Aims/priorities: The programme is part of a £40 million initiative announced by the Ministry of Justice in February 2021 for specialist support services to help survivors and victims of rape and domestic abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
The grant funding will support activities and offer wrap-around support which improve digital and remote capacity, provide continuity in support and enhance future sustainability.
The funding is for proposals that address the programme’s outcomes which are to increase organisations digital capacity through:
- Building additional capability– this could cover updating digital infrastructure e.g CRM, purchasing hardware and equipment, website design, online chat functions and signposting.
- Scoping need – working to plan, design and test digital and remote provision, in able to pilot new ways of working, supporting more survivors and victims, while gathering evidence and rationale to develop this beyond the funding period, and strengthen the prospect of future funding
Who can apply? To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be led by, with and for communities facing racial inequality, disabled people and / or LGBTQ+ communities.
- Demonstrate a track record of delivering the majority of their support to people from these backgrounds.
- Have an income of between £75,000 and £10 million.
- Be operating in England and/or Wales.
- Be applying for an amount less than 40% of their organisation's total income in any one year.
Grant amount: Grants of between £5,000 and £70,000 are available. It is expected that around 25 grants will be awarded. In addition to the grant, successful applicants will receive digital and technical coaching and expertise from a support partner. The funding is available for a maximum of six months. Grant payments are expected to be made at the end of September 2021 and funds must be spent by 31 March 2022.
Application process: The application guidance notes, faqs, and eligibility quiz can be found on the Comic Relief website.
Deadline: 12 noon on 20 July 2021
Contact information: Email fundinginfo@comicrelief.com
Website address: Ministry of Justice Specialist Fund