31 July 2023
£75m Cost of Living Fund Opens for Frontline Charities and VCSE Organisations
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the National Lottery Community Fund have launched the new £75 million Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund. The fund is the first portion of funding from a total pot of £101.5 million announced by the Chancellor at the Spring 2023 Budget.
The funding is for frontline charities and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations that are experiencing increased demand for critical services and increased costs in delivering them. The main priority is to fund organisations supporting low-income households and individuals.
A total of £70.9 million is being made available with grants ranging from between £10,000 to £75,000. Grants will be awarded from October 2023 until January 2024. Note, the grants can cover some retrospective costs incurred between 24 July 2023 and the date a grant is offered. All funding must be spent by 31 March 2024.
Applications will be accepted from the following organisations:
- Registered, exempt or excepted charities (either incorporated or unincorporated).
- Charitable incorporated organisations (CIO).
- Not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee who are a registered charity or have a not-for-profit ‘asset lock’ clause in their articles of association.
- Community interest companies (CIC).
- Community benefit societies.
- Co-operative societies who have a not-for-profit ‘asset lock’ clause in their society rules and are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority.
To be eligible, applicants must already run critical services around at least one of the following:
- Food and emergency supplies, eg, food and baby banks or the provision of hot meals, clothes or toiletries.
- Emergency shelter, eg, night shelters or other accommodation for people experiencing homelessness.
- Safe spaces, eg, domestic abuse services and youth services.
- Warmth, eg, warm rooms and spaces.
- Financial and housing advice, eg, giving people advice because of the increased cost of living.
Organisations must also be facing both:
- Increased demand for these critical services, and
- Increased costs of delivering these critical services.
Small and medium-sized front-line organisations with an annual turnover of between £10,000 and around £1 million are more likely to be successful.
However, larger organisations can also apply if they do both of the following:
- Show that they work closely and effectively with local communities.
- Fill a gap in essential local services.
The funding can be used to cover both project and core costs retrospectively from July 2023 until 31 March 2024.
Applications are to be made through the National Lottery Community Fund website.
The deadline for applications is 16 October 2023 (12 noon).