Clinks Newsflash | Grant funding for small voluntary organisations

Covid-19 winter support grants

Support through the winter for small voluntary organisations working in criminal justice

Voluntary organisations working in the criminal justice system with an annual income under £250,000 can apply now for grant funding to support their vital work through the winter. The deadline for applications is 9am on Monday 4th January 2021, although early applications are encouraged.

The Covid-19 pandemic continues to have a profound effect on voluntary organisations. In particular, small and specialist organisations are facing significant funding challenges, with grant funding in decline and costs rising as organisations adapt how they deliver services at the same time as dealing with greater need.

This summer Clinks was able to distribute £300,000 to small and medium organisations on behalf of Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). However, our research has shown that organisations are not fully confident about their long-term sustainability and there is growing concern about the future availability of funding from trusts and foundations and cuts to government funding.

After working closely with HMPPS and MoJ to advocate for the sector, we are pleased to be able to distribute a further £143,500 on behalf of HMPPS and MoJ to support small and specialist organisations. There's a particular focus on organisations that are black, Asian and minority ethnic led and focussed, and those supporting people with protected characteristics.

Who we welcome applications from

This round of funding includes some quite specific eligibility criteria so please do read the below, and our detailed criteria document, carefully and get in touch if you have any questions.

We want to hear from organisations with an existing relationship with HMPPS with under £250,000 annual income who are currently delivering services to support people in prison, through-the-gate or in the community, and who have been impacted financially by Covid-19.
We're keen to hear from organisations working across the breadth of the voluntary sector in England and Wales, in particular BAME-led and -focussed organisations and those delivering specialist services for people with protected characteristics.

What will be funded

Activities and resources which help organisations deliver support to people in the criminal justice system during the crisis. For example, this could be additional equipment or a contribution towards a salary or core costs. We expect to provide grants of £3,000 - £5,000. No organisation will be granted more than £10,000.
The funding is not for activity already delivered by Community Rehabilitation Companies, but can complement it.
You must not already have secured funding from other sources for the same activity.

What to expect

If needed, we'll support applicants with their application. Clinks will be the point of contact throughout the programme. We can be contacted at covid19@clinks.org.
Applications will be considered by a panel of Clinks, HMPPS and a philanthropic funder.
The deadline for applications is 9am on Monday 4th January 2021. We anticipate a high number of applications and encourage you to submit your application early if at all possible, to allow our panel to review applications as they come in. We will aim to inform applicants of the outcome by Tuesday 12th January, and to release funding to organisations from Wednesday 27th January.
Funded organisations must spend the money by 31st March 2021, update their profile on our Directory of Offender Services, and submit a short report at the end of the programme.
You'll see regular updates on the programme in Light Lunch and on Twitter.

The sector is in need, and never more needed. The limited funding available and strict eligibility criteria mean that not everyone will be able to benefit from this programme. We will continue to advocate for more funding for organisations. We have made the decision, in partnership with HMPPS, to target this funding to the smallest, most vulnerable organisations, some of which might otherwise face collapse. If you have any queries or concerns about the process of this funding round, please let us know at covid19@clinks.org. You can read more about the impacts of Covid-19 on the voluntary sector in our latest research report.

Download the application form and supporting documentation here

For details of this grant, expand 'Covid-19 winter support grants' in the above link.
Stay up to date with the latest on Covid-19 with our regularly updated web page.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Clinks logo

Get involved Become a Member | Follow Clinks on Twitter

Click here to manage your subscriptions. For assistance, email info@clinks.org

Registered office: Block C, 5th Floor, Tavistock House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9JJ

Registered charity: 1074546 | Company limited by guarantee in England & Wales: 3562176