Funding available to support community organisations helping older and vulnerable people

Cambridgeshire Community Foundation writes:

Grants between £1,000 and £5,000 will be considered (larger grants may be available for groups working in partnership). We aim for the process to take between 5 and 10 days.

The focus of the fund will be to offer community organisations emergency funding to deal with emerging issues in the community, affecting older people (aged 60 and over) and other vulnerable people (high risk, pre-existing medical conditions), as a result of the continuing threat of Covid-19. This will include; the need for self-isolation, financial hardship, potential for hunger, lack of shelter, further exacerbation of health issues, loneliness and isolation of these people.

To be eligible to apply your project must support older people or other vulnerable people and help to:

• Supporting ongoing needs of people, to ensure that their well-being is maintained,
• Reduce isolation and vulnerability during any isolation period that may arise as a result of the threat of Covid-19,
• Any initiative that will help ensure people remain, safely connected with the outside world during this time.

Example projects might include:

• Tackling the impacts of financial hardship.
• Enabling people to keep warm by accessing home heating oil or warm clothes.
• Enabling people to access a nutritious meal by connecting them to services providing groceries, and/or ready-made meals.
• Enabling and encouraging people to use and access technology to keep them connected to the outside world.
• Reaching out to isolated people by telephone, and befriending if possible.
• Enabling home education for children and young people.

Who can apply

• Constituted organisations based in Cambridgeshire.
• Parish, Town, District, City and County Council teams.
• Partnerships - we want to support community groups working together; particularly in smaller geographical communities. We will therefore encourage a partnership approach, and one application from one lead organisation, rather than a number of separate applications.
• Groups who already have live projects or pending applications.
• Repeat applications under the same fund for continuation of projects that are proving to work well.

What can be supported within the fund themes?

• Running costs for organisations to provide such support, including volunteer expenses, staff costs, and transport; providing the organisation is focusing their attention on providing support to both existing, and any potential new beneficiaries
• Small capital costs are eligible, providing the capital item will address the priorities of the fund, and is linked to keeping the older person connected to the outside world

The fund will not support:

• Applications from individuals
• Purchase of vehicles
• Holiday schemes
• Events, parties, trips and initiatives based upon mass gatherings
• Promotion of religion, this includes organisations whose main purpose includes advancement of religion
• Party political activity

We welcome any support you can give at this time. Online donations can be made on our JustGiving page.

If you wish to arrange a BACS transfer, please contact info@cambscf.org.uk for details.

Thank you for your support.