27 March 2020
Standard Life Foundation has today launched funding for work directly related to the coronavirus pandemic, addressing specific challenges and helping to contribute to social change which tackles financial problems and improves living standards for those on low-to-middle incomes in the UK.
Funding, taken from the total of the Foundation’s grants budget for the year (£2.5m), will support policy, research and campaigns work on issues relating to the financial consequences of the pandemic. This could be a review of the effectiveness of certain policies at helping people on low-to-middle incomes, or it could be a campaign to change policies so that they better help those who have been hardest hit by coronavirus pandemic.
Other funds available for third sector organisations responding to Covid-19
In addition to the funds we have made available at the Foundation, we have put together a list of other funders who are releasing new funding:
London Funders is coordinating emergency relief funds with the London Community Response Fund. Grant makers have now pledged over £3.2m ahead of applications opening for civil society groups affected by the crisis to apply later in the week.
The SCVO Third Sector Resilience Fund is making £20m available for voluntary sector organisations affected by COVID-19. The fund will support organisations that already deliver services and products but find themselves in financial difficulties directly as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
On Martin Lewis’s MoneySavingExpert website he announced a fund of £1m to help people at risk of poverty. This was upped to £3m later in the week with others matching his donation. It will be used to fund specific UK coronavirus-related poverty relief projects. Examples include foodbanks, charities engaged in community aid, financial advice help and more.
The National Emergencies Trust launched a fundraising appeal to help those most affected by the recent coronavirus outbreak. Details of how to apply for funds should be available soon.
Over 80 organisations have made funds available, a full list is collated on LinkedIn by Ian McLintock
The brave new world of home working
On Wednesday the ONS pointed out that many people will be venturing into uncharted territory when they begin home working this week. They tweeted:
“Due to #Coronavirus, the government has said people must work from home where possible. There are 32.6 million people in employment in the UK, but only nine million (less than 30%) have ever worked from home in their current job.”
Thankfully there’s a lot of advice out there on how to stay sane whilst working at home, the BBC has compiled some top tips.
Stay safe and stay at home everyone.
Thanks to the following for their tweets this week: @ian_mcl and @BBC_News, @londonplus18, @ONS, @MoneySavingExp
