Ulster Bank has announced the launch of a new £1m Coronavirus Response Fund offering grants of £5,000 to £50,000 to charities and social enterprises affected by the lockdown.
While thousands of businesses across the country have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown, charities and social enterprises have been particularly badly hit. Many that relied on face-to-face donations and public collections have been unable to raise funds effectively, and some have seen their income drop sharply right at a time when their services are under the most pressure.
Ulster Bank has announced the launch of a new £1m Coronavirus Response Fund, which will be funded by Ulster Bank and managed by independent charity Social & Community Capital. The fund will give out grants of between £5,000 and £50,000 to social enterprises, charities, and community businesses to help them get through the outbreak, with a specific focus on those that employ vulnerable people and those from disadvantaged groups.
Applications for the grants will open at 9AM on Monday 22nd June and groups applying must meet a set of strict eligibility criteria. They must employ people from vulnerable or disadvantage groups, for example, and must have suffered a loss of trading income due to the lockdown. For more information on applying, head over to https://digital.ulsterbank.co.uk/business/scc
Social & Community Capital CEO Megan Peat commented on the fund: "We know that people and families rely on the great work of local charities and community businesses, but we know that no one has been left unaffected by this devastating pandemic. This is why we want to help those organisations that employ people from vulnerable or disadvantaged groups and who have suffered a loss of trading income with our grants so that they can continue to have a positive impact in their communities."
Source: Written based on press release
