Coronavirus pandemic - a message of support

We have contacted all of the organisations we are funding with the following message of support which echoes similar announcements from other UK funders:

As with many other funders we are thinking about how we can best support organisations we are funding during this challenging period, as well as how we can best meet our mission of tackling financial problems and improving living standards. The coronavirus pandemic is rapidly changing the way we live and work and the consequences are likely to be far-reaching, especially for those with the least resources. This makes it especially important that we all work together.

We wish to be as helpful as possible during the coming weeks and months and understand the need for a flexible approach. We know many of you are already making plans and thinking of adjustments that need to be made.

We understand it might be difficult for you to undertake the work you had planned and to reach the outcomes of your grant when your staff or volunteers may be unable to do the work they do, your beneficiaries unable to connect with you as usual and events and meetings are likely to be cancelled.

We understand you may need to pause or adapt the work we are funding, adjust targets and reporting deadlines, move money between budget headings, move payment dates, or cover staff sickness for roles we are funding.

We also recognise the pandemic may impact on your other income streams and the pressures this is likely to create.

We’re happy to have a conversation to discuss any of these matters, as well as other issues that may arise. Your lead officer will work with you to assess what is feasible and realistic so please contact them if you need to.

In the meantime there’s no need to contact us - please just focus your attention on your beneficiaries, your team and yourself. If there’s anything specific we can do to help you please get in touch.

If you have other ideas as to how we can help we’d be happy to hear them.