Sussex Community Foundation – Covid Winter Support Fund
The Covid Winter Support Fund makes grants of up to £5,000 to voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, mutual aid groups, and town and parish councils across East Sussex and West Sussex, to enable these groups and organisations to meet the identified winter needs of families, children and young people.
The fund is primarily focused on supporting households with children, and households experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, poverty during the pandemic.
Funding can also be used to provide support via with food, energy and water bills for household purposes (including drinking, washing, cooking, central heating, and sanitary purposes) and sewerage. This includes flexibility about the proportion of support allocated to food and to bills.
A portion of funding can be used to provide support with other (including sanitary products, warm clothing, soap, blankets, boiler service/repair, purchase of equipment including fridges, freezers, ovens, etc.), in recognition that a range of costs may arise which directly affect a household’s ability to afford or access food, energy and water.
Funding is not intended to cover payment of rent or other housing costs, as these are not directly related to food or utility bills and other benefits, nor is it intended to be used for the provision of general advice on managing debt and/or financial hardship.
VCSE organisations, mutual aid groups, and town and parish councils supporting households with energy and water bills for household purposes (including drinking, washing, cooking, central heating, and sanitary purposes) and sewerage, are encouraged where possible to do this via vouchers rather than cash payments.
The following are examples of the kinds of activities that might be funded:
- VCSE organisations that work with or provide existing support to families, children and young people
- mutual aid groups that have been established to support people and communities during the Covid-19 pandemic
- town and parish councils that are actively working in partnership with local groups to support families, children, and young people
Recipients of funding are encouraged to work in partnership with local groups and communities to identify those in need of the most support.
Tel: 01273 409440 Email: info@sussexgiving.org.uk
Sussex Community Foundation – Food Project Funding
Sussex Community Foundation is accepting applications to the Sussex Crisis Fund for projects working in East Sussex that support people who are food insecure.
Applications for this strand of funding can be for projects lasting up to one year.
The criteria for applying for this funding is below:
- Support for individuals using foodbanks to:
- Improve access and uptake of advice and guidance around debt and money management
- Improve access and uptake of employment and skills training and development support
- Projects to address issues around food security and barriers to support for specific population groups, such as Black, Asian and minority ethnic, people with learning and/or physical disabilities and others most impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic
- Activities which seek to improve food preparation and cooking skills for people living in food poverty
- Advice and guidance for people living in food poverty on healthy eating and nutrition – including advice and guidance for different types of cuisines appropriate for specific cultural and religious dietary preferences and eating well on a budget
- Support for people living in food poverty to obtain equipment required for food preparation and cooking through purchasing, loaning or sharing of items
- Support to access food shopping, including transport and computer literacy.
- Support for food pantries, community fridges and community food cooperatives
- Support for community allotments and food growing projects
Tel: 01273 409440 Email: info@sussexgiving.org.uk
