Cost of Living Grant Fund

The Cost of Living Grant Fund is intended to support voluntary sector organisations in their work to help residents through the cost of living crisis, by boosting the current offer of community spaces and food provision in Richmond to enable people to keep warm and fed this winter, as well as supporting other VCS led projects with a cost of living focus.

If you are an individual seeking support, there is information on where to find help locally on the Cost of Living Hub pages.

Timescales

The funding is focussed on projects directly supporting people affected by the cost of living.  Projects could support groups to enable them to continue to function and/or expand the current service offer or geographic reach. Applicants may want to collaborate with others on shared activity or services working across the borough.

Projects will need demonstrate that they meet an immediate, targeted need and that they have considered an appropriate exit strategy for when this funding ends.

The deadline for applications is midnight on Friday 29 September 2023 and Monday 26 February 2024.

Who can apply

We will only fund organisations that are Registered charities, CIOs, CICs or exempt charities. 

Organisations will need to have been in operation for at least three years (or be applying with another organisation that has at least a three-year track record) and demonstrate that they have at least three unrelated and non-cohabiting Directors or Trustees.

Private companies limited by shares are not eligible to apply.

The guidance notes (pdf, 299 KB)  provide the full eligibility criteria and further information to help you complete the application form.

Priorities

Your project needs to relate to one or more of the priority areas, and you need to tell us how your particular project will help us achieve this priority. 

Priority 1 - Community spaces

To provide access to a network of safe, welcoming community spaces where residents can keep warm and access other services.

This could include groups running activities including existing provision where the applicants can demonstrate that the projects are successful, and they are struggling to fund the costs of these services.  The applicant will also need to demonstrate how they are supporting a broad cohort of people in need of this type of provision and how they have adapted their services accordingly. 

View our directory of pledged spaces. Successful applicants would be expected to form part of this offer. 

Priority 2 - Food provision

To support residents in or at risk of food poverty to access affordable food and to provide access to food for vulnerable groups and targeted settings.

Priority 3 - Services that help local people affected by the cost of living crisis

This includes advice services and other activities that help people affected by the cost of living crisis.

Grant amounts

You can apply for a grant of between £5,000 and £20,000. For organisations requesting less than £5,000 the Civic Pride Fund is open for applications on a rolling basis.

Depending on the amount of grant requested and the size of your organisation, we may ask you for more information to support your application.

The maximum available to an organisation is £20,000. Organisations will not be able to receive funding towards the same project across our different grant funds.

What you can apply for

Applications would be considered towards a range of different cost items that can be clearly linked to the grant priorities. These include, but are not limited to:

• Venue hire and associated costs
• Transport for vulnerable groups in relation to food provision
• Food and refreshment costs or food storage
• Costs to support ‘Lunch club’ style activity
• Costs linked to the delivery of the service of the project e.g. activity costs, energy, staffing
• Capital costs and equipment

Continuation funding for projects supported under the Cost of Living grant fund in 2022, will be considered where there is strong evidence of success and ongoing demand.

How to apply

Download the guidance notes and read them before applying, they offer a guide to answering the questions in the application forms and outline how to meet the criteria.

There is limited funding available across both rounds of this fund and organisations should make sure that their project closely aligns with the priority areas.

• Cost of Living Grant Fund guidance notes (pdf, 299 KB) 
• Cost of Living Grant Fund application form (MS Word, 118 KB) 

Deadline

The deadline for applications is midnight on Friday 29 September 2023 and Monday 26 February 2024.

Contact

If you would like further information and guidance, please contact Clarinda Chan on 020 8487 5112 or Clarinda.chan@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk