Aims/priorities: The funding is intended to provide solutions and support for partners of serving personnel, including reservists, to reduce the challenges that service life can sometimes present.
The direct and primary beneficiaries must be current non-serving partners of currently serving personnel or reservists only. Indirect beneficiaries will be the wider family or serving person who will benefit from their partner's improved well-being.
Projects needed to address one or more of the following outcomes:
- Partners of serving personnel have increased their skills and confidence through additional opportunities to explore new ways of working and/or to change careers.
- Partners of serving personnel, including non-UK nationals, are better able to access and engage with employment support that reflects the challenges of service life, such as mobility and separation.
- Service providers and employers demonstrate improved understanding of the unique challenges of service life, enabling more informed and effective support for partners of serving personnel.
- Improved mental health and well-being for partners of serving personnel, leading to increased confidence and greater empowerment in personal and career choices that work within service life.
Projects need to address the current, emerging and immediate needs of partners of serving personnel. They could be regional, national, or serve armed forces communities based overseas. Projects should seek to remove barriers to participation and promote inclusivity.
Who can apply? Applications will be accepted from:
- Registered charities with substantial recent experience of supporting armed forces communities.
- Community Interest Companies (CICs) with substantial recent experience of supporting armed forces communities.
- Armed Forces units or bases.
- UK universities or colleges.
Charities and CICs must have been registered in the UK for at least three years at the time of application and be able to provide published accounts for all three years. They must have at least three unrelated trustees/directors.
Applicants can work with other organisations as part of their project.
Grant amount: Between £10,000 and £150,000 are available for projects lasting for up to three years.
Application process: The programme guidance, faqs, application questions and online application portal can be found on the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust website.
Deadline: Wednesday, 23 September 2026 (12 noon).
Notification of decisions before the end of November 2026.
Contact information: Email: info@covenantfund.org.uk
Website: AF3: Supporting Partners programme - Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust