The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (The Trust) has announced the Covenant Fund programmes that will run in the 2023/24 financial year.
Following on from the success of their 2022/23 suite of funding programmes supporting the Armed Forces community, the Trust will be running the same Covenant funding programmes, albeit with some tweaks to bring things up-to-date and ensure funding is accessible and available for those who need it most.
Force for Change
The popular Force for Change programme will now offer grants up to £15,000 for one-year projects.
This is in recognition of the increased cost of living, and the Trust will focus funding on vulnerable Armed Forces communities who are being most impacted.
The Force for Change programme seeks to make positive change at a local level, especially needs which perhaps haven’t been addressed before. Applicants are encouraged to try new ways of supporting their beneficiaries, or to build on previous work, to make a real difference to the Armed Forces communities with whom they work.
This programme will reopen for applications in spring 2023.
Reaching and Supporting Armed Forces Communities programme
Following success in its first year of existence, the Reaching and Supporting Armed Forces Communities programme will continue to offer grants up to £100,000 for three-year projects.
This programme supports projects that clearly address hidden or compelling needs identified in Armed Forces communities. This year, there will be a particular focus on projects that target those more vulnerable Armed Forces communities that are most impacted by cost-of-living challenges.
This programme was highly oversubscribed in 2022/23 and the Trust expects to still receive high volumes of applications in the coming year.
The programme will reopen for new applications in summer 2023.
The Transformational Grants programme
Building on learning gained from this year’s applications, moving forward the Trust will prioritise those projects that can clearly show they will deliver preventative, long-term outcomes and benefits for Armed Forces communities.
This means projects with a clear and sustained legacy whether in embedded good practice, improved knowledge and evidence, or in some other defined way.
Grants of up to £300,000 for projects up to five years in length will be available.
The programme will reopen in summer 2023.
Have your say!
The Trust will be running a consultation this June to gather thoughts on our future funding programmes for the next three years from 2024. Look out for more details in due course.
Anna Wright, Chief Exec of the Trust said: “We are delighted to be able to deliver each of these successful programmes for another year, with consideration to the current economic challenges. These programmes have and will deliver important positive change to Armed Forces communities across the UK. Moving forward, we’re pleased to be able to plan for the longer-term from 2024 and we encourage people to look out for our upcoming consultation and tell us know how future funding opportunities would best help those most in need.”
Keep up to date with funding opportunities
For the latest updates and announcements on each of these Covenant Fund programmes, and any other funding opportunities the Trust has available throughout the year, sign up to their e-newsletter via their website www.covenantfund.org.uk
