Giving Theme:
Charitable and volunteer organisations who assist people facing serious challenges, to help these organisations protect and enhance the wellbeing of their staff, volunteers, and trustees.
Geographical Area:
Devon, including Plymouth and Torbay.
Devon Community Foundation, together with the Sedel-Collings Foundation, is offering grants of up to £5,000 to support charitable and volunteer organisations who assist people facing serious challenges. These grants are intended to help organisations protect and enhance the wellbeing of their staff, volunteers, and trustees, especially those working with their community on the frontline.
Frontline work refers to roles where individuals directly interact with or support people who are in need, often in challenging or high-pressure situations. Examples of frontline work include: community outreach workers, support workers, foodbank staff, mental health workers, those providing advice services, peer mentors and befrienders. This list is by no means exhaustive, and you may be providing a frontline service in another way.
By focusing on the wellbeing of the individuals within these organisations, we aim to strengthen the overall health and resilience of the organisations themselves, enabling them to better fulfil their charitable missions. We recognize that those delivering the work may also need support.
This fund is accessed through our Small Grants process.
The grant is ring-fenced towards activities that will enhance the wellbeing of your staff, volunteer and trustees. We trust you to use it in a way which works best for your organisation. The only limit is that it should not be spent on staff renumeration.
Evidence suggests that there are 5 steps you can take to help improve mental health and wellbeing. These are: connect, be active, take notice, keep learning, and give. Further information can be accessed on the NHS website.
You can apply for Supporting the Supporters funding directly through the Small Grants process or there is an option within the application form to be considered for an additional grant via this funding. Information about applying for a small grant is available on the Small Grants page and in our guidance notes.
Before applying for a Small Grant, we ask that you complete the eligibility questions below. This will then direct you to the guidance notes and application form, or give further advice if you are not eligible at this time.
