# Second round of CAF’s Keystone Fund open for applications & more funding news - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2024/01/05/second-round-of-cafs-keystone-fund-open-for-applications-more-funding-news/ - Published: 2024-01-05T08:56:14+00:00 - Author: Melanie May **Our first funding news and opportunities round up of 2024 includes grants for small charities that address social equity in the UK, community finance organisations, food pantries, and present or former WVS, WRVS or Royal Voluntary Service volunteers or staff.** #### Second round of Charities Aid Foundation’s Keystone Fund open for applications The second round of CAF’s Keystone Fund opened for applications this week and remains open until 17 January. [The Keystone Fund](https://www.cafonline.org/charities/grantmaking/keystone) will award unrestricted grants towards building organisational resilience of small charities that address social equity in the UK. Grants of £10,000-£50,000 will be given alongside networking and advice webinars designed to build resilience. ## Advertisement [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/) In particular, CAF is looking for charitable organisations that create long-term change with and for their communities, as well as provide in-depth practical support. Further information is [available here](https://www.cafonline.org/charities/grantmaking/keystone). --- #### Fair4All Finance invites applications for £5m+ Community Finance Resilience Fund Community finance organisations and associated organisations – including charities– are invited to apply for grants and investment funding ranging from £10,000 to £ 500,000 from the new [Community Finance Resilience Fund](https://fair4allfinance.org.uk/community-finance-resilience-fund/). The fund, worth more than £5mn in total, has been created by [Fair4All Finance](https://fair4allfinance.org.uk/) in recognition of the cost-of-living challenges for community finance providers and their borrowers, to help the community finance sector to grow and help more people.  Interested organisations have until 31 January 2024 to apply for the funding. Different grants are available for a range of purposes including covering extra overheads incurred during the cost-of-living crisis, as well as investment in infrastructure, providing capital, and for other areas as required. Separate funding is also available for measuring the impact of investments made from the main fund. Holly Piper, investment director at Fair4All Finance, commented:  > “The role of community finance providers has never been more important than in > the current cost-of-living crisis. The lending they offer gives their members > and customers the dignity of providing for themselves and their families, without > resorting to higher-cost credit or illegal options like loan sharks. >   > “We have designed this new fund to be relevant to a wide range of community finance > organisations and associated organisations, and to be responsive to their specific > needs and challenges. We look forward to receiving applications, and to seeing > grantees go from strength to strength and supporting more and more households > in the years to come.” --- #### Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally seeks UK food pantries for Heart of the Community Awards Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally (MADL) charity has announced the launch of its first Heart of the Community Awards for 2024. The awards will be supporting food pantries across the UK with an overall £50,000 fund available for Nisa retailers to nominate local causes. The donations of up to £1,000 per store will help food pantries provide essential food and other supplies to people in need. For a small set membership amount food pantry users can select a set number of products giving help whilst maintaining dignity, allowing choice in food, and is designed to be sustainable rather than a foodbank which is for emergency support. To apply for a donation, interested food pantries should visit their nearest Nisa affiliated retailer to discuss a nomination. Nearest stores can be [found here](https://www.nisalocally.co.uk/stores/search). The Heart of the Community Awards is a funding giveaway through MADL for Nisa retailers. Each year, Nisa retailers nominate local causes that they believe could benefit from a donation. The 50 winning causes are then selected by a panel of judges. MADL is committed to supporting food pantries in their vital work to combat hunger in the UK. --- #### Grants for present or former WVS, WRVS or Royal Voluntary Service volunteers or staff The WRVS Benevolent Trust [provides grants](https://www.wrvsbt.org.uk/grants/) to help with making everyday life easier, or at times of crisis, for present or former WVS, WRVS or Royal Voluntary Service volunteers or staff. The only requirements are that the person has volunteered, or worked, for the WVS, WRVS or Royal Voluntary Service for at least 12 months and is on a fairly limited income. Examples of grants recently given include for: * Washing machines * Cookers * Beds * Contribution towards roof repairs * Dental treatment * Spectacles * Help towards the cost of an electric wheelchair * Assistance towards the cost of a stair lift Grants will also cover the costs of installation for electrical or white goods and the removal of the old equipment. The Trust generally makes one off payments; however applicants can apply again in future years if they have additional needs. Applications can be made online or by post, and WRVS Benevolent Fund will confirm receipt of applications and will consider all application for grants as it receives them. Applicants will be notified within a few weeks of their application as to whether they are successful or not. --- #### The Pavers Foundation surpasses £2mn in donations The [Pavers Foundation](https://www.pavers.co.uk/pages/foundation), charitable initiative of comfort footwear retailer Pavers, has recently surpassed the huge milestone of £2million in donations. The Pavers Foundation has donated to hundreds of charities and causes through grant applications submitted by its colleagues since 2018. The Pavers Foundation is an employee led initiative and those across the entire business are encouraged to nominate good causes in their local areas.  Among beneficiaries of the £2 million in donations are; food banks, grassroots sports clubs, voluntary organisations, care centres, ventures in disadvantaged communities, health research centres and playgroups, all falling into the Foundation’s key pillars of health, education, and community. Stuart Paver (son of Pavers’ founder, Cathy) assumes the role as Chairman of the Pavers Foundation from January 2024 onwards. He has been instrumental over the past few years in donating over £400,000 of medical and emergency aid to Ukraine, making a number of trips to affected regions to personally deliver supplies and support those affected by the conflict. * **[New £2 million Winter support fund launches, and more funding news](https://fundraising.co.uk/2023/11/30/new-2mn-winter-support-fund-launches-more-funding-news/)( 30 November 2023) * **[National Lottery Community Fund doubles its grassroots funding](https://fundraising.co.uk/2023/11/15/national-lottery-community-fund-doubles-grassroots-funding/)( 15 November 2023) * **[Grants for small charities helping people with complex issues, and other funding opportunities](https://fundraising.co.uk/2023/10/27/grants-for-small-charities-helping-people-with-complex-issues-other-funding-opportunities/)( 27 October 2023)**