VOLUNTARY and faith-based groups and organisations across the city can apply for funding to help support their activities as lockdown restrictions in Leicester are eased.
Funded by the city council, the Covid-Safe Communities Fund will make a total pot of £100,000 available to voluntary, community and faith-based groups and organisations.
Successful applicants will be able to access a maximum of £5,000 from this new fund to help make their premises or activities covid-secure. For example, they could put the grant towards safely reopening community buildings or places of worship, making sure buildings are compliant with laws around coronavirus. The funding could also be used for activities that enable social distancing within communities.
Groups can apply for funding from today (24 Aug) until midnight, Wednesday 2 September. The fund will be administered by Voluntary Action LeicesterShire on behalf of the city council.
City mayor Peter Soulsby said: “The voluntary and community sector has played a vital role in our communities over the period of lockdown. We’ve certainly been able to support more people with the help of our voluntary, community and faith groups, and for that I’m very grateful. I’m pleased to be able to make available this one-off funding at this particularly difficult time.”
The fund is open to established groups and organisations delivering frontline services. Organisations will need to explain and demonstrate what they deliver and how many people benefit from their work. Decisions on awarding the funding will be made by Voluntary Action LeicesterShire in consultation with Leicester City Council.
For further details and to complete an application, visit https://valonline.org.uk/covid-safe-communities-fund/
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