Last week the Community Foundation NI launched a new fund open to “constituted community organisations throughout Northern Ireland, who are supporting isolated older people at this time.”

The fund is for applications up to £2,500 to support activities which will deal with “emerging issues in the community, affecting older people (aged 50 and over), as a result of the continuing threat of coronavirus, and the need for self isolation, and potential for further exacerbation of loneliness and isolation of these older people.”

Read the full criteria and fund information here: https://communityfoundationni.org/grants/coronavirus-community-fund/

Supporting Communities encourages groups to apply for this fund to ensure a local response to this worldwide health crisis. Our Funding and Social Value Officer, Anita Doonan, has put together some advice to help groups make a successful application.

Read her tips below and get in touch at anita@supportingcommunities.org for more help with this fund.

SC’s Coronavirus Fund Application Advice

First, before you apply, please ensure the following:

Your organisation is constituted and has a bank account
You have liaised with other local organisations, a partnership approach is recommended rather than all applying separately

You are supporting isolated vulnerable people aged 50 and over

Decide what you are going to do. These activities are supported within the fund themes:

Running costs for organisations to provide such support, including volunteer expenses, staff costs, and transport; providing the organisation is focusing their attention on providing support to both existing, and any potential new beneficiaries 
Small capital costs are eligible, providing the capital item will address the priorities of the fund, and is linked to keeping the older person connected to the outside world

Examples might include:

Enabling older people to keep warm by accessing home heating oil or warm clothes.
Enabling older people to access a nutritious meal by connecting them to services providing groceries, and/or ready-made meals.
Enabling and encouraging older people to use and access technology to keep them connected to the outside world.
Reaching out to isolated older people by telephone, and befriending if possible.

Complete the form. This is what each section requires:

Section 1 – Organisation

About your organisation – contact details, organisation start date, aims and objectives, income, staffing and volunteers.

Section 2 – Project Details

Name of the project
Keep it to the point and don’t overthink it. Perhaps complete the application and come back to this question.
Please tell us how your community are getting together to support older people who may be adversely affected by the threat of coronavirus (up to 1000 words)

Give a brief background on the community structure and the number/percentage of vulnerable people over 50 living in the community. Think about their health implications, do they usually look after kids/grandkids, are they usually out and about and/or involved in community projects such as luncheon clubs etc. Is there any support services currently being offered locally?
Talk about how you have listened to your local community and their current needs. Show you have consulted and engaged the community and will continue to do so on a regular basis.
I would recommend a partnership approach – reach out to other local organisations in a bid to do a joint application with one lead applicant. This shows community spirit and the ability to work together.
Highlight the need to support the vulnerable in an attempt to reduce social isolation and a fear of being on their own. No longer being able to get out to an activity, a club or to the church will start to take a toll on many.

What are you planning on doing? Some ideas may include – collecting and delivering prescriptions, delivering food packs and warm home packs, offering a daily Good Morning / Good Afternoon call, creating a leaflet/brochure of useful contact details for support organisations, delivering meals on wheels, encouraging the elderly to stay connected online, educating the elderly on staying safe online and to be aware of possible coronavirus scammers, sharing ideas to keep busy at home and maintain a normal routine, encouraging the community to check in on their elderly neighbours.
Refer to the wider impact this will have within the local community
Set the scene – what if this project didn’t happen?

3. What are you applying to the Community Foundation for and how much does it cost (up to 1000 words).

What the project will entail, what you need to purchase, and how much it will cost.
State the number of volunteers that will be needed to run the project (not cost related but shows the wider impact of the funding for the project to take place.)

4. Please tell us how this will contribute to making your community even better than it is now, and how you think this support might enhance community cohesion (up to 1000 words)

Some ideas to highlight:

Community coming together to ensure services are provided to everyone, especially the most vulnerable
Will help to save lives, support the sick and lonely and help to reduce isolation
Will ensure the isolated will see a friendly face at least once a day/every other day
Increase the digital skills of the elderly and make them more aware of accessing services online
Will create/improve social, physical and mental well-being
Will increase the skills of volunteers in the projects and make them appreciate their own good health and how they can help others
Will bring the community together and create new and lasting friendships
Service could be sustained longer term if beneficiaries are interested and funding is available
Allows new thinking and creativity on how we can do things
Promoting safer communities
Enable continued access to services whilst being at home and promoting basic human rights
Reduce carbon footprint by working from home

Section 3 – Impact

Drop down box to select which category best describes the impact your project will have and its outcomes
Beneficiaries, ethnicities and age groups of your project (tick box)

Section 4 – Project Budget

Budget breakdown
Bank statement
Supporting documents required – copy of constitution, recent bank statement, copy of safeguarding policy to work with vulnerable people