Government Support For Charities: The GoodBox Guide
It’s been a tough year for charities. Despite the latest data for CAF showing that donations actually increased by £800 million in the first six months of this year, many organisations have still felt the pinch of lockdown measures. Unable to host normal (or even quirky) fundraising events and maintain operations at 100%, charities small and large have struggled to keep afloat. If your organisation is currently between a rock and a hard place, read on for our guide on what support is available.
Government support for charities
Earlier in the year, the UK government announced a £750 million support package for charities. The majority of this money (more than £600 million) has already been allocated to charities according to cause, and through the Coronavirus Community Support Fund. Despite this, it’s still possible to access interest-free loans and support grants through various schemes. Here are some of the main ones:
The National Lottery Community Fund
The National Lottery is continuing to offer grants to community-focused organisations through the pandemic. Currently, there are two pathways – one for grants under £10,000, and the other for over. A recent grant allowed SERV Wessex to purchase a new scooter in order to deliver blood transfusions and medical supplies to vulnerable patients ‘shielding’.
Click here for more details on the National Lottery Community fund.
Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund
The Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund (RRLF) offers charities and social enterprises loans of between £100,000 – £1,500,000 to maintain their operations. The loan is interest-free for the first year, and subsequently either 6.5% or 7% per annum thereafter. There are various eligibility criteria, including annual turnover of between £400,000 – £45 million, proof of impact from COVID-19, and adherence to the governance principles of Big Society Capital.
Click here for more details on the RRLF.
National Lottery Project Grant
The Art Council England is awarding £77.9 million in grants to individuals and non-profit organisations that operate in the culture and arts sector. These grants range from £1,000 to £100,000, and are currently being prioritised for smaller museums and libraries.
Click here to read more on the National Lottery Project Grant scheme
Financial support for charities
There are also numerous non-governmental schemes currently open to support charity finances. Here are some of the main ones:
The Henry Smith Charity
The Henry Smith Charity provides grants of between £20k-£60k to small and medium charities (annual revenue of between £50k – £2 million) to support ongoing projects.
Click here for more information
St James’ Place Charitable Foundation
The charitable arm of St James’ Wealth Management is offering grants of up to £10,000 for small charities (with annual income of up to £1,000,000). To be eligible, organisations must be involved with one of three causes: supporting young people with disabilities, supporting disadvantaged young people, or supporting people with cancer.
Click here for more information.
Greggs Foundation
The Greggs Foundation provides grants to individuals and small charitable organisations. Their broadest scheme is called ‘The Local Community Projects Fund’, and offers organisations in England, Scotland, and Wales grants of up to £2,000. Their ‘NorthEast Core’ scheme, on the other hand, offers up to £45,000 for charities serving local communities in the North East of England.
Click here for more information.
The Yapp Charitable Trust
Whilst not specifically related to the coronavirus pandemic, The Yapp Charitable Trust is offering grants to small charities (with less than £40,000 annual revenue) to help with running costs. Their grants cover up to £3,000.
Click here for more information
Here to help
If your organisation’s finances are unstable as a result of COVID-19, we hope this list will prove useful in accessing support. With the help of government and private funds, UK charities in need still have many avenues to follow for help.
GoodBox is dedicated to helping UK charities maintain and increase donations. Our contactless payment terminals provide organisations with an easy, cost-efficient, and socially-distant way of raising money. They also provide data-driven insights into donor behaviour, helping you to adapt your fundraising strategy on the fly. If you’d like to know more, get in touch and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.
