Cost of Living Crisis - help and support

Grants to Support Community Organisations During the Cost of Living Crisis (UK)

Grants of up to £2,000 are available to support local charities, community groups and other not-for-profit organisations across the UK following increases in their rent, utility bills and food costs as a result of the cost of living crisis. The funding is being made available through the Asda Foundation’s Cost of Living Grant to help organisations keep their buildings open, and/or to continue to support those most impacted through the provision of meals, community cafes, food parcels, delivered meals, and soup kitchens etc. Funds can be spent from September 2022 to February 2023. Applications can be made through each local Asda store’s Community Champion from the 19th September 2022. The application window will remain open until the budget cap has been reached. www.asdafoundation.org/how-to-apply

Comic Relief - Emergency Cost of Living Appeal (UK)

Comic Relief has launched a cost-of-living appeal in partnership with the Evening Standard and the Independent, to raise urgent funds for people in need this winter. Money raised through the On the Breadline Cost of Living Christmas Appeal will support community organisations working to get help to people across the UK who need it most. This could include supporting foodbanks, and providing help, advice and mental health support, along with warm winter clothes, electric blankets and water bottles, energy top cards, and food vouchers. Comic Relief has donated £1 million to launch the appeal and help organisations tackle the cost-of-living crisis. https://www.comicrelief.com/news/comic-relief-launches-emergency-cost-of-living-christmas-appeal

The Laing Family Trusts (UK)

The Laing Family Trusts seek to promote Christian faith and values, care for those in need, relieve poverty, and encourage young people to realise their potential. Applications are welcomed on a rolling basis. www.laingfamilytrusts.org.uk

Benefact Trust (UK)

The General Grants programme supports projects that help to tackle social issues, for example homelessness, poverty, climate change and cultural cohesion, and projects that support Christian leaders, and help to share the Christian faith. www.benefacttrust.co.uk/which-grant-is-for-me/general-grants/

Groundwork - One Stop Community Partnership Programme (UK) 

Groundwork is working with One Stop Stores Ltd to administer the One Stop Community Partnership programme. Successful applicants will receive an initial grant of up to £1,000 and begin a partnership with their local One Stop store. This programme is designed to support community groups or organisations operating within two miles of a One Stop store and which are tackling food poverty; supporting the vulnerable; supporting the elderly; supporting low-income families; and running youth sports teams. Applications can be made at any time and applicants are encouraged to visit their local One Stop store for more information. www.groundwork.org.uk/one-stop-community-partnership/

Magic Little Grants (UK) 

Localgiving has teamed up with the Postcode Community Trust to provide the Magic Little Grants programme. The fund provides small charities and community groups with grants of £500 for projects that address a range of community, social, environmental and health issues including preventing or reducing the impact of poverty. Applications can be submitted at any time. www.localgiving.org/magic-little-grants/ 

National Grid - Energy Support Fund (UK)

The National Grid has launched a £50 million energy support fund to provide support for consumers struggling with rising energy costs over the next two winters. The funding will be awarded to a group of charities providing support for vulnerable households and advice on energy efficiency measures to lower bills long term. It will enable organisations to increase the number of staff giving advice on phonelines, provide fuel vouchers and improve the energy efficiency of households. Among the beneficiaries, Citizens Advice and the Fuel Bank Foundation will receive £10 million each, with National Energy Action receiving £1.5 million. Any remaining funding will be distributed to organisations identified by the National Grid as providing direct help and support to those who need it most. https://www.nationalgrid.com/national-grid-announces-ps50-million-energy-support-fund-winter-and-next

Eric Wright Charitable Trust - Cost of Living Crisis Funding Programme (Greater Manchester)

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE) organisation with an annual income between £50,000 and £250,000 based and working in Greater Manchester can apply for one of thirty-six grants of £5,000 to support people most affected by social inequalities and that are struggling to cope with the worst of the cost of living crisis. Provided by the Eric Wright Charitable Trust, the funding aims to help support anti-poverty organisations that are themselves finding it tough to keep operating. Any typical organisation costs can be included in your grant application, e.g. salaries, expenses, overheads, consumables, equipment, administration, training, communications, etc. The grant application deadline is midday, 12 noon on Friday 13 January 2023. https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/cost-living-crisis-greater-manchester-funding-programme

Thames Water Trust Fund (Greater London, Luton, the Thames Valley, Surrey, Gloucestershire, North Wiltshire, Kent)

Grants of up to £80,000 are available to voluntary organisations, charities and other not-for-profit organisations for projects delivering debt/money advice to Thames Water customers who are in financial need. The Thames Water Trust Fund will support long-term initiatives that help people who are experiencing hardship or unable to meet the cost of their water charges, to manage their finances in a sustainable way. Applications from organisations that have not received funding from the Trust previously are particularly encouraged. There is a two-stage application process and the closing date for stage one applications is the 16th December 2022. Those organisations successful at this stage have until the 3rd March 2023 to submit a stage-two application. https://www.twtf.org.uk/organisational-grant-funding-opportunities-2022-23/

East Sussex County Council - Winter Support Fund (East Sussex)

Grants of up to £10,000 are available to not-for-profit organisations in East Sussex working to support vulnerable people that have been hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis. The Winter Support Fund aims to help local organisations manage increasing costs to deliver services this winter. This might include increased running costs such as salaries, fuel, electricity, heating, and volunteer expenses; supplying additional resources such as recruiting extra staff; and supporting organisations to provide alternative support to those in need such as warm spaces. A total of £405,000 in funding is being made available by East Sussex County Council in partnership with Sussex Community Foundation, which will accept applications at any time. The first grants are expected to be awarded by the end of November 2022. https://sussexgiving.org.uk/named_funds_posts/winter-support-fund-for-east-sussex/

Highland Council - Cost of Living Support (Scottish Highlands)

Charities, and community and voluntary organisations in the Scottish Highlands can apply for a share of £450,000 in funding to deliver projects and activities that will help ease the impacts of the rising costs of living for residents and communities. Through the Cost of Living Support - Community Led Initiatives Fund, the Highland Council will award grants of up to £10,000 for local initiatives that support people during the winter months by keeping them warm, providing food, and enabling them to heat their living areas and live safely in their homes. This could include community support initiatives that provide food/activities; extending local hours or introducing/increasing food provision; and strengthening or establishing food larders or food table provision. No application deadline is given. https://www.highland.gov.uk/costoflivinggrant#:~:text=To%20help%20alleviate%20the%20impacts,Cost%20of%20Living%20Support%20Fund 

Funding to Promote Community Resilience (UK)

Registered charities can apply for grants of between £25,000 and £50,000 for projects that support vulnerable people, and build community resilience across the UK. The Lloyd’s of London Foundation is looking to partner with charities to deliver projects in the areas of employability, social mobility, mental health, climate, and disaster avoidance and relief. The funding can be used to cover costs including salaries, materials and equipment, training of charity employees, and activities for the project. Charities will also have an opportunity to engage with the Lloyd’s Corporation and wider insurance market through fundraising and volunteering initiatives. The deadline for applications to the 2023 Charity Partnerships Programme is 11:59pm on the 11th December 2022. https://www.lloyds.com/foundation

£1 Million Fund to Support People in Need (Scotland)

Charities, community groups, and social enterprises across Scotland will be able to apply for a share of £1 million in funding to provide support to low-income families and individuals who are experiencing hardship. The Household Hardship Fund, administered by Corra Foundation on behalf of the National Lottery Community Fund, will award grants of up to £5,000 to enable organisations to deliver cash or vouchers directly to families and individuals to meet pressing needs such as food, fuel, household items, clothing, and other essential items. The fund is open to applications from groups with an annual turnover of less than £100,000. https://www.corra.scot/grants/household-hardship-fund/