The National Emergencies Trust is calling for charities and groups in Wales to apply for its new Local Action Fund with Crowdfunder UK, which aims to support community and voluntary organisations to counter the financial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Organisations that apply for the Fund have the opportunity to receive up to £10,000 each in match-funding from the National Emergencies Trust’s Coronavirus Appeal.
Since it launched in March 2020, the Coronavirus Appeal has raised more than £98m and distributed more than £4million of this through the Community Foundation for Wales, supporting more than 665 projects across the country.
The National Emergencies Trust hopes the new partnership with Crowdfunder will enable it to reach more small and micro organisations that may not yet have accessed funding from its Coronavirus Appeal, either due to lack of awareness or not having the resources to apply.
Mhairi Sharp, CEO of the National Emergencies Trust said: “Charities and groups across Wales have shown incredible ingenuity and resilience through the pandemic. They’ve created new, socially distanced services, and adapted existing services at speed to be there for communities. But all of this incredible work has taken a financial toll on organisations facing greater need but with fewer ways to fundraise.
“We are proud the Coronavirus Appeal has been able to support more than 600 grassroots projects across the country so far, through the Community Foundation for Wales. We hope that the Local Action Fund will offer a welcome financial boost to even more brilliant charities and groups making a real difference to people’s lives, and I’d like to urge projects across Wales to apply.”
Rob Love, Co-founder and CEO of Crowdfunder, said: “Over the course of the pandemic, the National Emergencies Trust has been carrying out vital work across the UK, raising over £98million so far to distribute to those in need. This new funding opportunity is an incredible way to help community and voluntary organisations who might have otherwise been unaware of the help on offer.”
Applications for the Local Action Fund are open until 22 October 2021. If eligible, successful organisations will be required to set up a crowdfunding campaign with an aim to raise money to either launch new local initiatives or to enable them to continue existing services. The National Emergencies Trust will match donations, pound for pound, up to a total of £10,000.
Eligible organisations include registered charities, community interest companies, constituted organisations and non-registered charities, churches and other religious organisations, and other voluntary community organisations deemed appropriate by Crowdfunder.
For more information and to find out how to apply, please go to https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/local-action-fund
