Aims/priorities: The Youth Covid-19 Support Fund is provided by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and administered by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
The fund will focus on enabling the struggling, but most impactful, youth organisations in England to continue operating, where they may have scaled back service provision or temporarily closed due to reductions in their income as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Grants are available for costs incurred between 1 November 2020 and 31 March 2021 that enable the organisation to remain viable, open, reopen or partially reopen, where this represents a value for money approach and where their service delivery is in line with Government Covid-19 guidance.
The funding can be applied retrospectively to eligible expenses already incurred during this period that have not been funded by another external source.
Funding is intended to cover essential business expenditure, such as staff salaries, and fixed/operational costs including:
- Rent.
- Utility costs.
- Insurances.
- Facility or equipment hire.
- Core staffing costs (including casual workers) that cannot be met elsewhere by other government funds (eg furlough).
- Equipment (which is not capitalised) to ensure compliance with public health requirements.
- Supporting the retention of specialist skills and expertise.
Who can apply? Applications will be accepted from grassroots youth clubs, uniformed youth groups, and national youth and umbrella organisations based in England. Applicants must be one of the following:
- A registered charity.
- An incorporated not-for-profit organisation.
- An incorporated Community Interest Company.
Grant amount: The following maximum levels of support are available:
Local organisations may request funding of up to whichever is the lower of:
- 25% of their annual income; or
- Deficit from November 2020 to March 2021*; or
- £250,000.
National organisations may request funding of up to whichever is the lower of:
- 25% of their annual income; or
- Deficit from November 2020 to March 2021*; or
- £2 million.
*The deficit which can be funded must account for any other funding received (that is, DCMS can only fund any remaining deficit). This funding should not be used to increase reserves above the level at 31 October 2020.
All grants must be spent by 31 March 2021.
Application process: The online application form and guidance notes can be found at the DCMS website.
Deadline: 12 February 2021 (5pm)
Website address: Apply for the Youth Covid-19 Support Fund - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)