THE COVENANT FUND

The Ministry of Defence has issued advance notice that the Covenant Fund, designed to support current and ex armed service personnel and their families will open to applications on Thursday 13 August 2015. 

The Covenant Fund will have 4 broad funding themes now and in future years:

1. Removing barriers to family life;

2. Extra support after service for those that need help;

3. Measures to integrate military and civilian communities and allow the armed forces community to participate as citizens; and

4. Non-core healthcare services for veterans.

The themes will shape the fund, and annual priorities will ensure that it stays focused and current.

For 2015/16 these priorities will be projects that support:

• Local armed forces community integration projects
• The coordination and delivery of support to the armed forces community
• Veterans in the criminal justice system.

To address these priorities, funding is available for:

1. Small grants up to £20,000, primarily for community integration projects, which will be launched and open to applications in mid August, with a deadline in mid September. The deadline for the second round will be before the end of 2015, and 

2. Large grants up to £500,000, for more strategic, higher impact projects (one round this year) which will launch in mid August with a deadline in late September.

To support the launch of the fund, the Ministry of Defence is running an event at the MOD Main Building in Whitehall, London on Thursday 23 July.

The event will focus on the large grants programme (funding for the co-ordination and delivery of support to the armed forces community and veterans in the criminal justice system).

Armed forces charities and other registered charities, which work with the armed forces sector, will be eligible to submit applications to the large grants programme.

If you belong to either of those groups and would like to attend, email the Ministry at covenant-mailbox@mod.uk

The MOD warns that places are limited though it will only be possible to accommodate one person from each organisation. Ideally, this would be someone senior such as a Chief Executive or Director.

Decisions on both small and large grants will be made by a national panel based on the recommendations of regional panels.

The new Covenant Fund will be more strategic and more closely targeted at areas of need. It will have new aims, new rules and a new application process.

More information on criteria and eligibility will be publicised in late July, ahead of the launch of the formal application process in mid August and we'll carry an article in GRIN once details are announced.

For further information about the Covenant Fund follow this LINK.  

(Source: GRIN)