Aims/priorities: The funding is intended to enable and deliver accessible mental health and wellbeing support for those with seldom heard needs in Armed Forces communities, with a focus on prevention and early intervention - through collaborative projects between Armed Forces organisations and non-Armed Forces specialist organisations.
The funding should benefit current serving Armed Forces personnel, Reservists (including RFA Royal Fleet Auxiliary), Veterans, and their families, whose needs are seldom heard.
The funding is for projects which meet all of the following outcomes:
Build collaborative partnerships between Armed Forces organisations and specialist non-Armed Forces organisations.
Identify and address known and unknown gaps in service provision for the Armed Forces community.
Provide accessible, preventative and defined interventions (rather than general support for the Armed Forces community).
Increase knowledge and understanding within mainstream voluntary sector organisations of the unique needs of the Armed Forces community in a demonstrable way and create opportunities for continuing support.
Projects should be focused on supporting either serving or Veteran families who are ‘seldom heard’, to access defined or bespoke mental health and wellbeing support.
Here ‘seldom heard’ refers to groups or individuals whose voices, opinions or needs are not frequently or adequately represented in mainstream policies or services. These groups face barriers to participation and may be marginalised or overlooked in various contexts. It encompasses anyone who is under-served and may have barriers to, or specific needs when accessing support services
Potential beneficiaries may include, for example:
- Black and minority ethnic individuals
- Carers
- People with disabilities
- Members of the LGBT+ community
- Those for whom English is an additional language
- People from Foreign & Commonwealth communities
- Other members of the Armed Forces community with seldom-heard needs that can be overlooked.
Who can apply? Applications will be accepted from:
- Charities registered with one or more of the charity commissions for England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland for at least one year at time of application. They must have at least three unrelated trustees.
- Community Interest Companies (CIC) with substantial recent experience of supporting Armed Forces communities and have been registered as a CIC for more than one year at the time of application. CICs must have been registered in the UK for more than one year and submitted one year of accounts to Companies House at time of application. They must have at least three unrelated directors.
Charities and CICs which do not have substantial recent experience of working with the Armed Forces community can apply as long their project is delivered in partnership with another organisation or organisations with substantial recent experience of working with Armed Forces communities or are Armed Forces-specific.
Applications will be accepted from:
- Specialist non-Armed Forces organisations working with Armed Forces organisations or Armed Forces units or bases for learning or referrals.
- Armed Forces organisations working with non-Armed Forces specialist organisations in partnership.
Grant amount: Up to £20,000 are available for projects being delivered over 12 months.
Application process: The programme guidance, faqs, application questions and online application portal can be found on the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust website.
Deadline: Wednesday 11 September 2024, (12 noon)
Contact information: Email: info@covenantfund.org.uk
Website: Hidden Voices Programme 2024/25 : Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust