The Armed Forces Covenant Fund is a Ministry of Defence scheme that has £10 million available annually to fund projects which address specific priorities around supporting the Armed Forces community.
The scheme's priorities for April 2018 through to March 2019 include:
o Armed Forces Covenant: local grants and digital development programme.
o Armistice and Armed Forces Communities: supporting local communities to consider the Armed Forces Covenant and its relevance today in the context of the World War 1 commemorations; and
o Tackling serious stress in veterans, carers and families programme.
o Armistice and Armed Forces Communities: supporting local communities to consider the Armed Forces Covenant and its relevance today in the context of the World War 1 commemorations; and
o Tackling serious stress in veterans, carers and families programme.
The following grants are available. There is no requirement for match funding.
1. Armed Forces Covenant Local Grants - grants of up to £20,000 are available for community integration projects and local delivery of services.
2. Tackling Serious Stress in Veterans, Carers and Families- Five grants, each in the region of £300,000-£700,000, are available for revenue costs of project portfolios.
Funding is available for projects that respond to the local needs of the armed forces community and improve recognition of the Armed Forces Covenant, and that:
o Help integrate armed forces and civilian communities across the UK, and/or
o Deliver valuable local services to the armed forces community.
o Deliver valuable local services to the armed forces community.
Community Integration projects should:
o Create strong local links between the Armed Forces community (i.e. current and former members of their armed forces and their families) and civilian communities;
o Be able to clearly demonstrate how they will have impact in overcoming barriers to better integration;
o Improve perceptions, attitudes and understanding;
o Be rooted in their communities and have grown out of a specific local need; and
o Not just be the Armed Forces delivering something for the civilian community or vice-versa but involve shared development, delivery and benefits for both communities.
o Be able to clearly demonstrate how they will have impact in overcoming barriers to better integration;
o Improve perceptions, attitudes and understanding;
o Be rooted in their communities and have grown out of a specific local need; and
o Not just be the Armed Forces delivering something for the civilian community or vice-versa but involve shared development, delivery and benefits for both communities.
Delivery of Local Services projects should:
o Be local projects that offer financial advice, housing, mental and physical health, employability or social support for serving armed forces personnel, veterans and their families;
o Be well connected, both to their beneficiaries and to other relevant organisations; and
o Be able to demonstrate how the services they provide will be well-publicised, accessible and joined up.
o Be well connected, both to their beneficiaries and to other relevant organisations; and
o Be able to demonstrate how the services they provide will be well-publicised, accessible and joined up.
Applicants will be expected to declare which of the following is the main focus of their application:
o Health and wellbeing;
o Education and employability; or
o Events and commemorations
o Education and employability; or
o Events and commemorations
All Local Grants projects will be assessed using the following criteria:
o How well the project addresses the priority and how it will meet the specific requirements of that priority;
o Evidence of the need for the project;
o Engagement, partnership working and collaboration;
o How well the project is likely to be delivered;
o To what extent the project represents value for money; and
o To what extent the funders can have confidence that the project will have lasting impact, delivering changes that last beyond the funding period.
o Evidence of the need for the project;
o Engagement, partnership working and collaboration;
o How well the project is likely to be delivered;
o To what extent the project represents value for money; and
o To what extent the funders can have confidence that the project will have lasting impact, delivering changes that last beyond the funding period.
Grants can be used for most of the things needed for the project, including people’s time, buying or hiring equipment, or minor improvements to land or buildings.
Applicants who are successful with their Local Grant application may also be able to benefit from the Covenant Fund’s Digital Development Programme.
Grants are available to fund revenue and delivery costs of five project portfolios (one each in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and two in England) that will develop new and innovative ways to support veterans with severe mental health needs who do not meet the criteria for hospitalisation, and to support their families and carers. Activities should have the potential to produce outcomes that are more effective than existing services.
The following organisations may apply for a grant:
o Registered charities;
o Local authorities;
o Schools or other statutory organisations;
o Community Interest Companies;
o Armed forces units with a Unit Identification Number (UIN).
o Local authorities;
o Schools or other statutory organisations;
o Community Interest Companies;
o Armed forces units with a Unit Identification Number (UIN).
Applicants to the Armed Forces Covenant: Local Grants programme are also expected to:
o Have experience and a track record of working with the Armed Forces Community, as well as a real understanding of the issues facing the Armed Forces Community; and
o Be able to provide evidence of real engagement and partnership working - with either an armed forces charity or an armed forces unit.
o Be able to provide evidence of real engagement and partnership working - with either an armed forces charity or an armed forces unit.
The following are not eligible for funding:
o Individuals;
o Unincorporated organisations that are not registered as charities. (If they have been properly constituted under an adopted governing document and have been operating under that governing document for at least three years then they can be a partner organisation.);
o Partnerships and social enterprises that are not registered charities or Community Interest Companies cannot apply but they can work as a partner with an eligible lead applicant;
o Topping up existing grants and aids from another Government Department;
o Funding that will only benefit one person;
o Repeat or regular projects that require a source of uncommitted funding;
o Investments;
o Paying for ongoing costs of existing partnership activity;
o Organisational fundraising activities;
o Endowments (to provide a source of income);
o Projects, activities or services that the state has a legal obligation to provide;
o Retrospective funding for projects that have already taken place;
o Excessive contingency costs; management or professional fees; or
o Projects that generate a profit.
o Unincorporated organisations that are not registered as charities. (If they have been properly constituted under an adopted governing document and have been operating under that governing document for at least three years then they can be a partner organisation.);
o Partnerships and social enterprises that are not registered charities or Community Interest Companies cannot apply but they can work as a partner with an eligible lead applicant;
o Topping up existing grants and aids from another Government Department;
o Funding that will only benefit one person;
o Repeat or regular projects that require a source of uncommitted funding;
o Investments;
o Paying for ongoing costs of existing partnership activity;
o Organisational fundraising activities;
o Endowments (to provide a source of income);
o Projects, activities or services that the state has a legal obligation to provide;
o Retrospective funding for projects that have already taken place;
o Excessive contingency costs; management or professional fees; or
o Projects that generate a profit.
The Covenant Fund is also unlikely to fund projects with budgets that are dominated by staff costs or capital costs, such as minibuses.
The next deadline for the Armed Forces Covenant Local Grants Programme is 12 midday on Monday 17 December 2018. Decisions are expected to be announced by the beginning of March 2019.
The application deadline for the Tackling Serious Stress in Veterans, Carers and Families Programme is Monday 31 December 2018.
There is a one stage application process for both programmes. Applications must be submitted using the online application form available on the Covenant Fund Trust website.
Contact details for the Fund are
The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust
7 Hatherley Street
London
SW1P 2QT
Email: enquiries@covenantfund.
7 Hatherley Street
London
SW1P 2QT
Email: enquiries@covenantfund.
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