BCP Crisis and Resilience Fund

DCF would like to thank the Department for Work and Pension's Crisis & Resilience Fund, for the funding being provided, and BCP Council in arranging this grant funding programme

BCP Crisis and Resilience Fund

Posted on by Alice Cable

The deadline to apply to the current round of this Fund is midday on Thursday, June 4.

This programme distributes part of the funds allocated by the UK government’s Crisis & Resilience Fund to BCP Council. This is a three year scheme running until March 31, 2029.

Eligibility

Organisations must work in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and funded activities must benefit BCP residents. Priority will be given to those based in the area.

We do not usually fund national charities. We can fund groups that are affiliated to, or members of a national body if you are financially independent and have independent governance. Please talk to our Grants Manager if you need advice (see Pre-application support).

Organisations who can apply:

  • Registered charities
  • Constituted community and voluntary organisations
  • Community Interest Companies limited by guarantee
  • Companies limited by guarantee that have a clear not-for-profit clause in their governing document and clear charitable or social objectives
  • Community Benefit Societies

To be eligible the organisation must have:

  • At least three unrelated people responsible for running the organisation (for registered charities these are your tTrustees, for CICs/social enterprises these are your directors)
  • A written constitution or set of rules that sets out the purpose and management of the organisation
  • A bank account in the name of the organisation with at least two unrelated signatories required for payments
  • An appropriate safeguarding policy and EDI policy

Exclusions:

  • Schools are not eligible but we can fund PTA groups if they meet our eligibility guidelines
  • We cannot fund the promotion of religion or political causes – faith based organisations should advise whether their service/activity will include elements that are designed to influence people’s religious choices
  • We cannot fund public bodies to carry out their statutory obligations
  • We cannot fund animal welfare organisations
  • We cannot offer retrospective funding for items already purchased or work completed
  • Organisations with more than 12 months’ unrestricted reserves are usually not funded

Priorities

This Fund complements a range of services that are being supported by the UK government’s Crisis & Resilience Fund, delivered by BCP Council and partners. The ‘crisis’ element is being delivered largely through the Housing Payments scheme and the Crisis Payments scheme, offering support to individual households. These services will provide a safety net for those on low incomes who encounter a financial shock. See the council’s webpage on the Crisis & Resilience Fund for more information.

This Fund will invest in Resilience Services – services, programmes and activities that build financial and community resilience to enable individuals to better deal with crises in the long-term, to be more able to withstand and recover from future financial shocks, and to reduce the need for crisis support. The Fund’s intent is to to address root causes, not just crisis symptoms.

The Fund will award grants that will contribute to a joined-up welfare support landscape. This means supporting the continuing development of a range of Resilience Services across BCP where there are clear referral pathways between services. This ‘no wrong door’ approach includes two-way referral pathways between the Crisis Payments scheme and Resilience Services.

The Fund cover 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. Resilience Services should be developed in consideration of the complex, interrelated factors that affect an individual’s financial resilience such as income, health, education, housing security, financial literacy, debt, savings and caring responsibilities. Services should be person-centred, needs-based, holistic and trauma informed.

The Fund can support new services to address identified gaps in provision or existing services to expand provision. Services should contribute to one or more of the following outcomes:

  • Reduced material deprivation (tacking the underlying conditions that prevent households from affording essentials such as heating, clothing, food, household essentials)
  • Reduced need for emergency food parcels (more resilient households are less likely to experience financial crises that lead to emergency food need)
  • Increased access to appropriate and quality advice services* (leading to improved understanding of rights and or entitlements and an intention to act on the advice in areas such as money management, debt, welfare or housing)

*NB debt advice is a regulated financial activity and therefore should be authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

The following are examples of activities that could be funded (not an exhaustive list):

  • Community food provision that includes wrap around support and connectivity into other services that build financial resilience
  • Cooking equipment or food skills initiatives that make income stretch further
  • Solutions to help reduce energy bills such as provision of energy efficient household items
  • Community hubs or drop-in spaces that provide a place to meet other people, share concerns and be connected to relevant resilience services. Co-located services are particularly welcome
  • Advice and support addressing root causes of poverty and building financial resilience (e.g. income maximisation, debt, benefit and employment services)
  • Activities during school holidays that support low income families
  • Other community initiatives that build financial resilience

All applicants should please note:

  • Grants for the provision of cash awards to households are not eligible
  • Grants cannot be used to replicate or replace free school meals or school holiday food vouchers
  • There is no requirement for means testing to identify financial hardship but groups should describe their own approach to ensuring that beneficiaries are in need of support
  • We encourage relevant groups to consider becoming members of the BCP Access to Food Partnership; community groups working together to ensure that everyone can feed themselves and their family nutritious food all of the time.
  • Ridgewater Energy offers free advice on energy efficiency improvements and how to reduce your household energy bills. Information booklets available online and as hard copies to share with residents on “Energy and Money Saving Booklet” and “Condensation and Damp Advice”  https://www.ridgewaterenergy.co.uk/projects-and-services/ 

What can I apply for?

There are two different grants available

Multi year grants

  • Multi year grants are available for groups that have a three year minimum track record, have received at least one grant from the previous BCP Food and Energy Support Fund, and will be working with a minimum of 100 beneficiaries per year
  • Up to three year grants are available for groups applying in Spring 2026 – the grant period is mid July 2026 to 31st March 2029
  • Up to two year grants will be available in Spring 2027 – the grant period is May 2027 to 31st March 2029
  • The maximum grant sizes are proportionate to the size of group applying – according to latest available accounts:
    – groups with annual expenditure under £100,000, may apply for up to £7,500 per year
    – groups with annual expenditure £100,000 to £250,000, may apply for up to £10,000 per year
    – groups with annual expenditure over £250,000, may apply for up to £15,000 per year
  • The amount requested for each year does not need to be the same but should not exceed the maximum amounts above
  • Payments will be made annually, with year two and year three payments dependent and conditional on satisfactory end of year reporting
  • Groups unsuccessful with a multi year grant application will still be considered for a one year grant – you don’t need to make a separate application
  • Extensions cannot be granted beyond 31st March 2029 – any unspent funds must be returned

One year grants

  • Grants from £500 up to £7,500 are available to any eligible group
  • The first grant period is mid July 2026 to 31st March 2027
  • One year grants also available in Spring 2027 and 2028 – grant period from May to March
  • Extensions cannot be granted – any unspent funds must be returned
  • Please tell us as early as possible if you will not be able to spend the grant so that funds can be redistributed

We can support any costs associated with providing the funded activities including perishable and non-perishable goods, capital costs and equipment (e.g. additional fridges or storage at your organisation), staff and volunteer costs, venue hire, transport (e.g. to community meals or other activities), administrative costs, reasonable contribution to organisation overheads/core costs.

We welcome partnership bids from two or more groups co-delivering a project or to share a capital item.

Monitoring and reporting

  • Grantees will be required to submit either an End of Year report or an End of Grant report by 12th April, the year following the grant payment

Timeframe

Round 1’s deadline for applications is midday on Thursday, June 4, 2026

  • Grants to successful groups will be awarded in mid June

Round Two opens Spring 2027 tbc 

  • We aim to distribute grants to successful groups by end of April

Round Two opens Spring 2028 tbc

  • We aim to distribute grants to successful groups by end of April

Pre-application support

Pre-application support is particularly encouraged for groups who have not applied to our grant programmes before but is available for anyone in need of advice about the application process, or if you are unsure whether your project/activity is suitable. Please email our Grants Manager, Ellie to arrange a 20 minute phone call.

PLEASE NOTE: Ellie is on leave from 27th April, returning 26th May. You can call our office number to ask general questions or to arrange a call with a grant assessor. Or if you prefer, please contact Ellie on or after 26th May.

Please also contact us if you need the application form in an alternative format.

How to apply

To apply please CLICK HERE

You will need to attach the following supporting documents to your online application, or send them via email to grants@dorsetcf.org. Apart from the bank statement, you do not have to send these if you have already sent these documents in the last six months.

  • A copy of your constitution/governing document, if you are not registered at Companies House or the Charities Commission
  • A copy of a recent bank statement no more than three months old. This can be a scanned/photo of paper statement, or a copy downloaded from an online account – we need to see the bank name and the account name, number and sort code
  • A copy of your latest annual accounts (if they more than a year old, please send draft accounts for the current year if you can) – in the case of new groups, please send a financial forecast or budget for your first year if you have one
  • Your Safeguarding policy and Equality & Diversity policy *our guidance notes may be helpful
  • (CICs operating more than one year should also provide their CIC 34 report, and those with micro accounts only should provide their trading profit and loss accounts)

NB We have added any ‘any other information’ box to all our application forms, requested via our last survey with applicants. This is after the main questions and can be used to clarify anything you need to.

*For support with policy development or reviews we recommend you contact one of the local support agencies for voluntary sector groups – Community Action Network offers support to groups in the BCP area. Volunteer Centre Dorset and Dorset Community Action  provides support to groups in the Dorset Council area.

Safeguarding policy: There are helpful online resources such as the Charity Commission’s guidance on Safeguarding and the NSPCC website. New groups or those without any current policy may find it helpful to watch this short video ‘Safeguarding adults in the voluntary sector’  introducing what Safeguarding is and why it is relevant for all voluntary sector groups, no matter how small or who you are working with.

Equality & Diversity policy: We recommend this should include as a minimum: reference to the Equality Act 2010 and explicitly covering all protected characteristics, equal access to services and employment and ways you achieve this, preventing harassment or discrimination and how complaints are dealt with fairly.

In order for us to follow our decision-making process, the information given in your application will be shared with our independent panel members and/or donors as appropriate. Panel members are subject to a confidentiality agreement. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information on data sharing and storage.