Social enterprises and COVID-19: Grants, loans and other funding

Pioneers Post, the social enterprise magazine, have produced a list of funding that can help social enterprises and other social sector organisations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic – either those directly tackling its effects or those working in unrelated fields but needing extra support to continue delivering their services.

This page is being updated regularly – so we recommend you visit it directly here.

Below is a summary of UK organisations offering funding for social enterprises (published 02/04/20):

Funding for UK organisations

• Scotland's government has created a £20m Third Sector Resilience Fund, with both grants and interest free loans available. The fund is now open for applications here.
• The Welsh government has announced an initial fund of £24m to support Wales’ voluntary sector. There's also £18m to support the creative industries, culture and sport sectors, including a £750k Emergency Relief Fund to support small and vulnerable independent organisations. 
• The Community Foundation Northern Ireland is offering grants of up to £2,500 to organisations in Northern Ireland supporting isolated older people.
• The National Emergencies Trust, established last year, launched its Coronavirus Appeal in partnership with the British Red Cross, with backing from the Duke of Cambridge. It will distribute money to charities and grassroots organisations.
• The John Lewis Partnership has announced a £1m Community Support Fund to help communities across the UK to help those in need.
• Martin Lewis from MoneySaving Expert has offered £1m in grants of £5,000 to £20,000 for small registered charities, or local arms of bigger charities, across the UK.
• M&S, Lidl, Aldi, Danone and Coca-Cola European Partners have partnered with Neighbourly to create the Neighbourly Community Fund to channel microgrants directly to community organisations helping those most at risk. For existing members of Neighbourly in UK and Ireland only.
• Indigo Trust is giving £1m to the Trussell Trust to support food banks and £500,000 to the Oxfordshire Community Foundation to re-grant to organisations most in need in the local area (plus another £1m to the National Emergencies Trust Appeal). The trust is expected to make "significant, further, grants to meet the needs that arise".
• Individuals working in the hospitality industry experiencing financial difficulties can apply for a one-off grant payment of £250 per household from Hospitality Action.
• The Department of Health and Social Care has funding of up to £25,000 for tech innovators developing digital solutions to support elderly, vulnerable and self-isolating people during COVID-19.
• UK crowdfunding platform Crowdfunder has removed fees for charity and community group users during the crisis.
• The Fore is offering fast-track emergency grants of up to £5,000 to organisations in its portfolio – with the option to apply for more than one grant.
• Not specific to coronavirus, but Yapp Trust offers grants towards the running costs of small charities (maximum £3,000 per year, for up to three years).
• The Arts Council has announced £160m financial support to help individuals and organisations in the cultural sector through the crisis.
• Sport England has created a £20 million Community Emergency Fund for sports clubs and community organisations to bid into – with grants between £300 and £10,000 available. 
• Crisis has made grants of up to £50,000 available to support homelessness charities coping with the impact of the emergency.
• The National Lottery Community Fund has up to £300m of National Lottery funding available for grants towards activities specifically geared to supporting communities through the crisis, as well as helping organisations overcome liquidity issues caused by COVID-19.
• Social Investment Scotland has launched a £2m Credit Union Resilience Fund to support credit unions with their working capital and liquidity. 
• Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) has launched a rapid response fund to help smaller charitable organisations affected by Covid-19 – with grants of up to £10,000 available.
• The £50m Heritage Emergency Fund (National Lottery) has grants of £3,000-£50,000 for heritage organisations including historic sites, industrial and maritime heritage, museums, libraries and archives, parks and gardens, landscapes and nature. Past grantees of the Lottery Heritage Fund can still apply and priority is given to organisations at risk of severe financial crisis due to COVID-19.