Our C-19 Response

As a group of funders, we want to adjust rapidly too, to work differently in response to this emergency – to support what’s most needed in Gloucestershire.

We want to support you by making it as easy as possible for you to apply for funds, without having to make lots of separate applications.  So, we are joining forces to share information and intelligence so that between us we can support the county in four ways.

For a list of the funders included in the Gloucestershire Funders group, see below.

1. Immediate responsive funding

We have heard that there is a need for the following immediately:

  • Revenue funds for civil society organisations whose immediate survival is at risk, to ensure that they can continue to provide their existing services
  • Revenue funds for charities who want to reimagine and reconfigure their services in light of the new environment they are operating in and the challenges facing the people they exist to serve
  • Capital funds for charities already developing spaces and places which will be of benefit to people in the post-pandemic recovery period, where those places or spaces are now at risk

How to apply

There are two routes to apply for ‘immediate responsive funding’:

  1. To apply to the Gloucestershire Community Foundation, please complete the simple online application form here and they will respond to you directly.

With your permission, the Gloucestershire Community Foundation may also share your application with the Gloucestershire Funders (group listed below) to see if any other funder can contribute.

  1. To apply to any of the other Gloucestershire Funders listed below, please send one side of A4 to Georgia.Boon@barnwoodtrust.org providing the following four pieces of information:
    • What does your organisation do, where and with whom?
    • What do you need money for and what difference will it make?
    • What will you spend the money on and in what timeframe?
    • Contact details for the person we should contact about this application

With your permission, Georgia Boon at Barnwood Trust will immediately share this information across all the funders listed in the group below.  We will report back to you within a week if possible, to let you know which funders may be interested and who to contact to find out next steps.

2. Potential proactive funding

Our information gathering exercise has revealed that there are a number of groups of people who are at particular risk during this emergency.

We will convene virtual meetings with key Gloucestershire charities serving needs in the county, together with commissioners of services, to identify where there are gaps that charitable funding could assist in meeting, if possible.

We will, over time, be in touch with organisations working with specific groups and relevant service commissioners to start these discussions.

3. Mentoring and support to charity CEOs and Chairs

These are unprecedented times and charity CEOs and Chairs are facing extraordinary challenges.  We have heard a number of people say that talking with experienced colleagues and people dealing with the same issues in this crisis can be helpful.  We have had offers of voluntary mentoring through the Cranfield Trust, from experienced business people, charity Chief Executives and Chairs.

So, we are working with the VCS Alliance to put together an offer of both:

  • 1-1 and group mentoring for charity Chief Executives and Chairs
  • facilitated online peer support groups for charity Chief Executives

As soon as these opportunities are available, they will be communicated via our networks and on social media.

We will also share other leadership mentoring opportunities for community leaders who are grappling with leadership dilemmas during this crisis, as they arise.

4. Longer-term recovery, redevelopment and support

Whilst there is a lot of focus on the immediate impact of the pandemic on charities, groups, communities and people, many are also considering the long-term impact and the recovery process that will follow.

The challenge for funders is getting the balance between providing both immediate support and responding to the long-term impact.  With that in mind, as a collective of Gloucestershire Funders we are interested in supporting applications for project and capital funds for initiatives contributing to:

  • the individual recovery and resilience for children, young people and adults most affected by the impact of the pandemic;
  • strengthening communities affected by the pandemic and investing in those demonstrating new ways of working that strengthen partnerships between communities, public and private sectors in response to need.

Tell us what’s needed

Organisations, communities and groups considering these issues are invited to discuss ideas with us, in the first instance, by calling Georgia on 07516 030263 or emailing Georgia.Boon@barnwoodtrust.org.  Your ideas will be shared with the Gloucestershire Funders and we will use our networks to identify potential longer-term sources of support.