Children in Need Covid-19 Fund
Isabella McRae
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
BBC Children in Need is open for applications from not-for-profit organisations in the UK that need support to get through the Covid-19 pandemic.
Its main and small grants programmes fund organisations for up to three years that support disadvantaged children and young people facing illness, distress, abuse or neglect; any kind of disability; behavioural or psychological difficulties, or those living in poverty.
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Children in Need has broadened the type of applications it accepts and the range of costs it will cover.
Is my organisation eligible?
Children and young people must be the primary beneficiaries of the project, and services provided should help them experience positive changes in their lives.
Applicants should show how the organisation will address disadvantage and how children and young people will benefit from the project.
Children in Need does not provide funding for work which statutory bodies, such as schools and local authorities, have a duty to fund.
Organisations that already have a BBC Children in Need grant can apply for an additional grant, but this will be taken into account when funding decisions are made.
How much is available?
Under the main grants programme, organisations can apply for £10,001 to £40,000 per year for up to three years, but it is unlikely that more than £100,000 will be awarded in total. The average grant size is expected to be approximately £30,000 per year. A proven track record of delivering the work you are requesting funding for is especially important for the main grants programme.
Organisations can apply for up to £10,000 per year through the small grants scheme. No more than £30,000 will be awarded across three years. The small grants programme does not fund work supporting young people who have experienced sexual assault. For this, apply for the main grants scheme.
An organisation cannot apply for both the main and small grants programmes in this round.
What costs are covered?
The grants are designed to be as flexible as possible to help make a real difference to the lives of disadvantaged children.
An application is not limited to one specific project, and applicants can request grants to cover running costs for their organisation.
Costs that are not covered include building costs, work delivered outside the UK, vehicles, fixed equipment, and trips abroad.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it has temporarily broadened the types of applications it will accept. It is now encouraging applications for:
- Project delivery. (Including staffing and salary costs)
- Creative solutions to deliver much-needed services
- Organisational costs to support stability and adaptation. (Including the day-to-day running costs of an organisation as opposed to specific project costs)
How to apply
Applications must be submitted through BBC Children in Need’s online portal. The deadline is 12 April 2021 at 11:30am.
A decision is expected by the end of April 2021. The grant making teams use a standardised process to decide which applications will progress to assessment stage, considering the volume of applications, the budget available and the organisation’s portfolio at local level.
At assessment stage, an assessor will arrange a telephone call where they will ask questions about your application and safeguarding provisions.
Successful applicants will receive an email informing them of the decision and the terms of the grant. Successful organisations are expected to start spending their fund by April 2022.
FUNDING ROUNDUP
- The National Education Union (NEU) and the Daily Mirror have launched an appeal – with an initial £1m fund from the NEU – to supply learning materials such as pens, paper, card and crayons for those pupils who do not have these remote learning essentials in their homes.
- The Prince’s Trust has launched its Development Award Scheme for young people aged 16 to 30. Applicants should be unemployed, or working or studying for less than 14-16 hours a week or not be in compulsory education. Successful applicants will be awarded £175 to £250 depending on individual needs, location and funding availability. The awards can be used to cover course fees, to buy tools, equipment or uniforms, for job licence fees and help with transport costs to a new job until a recipient receives their first payslip.
- Youth Music is offering grants of £5,000 to £30,000 to not-for-profits, businesses and collectives working to help young people access careers in the music industry. Its £2m Incubator Fund aims to support young people aged 18 to 25, particularly those under-represented in music. It will encourage creative employers to support new and diverse talent.
- The government announced a £7.5m funding package to support those most at risk of loneliness this winter. The Arts Council England received £5m for arts and library services. Of this, £3.5m was given to the Reading Agency, a charity that runs Reading Well and Reading Friends programmes. The government extended its Loneliness Fund, giving a further £2m. An additional £500,000 was to be distributed to the Audio Content Fund and the Community Radio Fund.