Charities and groups urged to apply for remaining Coronavirus Appeal funds

The National Emergencies Trust has published its Annual Report today while calling for small charities and groups to apply for remaining Coronavirus Appeal funds through its Local Action Fund with Crowdfunder.

Its Annual Report 2020/21 charts the progress and impact of the Coronavirus Appeal which launched in March 2020 and raised £88million in the last financial year. During that period, more than 13,000 grants were awarded to meet urgent needs UK-wide, thanks to UK Community Foundations and its network of 47 community foundations, as well as ten national charity partners.

To-date the Coronavirus Appeal has raised more than £99.5million, with over £747k still available to grassroots groups through the Local Action Fund, a match-funding partnership with Crowdfunder UK to help vital local projects counter the pandemic’s impacts.

With ongoing restrictions likely to impact charities’ fundraising efforts, while increasing demand for their services, the National Emergencies Trust is urging groups that have not yet benefited from the Coronavirus Appeal to apply to the Local Action Fund.

Eligible projects can set up a fundraising campaign on Crowdfunder UK, and the National Emergencies Trust will match donations they receive up to £10,000. Since the Local Action Fund launched last September more than 100 projects across the UK have signed up to start fundraising, and the Fund will now remain open for ongoing applications.

Mhairi Sharp, CEO of the National Emergencies Trust, said: “The Local Action Fund was launched to help small local projects to get back on their feet after the challenges of the pandemic, and remains as relevant as ever following the latest measures announced in December. We’ve decided to keep the Fund open so that those in need of a financial boost, either for new projects or to cover core costs, don’t miss out at this difficult time.

Ms Sharp continued: “The National Emergencies Trust was conceived by the Charity Commission to bring the charity sector together during disasters so we can all do our best for those affected. The Coronavirus Appeal has proved this concept works. At one end of the sector, community foundations and the Local Action Fund have been helping grassroots groups deliver vital community services, without the worry of fundraising during lockdowns. At the other, national charities like Barnardo’s have been able to launch valuable new services, such as Boloh, which has since secured further funding. The Boloh helpline is just one example of the positive legacies to come out of the challenges of Covid, and shows what’s possible when our sector pulls together.”

The National Emergencies Trust’s Annual Report also outlines its wider work to deliver on its mission: to be fast and fair during national emergencies; ensuring no-one is left behind. It highlights a focus on creating fairer outcomes for all emergency survivors, including securing amendments to The Civil Legal Aid (Financial Resources and Payment for Services) Regulations and ‘The Social Security (Income and Capital) Regulations in 2020 so those who receive grants from the National Emergencies Trust can continue to receive State support.

The charity sets out structural additions it has made since its launch in November 2019 to put lived experience at the heart of decision-making, including the launch of the Survivors Advisory Forum and Equity Scrutiny Group. It also points to a number of digital innovations to improve outcomes for future survivors, set to be launched in the year ahead.

General The Lord Dannatt, Chair of the National Emergencies Trust, said: “The Coronavirus Appeal’s inspiring stories of lockdown fundraisers, pop-up grassroots projects, new national charity services and innovative corporate partnerships show the truly collaborative effort the Appeal came to be. The very nature of our role as an emergency response charity means every new disaster will bring a different set of challenges and circumstances. Survivors and their loved ones will have new and unique needs, which will require new ways of thinking and working. But I am confident that the National Emergencies Trust has laid strong foundations through the Coronavirus Appeal, and now have the right partners and people around us to be ready to make a difference to people’s lives, wherever and whenever we are next needed.”

The National Emergencies Trust’s latest Annual Report features an updated logo for the charity. While the overall brand look-and-feel remains the same, the new logo which was designed by brand experience agency, Designroom, features four emergency chevrons to represent each nation of the UK and makes the charity’s full name more prominent than previously to support its brand-building efforts. The new logo also features on a brand new website for the Trust, designed and built by its patron, digital marketing agency, Alcimi.