with their local community. Therefore, on the application form they will be asking a little bit about you, your current offer and the community you serve.
- They will also ask about what you will be using the grant for and for some evidence that this is needed. For example, increasing your opening hours to include the weekend as there are no other Hubs or open access spaces in your area that offer this or you have seen an increase in demand for your service.
For more information, visit VCS Fund.