The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust has a number of grant schemes available at the moment, including the Forces for Change Programme (application deadline: Monday 17th July 2023 at 5pm).
The Trust’s Reaching and Supporting Armed Forces Communities Programme, which has just opened to applications with a deadline of Monday 3rd July 2023, is a grant programme designed to fund projects that will deliver significant changes or improvements for Armed Forces communities where there are hidden or compelling needs. The Trust particularly wants to hear from those who know the most about what is needed within the Armed Forces community.
Applicants will be expected to show how their proposal addresses hidden, compelling and complex needs, particularly those of vulnerable Armed Forces communities who are most impacted by cost-of-living challenges, and where evidence has highlighted gaps in support and provision.
The Reaching and Supporting Armed Forces Communities programme will award grants of up to £100,000 over a period of up to 3 years. For exceptional projects, larger grants may be available. 1-year grants of up to £50,000 may also be awarded. Grants are intended to be flexible and are able to cover most of the costs associated with delivering a project. This can include a contribution to core and overhead costs.
Projects should be specific and targeted. This could include addressing hidden needs, as well as needs that are more well-known. The Trust is also looking for applications that can be clear about the evidence of why their project is needed, and how the impact of the project will continue after the grant has ended.
Projects that focus on specific groups of people within Armed Forces communities, rather than more general approaches, are more likely to be funded. The Trust would also like to see that the people who will benefit from a project have been able to shape how it has been designed and will be implemented.
Partnership proposals that include local authorities, health services, the private sector and other organisations are welcomed, although the lead applicant should be a UK registered charity, Community Interest Company or an Armed Forces Unit.
Projects should support serving personnel and/or their families or veterans and their families, for example (please note that this is not an exclusive list):
o Armed Forces families coming to the UK.
o Female veterans.
o People with unmet needs from physical injury and/or mental ill health, and/or
o Veterans from LGBT+ communities.
Funding is not available for:
o Endowments (to provide a source of income).
o Excessive management or professional fees or contingency costs.
o Fundraising.
o Individuals.
o Investments.
o Paying for ongoing costs of existing partnership activity.
o Projects, activities or services that are a statutory responsibility.
o Repeat or regular projects that require a source of uncommitted funding, or
o Retrospective funding for projects that have already started or taken place.
o Topping up existing grants and aid from a government department, or
o Whole projects only benefitting one person.
The 2023 application deadlines are:
1. Monday 3rd July 2023 at 5pm. Decisions are expected to be made before the end of September 2023.
2. Monday 13th November 2023 at 5pm. Decisions are expected to be made before the end of March 2024.
