All funding will need to be spent by the end of February 2021.  Core organisational costs may be included in an application but funds are not available for applications to cover an organisation’s general running costs. The fund will support projects which provide community benefit across one of Comic Reliefs 4 strategic themes: Particularly keen to receive bids from charities who support BAME and LGBTQ communities disproportionally affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Examples of projects which might be funded include: increased number of homeless beneficiaries with food, shelter and general welfare; support to organisations who are assisting vulnerable families, and/or specifically Women and Girls in difficult home situations; funding to provide telephone help lines, food parcels, support with well being and mental health and so on. Applications can be submitted any time – applications have been simplified and a response time will be within 6 weeks. There is also a for grass roots organisations with ‘lived’ experience to become more robust and better able to deliver projects and bring about lasting change as well as  of £4,000 not specifically related to Covid-19 but for the not-for-profit organisations to deliver projects related to the 4 themes. Not-for-profit organisations with and income of under £250,000 can apply to any of the 3 pots. All pots are being administered through Groundwork – for details of all 3 pots go to   

Grants up to £4K to grass roots community groups supporting vulnerable individuals, families and communities through Covid-19 and community led groups with “lived experience” to recover from Covid-19

• support local grass roots organisations to respond to the needs of vulnerable individuals, families and communities during the COVID-19 crisis and 

• support local grass roots community led organisations with ‘lived in’ experience to recover and develop organisational resilience following the COVID-19 crisis.

• Children Survive & Thrive: supporting children under 5 to reach potential and best start in life
• Fighting for gender justice: improving equality for women, girls and LBTQI+ community and initiatives around domestic violence, abuse or exploitation due to gender
• A Safe Place to Be: projects that support people rebuilding their lives due to homelessness or forced migration
• Mental Health Matters: projects that support good mental health in communities, improve access to support & tackle stigma and discrimination. 

Voluntary Action Leeds