The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust has launched a £3M funding programme to fund renovations and improvements to veterans’ community centres.
Grants of up to £30,000 are available. A small number of grants of up to £150,000 will be made to more complex projects.
The Veterans’ Community Centres Programme is a specialist pot of funding.
Applicants must be Armed Forces charities with an existing building that requires refurbishment.
Melloney Poole, Chief Executive of the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust said:
“We know that there are many well used community centres that offer a good space for veterans, but some of these centres could benefit from repair works such as improved heating or electrical wiring to make these valuable spaces better. We can also fund works that will make centres more accessible for older veterans or veterans with disabilities.”
The Royal British Legion Grangemouth Branch has a busy and vibrant Community Centre, well used by veterans of all ages along with the wider local community. The building has been in place for over 50 years. But for a while; the centre was struggling. The electrics were in a poor state of repair and some areas had not been renovated for decades. Veterans and others who came to the centre were keen for improvements to be made.
The Community Centre received a grant of £20,000 through the Armed Forces Covenant Local Grants programme, to refurbish the building, improve the electrics and make the building more accessible for people with disabilities.
Alan Lochrie; the Chair of the Royal British Legion Grangemouth Branch explained more about the centre:
“The disabled access in our building was not as good as we wanted it to be; and this was making it hard for older veterans and others with disabilities to come to our centre. Parts of the centre would be very cold. The electrics in the building were not in a good state; and we needed a better fire alarm system.
The grant has made a huge difference. More veterans come to the centre now; and younger veterans come along too. It’s a much more friendly and comfortable space to be in.”
For more information visit www.covenantfund.org.uk/veterans-community-centres
Notes for Editors:
The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust is an independent charity that manages the grant programmes funded by the Covenant Fund.
They also run wider funding programmes that support the Armed Forces Community.
You can find out more about their work at www.covenantfund.org.uk
In the November 2018 Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer awarded the sum of £3 million to the Ministry of Defence in order “to support the repair and refurbishment of community centres run by Armed Forces organisations which continue to provide a focus for veterans and support improvements to health and social outcomes”.
The Ministry of Defence has asked the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust to run this programme on its behalf.
The programme seeks to award grants – during 2019 only – that meet this aim.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be a charity or CIC that supports the Armed Forces Community
- Have an existing community centre used by veterans
- Need funding to improve the centre
- Have security of tenure
Most grants will be for £30,000 or less. There will be three rounds of funding. Grants of up to £150,000 will only be made in the final application round. Applicants seeking between £30,000 and £150,000 must have a mandatory conversation with the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust before submitting an application.
Deadlines:
- Round 1: Submission by 9am 11th March for decision before end May 2019
- Round 2: Submission by 9am 5th June for decision before end August 2019
- Round 3: Submission by 9am 4th November for decision before end February 2020
