On behalf of the Department for Communities (DfC), Co-operation Ireland in partnership with Rural Community Network has announced the VCSE Covid Recovery Fund.

The COVID 19 Pandemic has impacted Voluntary, Community and Social Economy (VCSE) organizations and a high proportion of these organizations have refocused their objectives to reduce the impact of Covid-19 on the most vulnerable in their society. At the same time, the pandemic also demonstrated the value and contribution of VCSE organizations in the delivery of services provided to those most in need. The purpose of the VCSE COVID Recovery Fund is to:

• Provide additional funding to VCSE organizations to procure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other items to enable the re-opening and continued delivery of vital community services.
• Support VCSE organizations to move services online and increase digital connectivity for organizations delivering mental health supports and/or providing services to young people, older people, those who are medically isolated, the disabled and women.

Funding Information

Applicants to the Fund should note that:

• The amount requested from each theme cannot exceed the maximum award possible to that themes
• Organizations can apply for funding to more than 1 theme in the same application
• The minimum amount that an organization can apply for must exceed £250
• The maximum amount of grant request cannot exceed £5,000

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be independently, constituted Voluntary, Community or Social economy organizations
• Applicant organization must have been constituted for a minimum of 12 months prior to the date of application
• Applicant organizations must be located in Northern Ireland
• Applicants must be able to buy the equipment and pay suppliers by 31st March 2021
• Applicants must be able to submit claims for all expenditure by 30th April 2021
• Eligible organizations can only make one application to the VCSE COVID recovery Fund in the 2020/21 financial year
• The items included in this application must not be included in any other application/award of grant aid
• All equipment purchased with this award must be new – second-hand equipment cannot be grant-aided by this Fund

For more information, visit Co-operation Ireland.