Aims/priorities: The coronavirus has changed life for everyone in the UK, but older people are amongst the hardest hit. It is humbling to see the huge efforts that are being made across the UK to make sure that older people get the practical help they need and can stay safe, healthy, connected and contributing during a long period of socially isolating. Despite the challenges they are facing, organisations are keeping vital services running, providing advice, support, opportunities, and practical help. And many thousands of people have volunteered to deliver food, medicines, and day to day essentials, to keep in regular contact with older people and to make sure as many as possible are involved in exercise and social contact through digital means. The collective national effort to raise and distribute emergency funds is in full swing to help organisations weather the storm, but many funds are oversubscribed, leaving some services without adequate resources to support even the most vulnerable older people. In response, our trustees have decided to release £2 million from Independent Age’s own funds to help smaller organisations across the UK who are working with some of the older people hardest hit by the virus.
You must be already working with older people in one or both of our two priority areas – older people living in particularly complex and challenging situations and older people in danger of being out of sight and out of mind. And you must know what you want to do – or do better – to help make an immediate difference to their lives over the next six months. Organisations that do not specialise in work with older people are welcome to apply – but you must already be providing services for older people as part of your work and to be able to tell us what you have achieved.
Who can apply? Your organisation must be registered as a charity and you must have at least one paid member of staff (part-time is fine) and an annual income of £1 million or less (averaged across the last three financial years).
Grant amount: Between £5,000 and £15,000 for up to six months.
Deadline:
Round 2 opens 8 June 2020 9am. Closes on 2 July 2020
Round 3 opens 27 July 2020 9am. Closes on 21 August 2020
Round 4 opens 24 August 2020 9am. Closes on 18 September 2020
Contact information: GrantsFund@independentage.org.uk
Website address: www.independentage.org/community/grants-fund