Big Give’s Kind²Mind open for applications, plus more funding news
Melanie May | 11 January 2024 | News
Big Give’s mental health campaign Kind²Mind, the first ever funding round from International Fund for Fishing Safety, more money for Charis Park Homes Warm Home Discount scheme, and Foyle Foundation to close in 2025. Read on for the details.
Big Give’s mental health campaign back for third year
Big Give’s mental health campaign, Kind²Mind, is now open for charity applications for its third year.
The deadline for applications is 9 February, and the week-long campaign runs from 14 to 28 May, coinciding with the UK’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Last year, the campaign raised £1.5 million (including Gift Aid), of which £876,000 was match funds. This supported 182 charities, with 5,145 members of the public donating.
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Big Give expects to see donations to over 200 participating charities taking part doubled by its match funding ‘champions’, including companies, philanthropists and foundations.
The Kind²Mind campaign utilises Big Give’s ‘multi’ model of match funding. Charities improving mental health as part of their work can apply to Big Give and can select either the 1:1 or pledge model of match funding. Charities then have their application assessed by Big Give. Successful charities are awarded a sum of match funding, which is ring-fenced for their organisation. This match funding is unlocked by public donations given through Big Give’s online fundraising platform during the campaign.
Last year a range of charities took part in the campaign including: The Listening Place which raised £40,020, Lifting the Lid which raised £21,090 and Kids Matter which raised £20,755.
The Kind²Mind campaign page can be accessed here.
International Fund for Fishing Safety announces first funding round
The International Fund for Fishing Safety, which supports on-the-ground safety initiatives that aim to improve safety standards in the global fishing industry, has announced its first open funding call.
The announcement was made at the International Fishing Industry Safety and Health (IFISH6) Conference 2024, held at the UN FAO Headquarters in Rome.
The Fund will target areas where there is the most need for improved safety outcomes, particularly Asia – which, it says, is home to 80% of fishers and some of the most hazardous and unregulated working environments.
Applications to the Fund will be managed by The Seafarers’ Charity, and decisions made by a steering committee comprising industry experts from across the fishing ecosystem.
Tina Barnes, Impact Director at The Seafarers’ Charity and one of the speakers at the Conference, spoke about the reason for the Charity’s support for this new Fund:
“Research by The Seafarers’ Charity revealed that financial difficulties are endemic for many of those working in fishing and that is why we are funding a financial resilience programme with Commsave Credit Union, specifically tailored for people working in fishing in the UK. We recognise that economic necessity can drive risk taking and unsafe practices and this is why we were pleased to be asked by Lloyds Register Foundation to manage this new international Fund. We are delighted to announce that the new International Fund for Fishing Safety is now open to receive grant applications in 2024. We are keen to fund projects that will raise safety standards and practices in fishing around the world.”
Eligibility for funding can be checked on the The Seafarers’ Charity website.
£1.75 million added to Charis Park Homes Warm Home Discount scheme
Additional funding means park home and static caravan residents who have been awarded the £150 warm home discount payment through the Charis Park Homes scheme will also be sent a Heat the Home bundle containing products designed to increase the energy efficiency of their homes.
This additional benefit is the result of £1.75 million worth of additional funding being added to the Charis Park Homes Warm Home Discount Scheme by E.On Next and Ovo Energy.
The additional funds may also cover the replacement of older, inefficient appliances such as fridges and cookers with new, more efficient models for those who expressed an interest during the application process.
The Heat the Home package includes simple to install radiator reflector foil, insulation film and draught excluder for improved warmth retention. Appliances are available for those who ticked the appliance box on their original application. Unfortunately, homeowners cannot make a retrospective application for an appliance.
Eligibility benefits apply – applicants need to be living in a park home, and either receive government support or benefits, or have a household income below £18,723.
For anyone who has yet to apply, they can do so through Charis’ dedicated Park Homes Warm Home Discount application page: Park Homes | Warm Home Discount Scheme | Charis (charisgrants.com)
Permanent park home residents across England, Scotland and Wales who do not have a direct account with their energy supplier can apply for a £150 payment to help towards their energy costs.
Foyle Foundation to close in 2025
The Foyle Foundation has announced that it will complete its grant giving programme in 2025, after 25 years of giving to the fields of the Arts, Learning, Community Small Grants, State Schools Libraries and Health.
It will stop accepting new applications to its main grants scheme on 31 January 2025. For capital requests of £75k and over, it will close to applications on 31 May 2025.
The Foundation awards funding in three main areas:
- Arts and learning charities, predominantly via the Main Grants Scheme
- Small charities of all descriptions (with a turnover of less than £150K per annum) via the Small Grants Scheme (grants between £2K and £10K)
- State funded schools, predominantly via the Foyle School Library Scheme (grants between £2K and £10K)
Applications are still open for the final rounds of grants for projects which will complete by the end of 2025.
Since it became operational in November 2001, The Foundation has disbursed £146.6mn in grants (up to 31 December 2023).
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.