BLCF: Stability Fund in the UK

Deadline: 15-Jul-22

The Bedfordshire & Luton Community Foundation (BLCF) is inviting applications for the Stability Fund which aims to help charitable organisations in Bedfordshire & Luton recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The fund will offer financial stability over a period of 2 years to established charitable organisations, which already have a clear track record in delivering services locally and have the capacity to adapt/enhance their services in response to the current and longer term impacts of Covid- 19.

Priorities
Mental Health – Young People; Elderly; Social Exclusion
Poverty – Homelessness, Advice, Information, Guidance (IAG) & Employment and Retraining (in particular for young people)
Equity – those working with beneficiaries that have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19
The fund will support the following
Financial stability of organizations directly supporting people experiencing hardship as a result of the crisis. this can include core funding
Ongoing services or activities whilst organizations continue to adjust to the impact of the pandemic.
Activities /projects that will primarily benefit the most vulnerable communities impacted by Covid-19.
Funding Information
Grants are available of up to £15,000 per year for a maximum of 2 years, for smaller organizations with an income of no more than £250k pa.

Eligibility Criteria
Groups must:

Be based in the Bedfordshire or Luton area
Have a committee of at least three unrelated Trustees/Directors (if you have more than this the majority must be unrelated individuals with no financial interest in the organisation).
Be a voluntary organization, community group, small charity or other not for profit organization
Have a bank account in the group’s name (with two unrelated signatures)
Have an income of no more than £250k within the last financial year.
Have a clear track record in delivering services locally
Ineligibility
Individuals
Private Businesses
National organizations and their affiliates
General appeals or sponsorship
Work normally funded from statutory sources
Work undertaken by/ on behalf of schools, colleges or universities as part of their statutory curricular activities
Work undertaken by or on behalf of statutory bodies
Work for the advancement of religion
Work where the main beneficiaries are animals
Work which does not directly benefit people living in the area of benefit.
Overseas holidays or trips
To support capital costs where the balance of funding needed to proceed has yet to be secured.
Grants cannot be awarded to organizations that are currently inactive / not delivering services and activities
Those organizations already in receipt of round 1 stability fund grants or who have 3 or more active grants wi th BLCF (as per their grantmaking policy).
For more information, visit https://blcf.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant/bedfordshire/stability-fund/