Aims/priorities:
The funding will support and invest in grassroots community-led local organisations in England to drive change in their local communities, as well as by drawing on the ‘lived experiences’ of people who have experienced the issues being tackled.
This flexible funding is intended for small organisations for work that delivers against one of the areas, which link with Comic Relief’s new funding strategy:
- Tackling immediate impacts of hardship - organisations that directly address the immediate impacts of poverty, including providing food, warmth, shelter and financial advice such as foodbanks, community hubs, homeless shelters or welfare advice agencies.
- Building resilience to poverty and hardship - organisations that deliver activities to empower people to take positive steps out of poverty in the longer term. Examples include skills training, job search, volunteering, mental resilience and financial confidence skills.
- Working to support equity and inclusion - organisations that champion social justice, diversity and inclusion. This could involve service or projects to tackle inequalities which can lead to poverty and exclusion including gender, sexuality, age, race, language or ability.
- Working to support climate justice - supporting activities that improve energy efficiency, environmental education and resilience-building within communities most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such communities at risk of flooding or urban heat islands and those more vulnerable to extreme weather events, such as older people, isolated communities or people with disabilities. Projects might include community awareness sessions, carbon literacy training and practical measures.
Who can apply:
Organisations from the voluntary and community sector can apply.
This can include:
- Constituted voluntary and community groups.
- Charities.
- Social enterprises.
- Community Interest Companies limited by guarantee which have been running for at least two years.
- Not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee.
Grant amount:
Grants of up to £5,000 are available and offered on a flexible basis, depending on need.
Application process:
The first step in the application process is to complete an online Eligibility Checker. Eligible groups will then be given a link to the online application form.
Full guidelines and the Eligibility Checker can be found on the Groundwork website.
Deadline:
Applications will be accepted from 14 October 2024 to 8 November 2024 (5pm).
Contact information: