On this page we will be providing both information produced in house as well as links to information and analysis produced by partners. This page is updated regularly. If you come across anything which you think could be usefully added to this page do get in touch.
Helpful resources for the voluntary sector:
- Free COVID-19 funder database: To access it, register on the Charity Excellence Framework website. This also allows use of a ‘health check’ assessment and access to a huge resource base, including the four charity COVID-19 toolkits.
- Guidance and resources to support charities, voluntary organisations and volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic from NCVO. The HR consultancy Croner, an NCVO Trusted Supplier, are specialists in HR and employment law. In response to COVID-19, they are now offering unlimited access to their HR and Employment Law helpline to all voluntary sector organisations, free of charge.
- Charity bank have compiled this helpful set of resources and available funding.
- Spark & Co – an organisation that runs community events for women – has created a resource hub for BAME groups, which have been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 outbreak. In it, you will find curated links to organisations and information designed to help those from BAME backgrounds.
- Social Enterprise UK: Coronavirus Support and Resources
- Take a look at Charity Bank’s resource hub. Resources for both social enterprises and charities.
- The government launched a page which lists all government resources available to the VCSE sector, including grants and other schemes (such as the job retention) https://www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-support-for-voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-vcse-organisations-to-respond-to-coronavirus-covid-19
- This toolkit by NPC pulls together all the resources they think will be useful in a charity’s response to COVID-19 right now, and over the coming months.
- Check this recently published report by @ACFoundations on how Charitable Foundations are responding to the pandemic https://www.acf.org.uk/news/foundations-are-rising-to-the-challenge-in-response-to-increased-demand-caused-by-coronavirus
Criminal Justice:
- Grants up to £200,000 over four years are available from the #BristolImpactFund to voluntary organisations in Bristol that are working to reduce inequalities and help the city’s most disadvantaged residents. Find out more and apply by 17th May: https://www.bristol.gov.uk/people-communities/grants-for-voluntary-and-community-organisations
- Criminal justice voluntary sector organisation CLINKS is providing regular updates on the impact of COVID-19 on the voluntary sector working in criminal justice. It is also compiling a fortnightly survey to help track its impact. Find out more.
- Useful updates from Howard League: https://howardleague.org/our-response-to-covid-19-and-prisons/ and from Prison Reform Trust: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/PressPolicy/News/Coronavirus
- http://criminaljusticealliance.org/ for briefings and info on impact of COVID on the CJS.
- Grants between £30,000 and £60,000 are available for specialist voluntary organisations providing gender-specific services for women in the criminal justice system across England and Wales – https://www.gov.uk/government/news/funding-boost-to-steer-more-women-away-from-crime
Economic Justice:
- Standard Life Foundation launched a coronavirus national financial impact tracker on 8 April which will monitor the economic effects of the pandemic, as well as the support offered from the government, on people’s finances.
- CPAG has launched a weekly briefing which will highlight some of the gaps in income support that exist for children and families affected by COVID-19.
- Good Finance have put together a COVID-19 Resource Hub to support Charities and Social Enterprises.
- This Tortoise Media analysis uses data to examine how the pandemic is affecting spending differently in cities/regions.
- Barclays COVID-19 Community Aid Package
The Barclays Foundation will initially provide a COVID-19 Community Aid Package of £100 million to charities working to support vulnerable people impacted by COVID-19, and to alleviate the associated social and economic hardship caused by the crisis. - Justice Together Initiative have released funding to ensure people who use the UK immigration system can access justice. Grants available for advice or influencing work. Apply by 15th September 2021 #JusticeTogetherUK bit.ly/JTIBECOME contacts them before applying bit.ly/JTIC_US
Migration:
- How to talk about human rights during COVID-19
- Commissioned by Migration Exchange, ‘Taking Stock and Facing the Future’ is “the most comprehensive assessment of the sector ever conducted”. Initially planned for publication in July 2020, it has been released to inform the responses to the changes and challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a detailed profile of the sector and the current funding landscape, including an analysis of the sector’s income, resource allocation, capacity, financial resilience, geographical spread and focus of work.
- This Coronavirus Asylum Handbook from Refugee Action contains frontline organisations’ approaches to adapting their services in response to Coronavirus.
Funding and support
- The Baring Foundation have grants of up to £50,000 over 18 months available for work which uses legal action to address racial injustice in all aspects of the criminal justice system https://baringfoundation.org.uk/news-story/strengthening-civil-society-programme-new-funding-to-support-legal-action-to-tackle-racial-injustice-in-the-criminal-justice-system/
- Lloyds Bank Foundation: Racial Equity funding strand is now open for applications! Small and local charities led by and for Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities with an income between £25,000 – £1million can apply for a two-year, unrestricted grant of £50,000 as well as development support. This fund is right for those charities able to demonstrate that some of the services they provide are in-depth, holistic and targeted at a particular complex social issue. Visit there website and check your eligibility in just 5 minutes to apply for funding.
- TNL Community Fund are still providing support during COVID-19 and are open for applications which meet their criteria. Find out more information here: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/covid-19
- The National Emergencies Trust (NET) has launched an appeal to raise funds for local charities and grassroots organisations that have been impacted by Coronavirus. The trust is planning to distribute grants through a network of local community foundations. Organisations in need of funding will need to apply directly to a community foundation, not to the NET. To find your local community foundation please visit the Community Foundations website.
- The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust is offering grants of up to £1,500 for eligible small charities. The Trust is accepting applications. For eligibility criteria please visit The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust website.
- The Aviva Community Fund has extended eligibility to support organisations affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. The fund is open and accepting applications, for eligibility criteria please visit the Aviva Community Fund website.
- Trusthouse Charitable Foundation have also just launched small (up to £10k) and major (up to £100k) grants. For both programmes the organisation’s postcode or project area must be in the most deprived 15% of the Index of Multiple Deprivation for urban areas or within the most deprived 50% for rural areas. Find out more.
- £18 million Charity Survival Fund from the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust to help small and medium sized charities with the funding crisis as a result of #Covid19. We are welcoming applications from charities across the UK who fulfil the criteria. More information is on juliahansrausingtrust.org
- We Belong has received emergency funding to aid young migrants who face financial difficulties in light of the coronavirus pandemic. This funding is solely for non-EEA young migrants, aged 16-25 currently living in the UK. Applicants do not have to be part of the We Belong network, but must demonstrate a need for funding. Funding now closed more info on when new round will open.
Communications help and guidance:
- Tech firms offering free remote working tools
- Charity Digital Code provide a range of guides on digital working, including resources for delivering services digitally.
- Digital Candle are offering charities a free one hour call with a digital expert to help people navigate remote working, locate tools to support communities, and consider other tech solutions.
- Collection of COVID-19/ crisis communications best practices
- Suggestions on framing
- Charity Comms have very useful resources here: https://www.charitycomms.org.uk/about/charity-communicator-coronavirus-resources