Final round of the Tampon Tax Fund opens
Applications are now open for grants from the final round of the Tampon Tax Fund, worth a total of £11.25 million. Charities can apply for up to £350,000 in funding to support projects helping thousands of women and girls across the UK.
Priority will be given to bids for work to end violence against women and girls, as well as organisations that support a network of charities.
By encouraging applications from specialist women’s networks whose projects include making onward grants to other women’s’ charitable organisations, the government is hoping to make use of the expertise in the charitable sector, and thereby ensure this round of funding reaches as many disadvantaged women and girls as possible.
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Grants may be for 12 or 18-month projects, and all activities must be concluded and funds spent by 31 March 2023.
Lower grant threshold
In previous rounds of the Tampon Tax Fund grants had been available up to £1 million. The lower threshold for this round is designed to increase the number of projects that can benefit from it.
The Tampon Tax Fund was introduced in 2015 in response to VAT being imposed on sanitary products by the European Union. By the end of this round more than £90 million will have been granted to support charities helping women and girls.
No further funding will be made because the tax ended on 1 January 2021 when the UK left the EU.
Minister for Civil Society and Youth, Baroness Barran, said:
“The support provided through this final round will ensure specialist charities who receive grants can support women and girls in need, and help to become more sustainable and plan for the future.
“We remain as committed as ever to ending violence against women and girls which is why this category is a priority for this round of funding, and we will continue to tackle the issue as a priority.”
The government is particularly encouraging applications from specialist women’s networks whose projects include making onward grants to other women’s’ charitable organisations. This will make use of the expertise in the charitable sector, ensure this round of funding reaches as many disadvantaged women and girls as possible and help the country to build back better following the pandemic.
The deadline for applications to the Tampon Tax Fund is Sunday 4 July 2021.