Mental Health Sustainability Programme: Helplines Fund (UK)
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Deadline: 3-Dec-21
The Association of Mental Health Providers is pleased to announce the first targeted grant-making element within the Mental Health Sustainability Programme; to support organisations who have a helpline element to be positively impacted with regards their sustainability at this stage in England’s pandemic response.
The Fund is looking to support organisations who work to support the mental health and wellbeing of communities disproportionately impacted by Covid-19; with a focus on organisations that are led by and/or are supporting Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic communities.
They will also be considering applications from organisations supporting other disadvantaged groups such as the homeless community, those in contact with the criminal justice system, children and young people, women and girls, victims of domestic violence etc.
Their vision is to create a more sustainable mental health sector from which people have access to opportunities, feel connected and included, and live healthy and fulfilling lives. Moreover, helplines have always been an important part of mental health service provision by the VCSE sector.
This is a fund for sustainability where it refers to investment in your future stability as an organisation to provide support to individuals suffering from mental health needs or illnesses; particularly with regards increasing your helpline’s opening hours, increasing your capacity and/or workforce skill and to contribute to remote working costs. They expect to see the impact of the funding 6-12 months after award.
Funding Information
The Mental Health Sustainability Programme is pleased to be able to provide small grants of up to £5,000 (from a pot of £50,000) to support sustainability in small-medium sized (up to £250,000 turnover) mental health voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations who offer a helpline provision.
Eligible Expenses
Examples of need and use of grants:
Costs incurred as a result of (digital) service transition such as online video conferencing membership, changing helpline provider or phone-line redirection costs;
Costs incurred to increase capacity and skill across the pre-existing workforce to deal with new issues arising because of the pandemic such as accredited online courses where they relate to mental health and/or helpline delivery only;
Costs incurred to deal with increasing workload and new ways of working, such as CRM platform fees, paperless case management systems or impact reporting equipment/consultancy;
Costs incurred to improve access and advertising your services, such as appropriate marketing costs or website redevelopment where it is evidenced that this means of advertising is relevant to your prospective audience’s needs;
Costs incurred to improve IT infrastructure such as cloud memberships;
Costs incurred to support the workforce such as Employee Assistance Programmes and external supervision costs;
Costs incurred for other Coronavirus related adaptations to your service, where it is indicated why these adaptations have not already been undertaken
Eligibility Criteria
Type of organisation: Registered charity, not for profit company limited by guarantee, CIC (Community Interest Company) or CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Age of organisation: To have been operational and registered with Companies House/Charity Commission for at least 2 years by time of application (=registration on/before November 2019).
Helpline provision: Definition of helpline: A service providing non-face-to-face advice, support and information via phone, email, text, SMS or online.
Expressed purpose: Is to support individuals suffering from mental health needs or illnesses as evidenced by and stated in organisation’s governing documents, as well as by a track record of previous mental health support provision
Supporting communities experiencing health inequalities exacerbated by Covid-19: Such as minoritised communities (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic communities), LGBT+, children and young people, older people, new mothers, and those in contact with the criminal justice system etc.
Able to demonstrate: That this funding is required to support the sustainability of this organisation through the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond
Size of organisation: Annual revenue of no more than £250,000 in last full year accounts.
Location: Based in England, with majority of beneficiaries in England
For more information, visit https://amhp.org.uk/our-work/mh-sustainability-programme/helplines-fund-with-bupa-foundation/