Aims/priorities:
The objective of the fund is to support Armed Forces Day events across the UK to show support for our servicemen and women, past and present.
Armed Forces Day events can come in any size or shape, from national and regional celebrations, local events organised by councils, ex-Service organisations, community groups and schools. Parades of veterans, cadets and/or currently serving personnel are very popular, as are presentations of veterans' badges.
In the past, other ideas for activities have included the following:
- Picnic in the park.
- Themed BBQ.
- Knees up in your living room.
- Street party.
- Fete.
Armed Forces Day takes place on the last Saturday each June. Celebrations begin when the Armed Forces Day flag is raised on buildings and famous landmarks around the country. Reserves Day will also provide an opportunity for the country to recognise the country’s Reserve Forces.
Events should:
- Be held within two weeks of the Armed Forces Day, including the weekends.
- Have 'Armed Forces' in the event title.
- Be relevant to today's serving Armed Forces.
- Have free access to members of the 'Armed Forces Family'.
- Not be centred around fundraising or recruitment.
Who can apply:
Local councils, voluntary and community organisations, schools, ex-service organisations and individuals in the UK are eligible to apply.
Applicants must be able to accept a credit card payment as MOD will no longer be using BACs transfer for the grant payment.
Grant amount:
A maximum grant of £10,000 is available per application, provided that MOD funding accounts for no more than 50% of the total cost.
This grant is match funded and can cover up to half the total cost of the event. For example, if the total cost of the event is £10,000 and £5,000 has been raised, the grant could cover up to £5,000.
In the past grants have ranged from a few hundred pounds for a street party to thousands of pounds for larger events.
Application process:
The first step in the application process is to register the event on the Armed Forces Day website.
Once groups have registered their event, they will receive a confirmation email within three working days. This email contains a link to submit an application for funding.
Deadline: Applications are being accepted from 1 March to 1 April 2024.
Contact information:
Tel: 020 7807 0970
Email: ARMEDFORCESDAY-Events@mod.gov.uk