DORSET Community Foundation and BCP Council have launched a £425,000 fund aimed at supporting grass roots charities and voluntary groups in helping people to overcome poverty and build a better future for themselves.
The BCP Crisis and Resilience Fund replaces the BCP Food and Energy Support Fund, which ran for almost five years and awarded more than 300 grants totalling over £1.7m to 78 different groups.
The new fund will use money from the government’s new Crisis and Resilience Fund, which replaces the previous government’s Household Support Fund and puts the emphasis on supporting projects that help people to withstand and recover from financial shocks and reduce the need for future crisis support.
“We held a Stories Of Change event recently with organisations who had been funded by the BCP Food and Energy Support Fund and it was inspiring to hear many of them speak about the difference they make through the wraparound support and community connection they provide for people,” said the community foundation’s Grants Manager Ellie Maguire.
“We want this funding to continue to invest in the voluntary and community sector and the great work that they provide by supporting projects that have a ‘no wrong door’ approach, that will direct people in crisis to the right places for immediate help but also then help equip them to deal with financial shocks through advice and support that makes them more resilient in the future.”
The emphasis will be less on food parcels but more on community meals, cookery workshops, school holiday activities for low income families, providing spaces and activities that bring people together and advice such as budget planning and money advice, energy efficiency and other preventative and resilience support that help prevent crises.
We want this funding to continue to invest in the voluntary and community sector and the great work that they provide by supporting projects that have a ‘no wrong door’ approach, that will direct people in crisis to the right places for immediate help but also then help equip them to deal with financial shocks through advice and support that makes them more resilient in the future
The fund will offer one year grants of up to £7,500 and also grants of up to £15,000 a year until 2029 – depending on the size of the applicant – to give charities and groups more certainty in their planning.
“The council carried out a survey with local groups and asked them how they would like to see the funding programme run, and we got a really positive response,” said Ellie. “We are pleased to be able to offer a multi-year grant scheme in response to feedback for more funding stability.”
She said applicants who work closely in partnership with other organisations to develop an inter-connected range of resilience services across BCP will be welcomed.
“We are looking to fund grass roots charities and voluntary groups who provide a wide range of support for vulnerable and low income households including families with children of all ages, pensioners, unpaid carers, care leavers, disabled people, single-person households and those struggling with one-off financial shocks,” she said.
Grants will support any costs associated with the project, including perishable and non-perishable goods, capital costs and equipment, staff and volunteer costs, venue hire, transport, admin costs and reasonable organisation overheads or core costs.
“Groups applying for multi-year grants should also factor in inflation for the three years of the project,” said Ellie.
The deadline for applications is June 4 and all projects must be completed by the end of March 2029.
Find out find out more about eligibility and how to apply here.
Anyone struggling with the cost of living a can go to the BCP Council’s Cost of Living pages on its website, which details help available, including a food map showing locations of foodbanks and community food projects. It can be found here.
