Small charities tackling complex social issues are to receive increased funding

So often small charities are overlooked in favour of the ‘big names’ simply because they’re less well known. This lack of public exposure works against them, and makes it harder for them to receive the funding required to carry out their mission. A recent article discusses how the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales (LBFEW) has created a £9.5m fund, specifically to support small and local charities in England and Wales. This fund offers charities two-year unrestricted grants of £50,000 to support their work.

There are separate strands to this fund, one of which specifically supports racial equity; 25% of all funding in 2021 will be put aside for charities led by, and working for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups. 2020 harshly highlighted the way that we still have to go to reach true racial equality across the world, and initiatives like this one that strive to give BAME communities a fair and equal chance in life, are a crucial step towards this equality.

As well as receiving unrestricted grants, charities will also have access to organisational and developmental support from one of the foundation’s regional managers. The foundation’s goal is to reach the charities that are tackling complex social issues, for example homelessness or domestic abuse.

This goal does mean that not all charities will be eligible to apply to the fund. Local need, the prevalence of small charities in the area, and the level of investment already given to the various social issues will all be considered when reviewing applications. However, the foundation will review and update its regional priorities every six months, so if a charity is ineligible at one time, it doesn’t mean that it will never be eligible.

The rates of recorded domestic abuse cases in England and Wales has increased since the pandemic hit the UK, and there has been an emphasis on the homelessness crisis faced by UK citizens. Both of these are real, tangible issues that are experienced by too many of our population, and charities that are fighting them sorely need support in order to combat the issues. This fund is aimed at supporting exactly these charities, and more, that are so crucial to our society.

Small and local charities have been vital in handling the worst effects of the pandemic, providing support to those that need it the most, however they are sadly also the ones that are least likely to receive funding that comes close to the same level as the bigger organisations. Organisations such as the Lloyds Bank Foundation are leading the way, trying to level out the playing field for all charities across the board, and this initiative is a great step in this direction.