The Wiltshire Community Foundation has announced the Coronavirus Response & Recovery Grants Program to help voluntary and community organisations respond to the impact of the coronavirus crisis on people and/or to provide existing or new services during and after the crisis.

The Foundation wants to get their funds to where they are needed most. You must be addressing disadvantage or people’s coronavirus-related needs. Grants are short term and for no more than 12 months but you can apply more than once and can hold more than one grant at once if your organisation’s needs develop.

What can the grant pay for?

• Any reasonable costs related to meeting needs which people have because of the coronavirus situation
• Costs to help keep your organisation going during and after the crisis, provided you are serving people who are disadvantaged (socially, physically, geographically or financially) in a financially deprived community
• New projects or developments of your existing service, provided you are serving people who are disadvantaged (socially, physically, geographically or financially) in a financially deprived community
• Note that grants towards capital projects (buildings and equipment) are up to £5000 only and you must already have most of the rest if the total cost is more than £5000
• Grants cannot be to provide money to individuals or families.

Applications may be for:

• Services set up or adapted to meet needs which people have because of the coronavirus situation
• Keeping an organisation going during and after the crisis
• New projects or developments of your existing service

Applications to help organisations keep going or to develop new or existing services:

• do not need to be addressing coronavirus-related needs
• do need to be benefitting disadvantaged people and be in areas of financial deprivation

The  priority in making grants to help organisations keep going or to develop are:

• Small, grassroots voluntary organisations who serve people who are disadvantaged (socially, physically, geographically or financially) AND
• operate in communities and with people who cannot afford to cover the costs themselves AND
• are modifying their services and financial plans in the light of the coronavirus situation
• applications for a grant to replace income lost as a result of coronavirus with no evidence that the organisation has modified its plans are unlikely to be successful

Eligibility Criteria

Local and regional organisations where most people benefiting from the grant live in Swindon or Wiltshire:

• constituted voluntary or community organisations
• registered charities
• not-for-profit companies including community interest companies where a majority of the directors receive no payment from the company
• parish and town councils (for activities to meet people’s needs as a result of the coronavirus only)
• churches and other religious organisations (for providing non-religious activity only)
• branches of national organisations if there is:
  • a local management committee based in Swindon and Wiltshire
  • a local constitution
  • a bank account controlled by the local branch
• Voluntary organisations with no constitution or bank account if:
  • linked with a constituted organisation or local statutory body (eg parish or town council). The grant will be paid to that organisation.

Ineligible

• Individuals
• Statutory bodies such as city and county councils or health institutions

For more information, visit Wiltshire Community Foundation.