Grants are available for suicide prevention voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations in England to ensure that they can continue providing services to those who need it, particularly high-risk groups who have struggled the most during the pandemic
The funding is intended to support suicide prevention VCSE organisations and groups to meet the increased need or demand for services, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and enhance service provision, with a particular focus on high-risk groups.
High-risk groups are defined in the latest progress report of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy as those who were already at a higher risk of suicide, as well as those for whom there is particular concern in the context of the pandemic.
These include:
- Middle-aged men
- Children and young people
- People in contact with mental health services
- People who self-harm
- People who are economically vulnerable
- NHS and social care staff
- People in contact with the criminal justice system
- People who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic
- Ethnic minorities.
A total funding pot of £4 million is being made available.
Organisations can apply for the lower of either:
The value of eligible activities from April 2021 to March 2022. The funds can be backdated to cover activities from April 2021.
25% of annual income.
The maximum grant available to micro-organisations and groups is £5,000 (this is from the ring-fenced pot of money).
All awarded funding must be spent by 31 March 2022.
Who Can Apply
Applications will be considered from a wide range of voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations whose core purpose or activities focus on suicide prevention.
Applications will be accepted from small to large VCSE organisations and groups:
- Defined as organisations and groups that are registered with the Charity Commission or their respective relevant regulator in England. This includes community-led charities, user-led organisations, umbrella bodies and national charities.
- Small to large VCSE organisations and groups must have suicide prevention as one of their primary aims or focus and have experience of delivering activity intended to prevent suicide.
In addition, there is particular interest in receiving applications from micro-organisations and groups (user-led, community-led or peer support groups or organisations who may be unregistered or unconstituted) and who have experience of delivering activity intended to prevent suicide. They may apply for grants of up to £5,000 from the ring-fenced pot of money.
Restrictions
The following are not eligible for funding:
- Organisations whose everyday activities may only have an indirect and unintended impact on suicide prevention.
- Capital costs such as cars, large equipment or equipment for building improvement.
- Work outside of England.
- Activities which the grant recipient, or any member of their partnership has a statutory duty to undertake, or that are fully funded by other external sources.
- Paid-for lobbying or petitioning for additional funding.
- Input VAT reclaimable by the grant recipient from HMRC.
- Depreciation, amortisation or impairment of assets owned by the grant recipient or statutory fines, criminal fines or penalties civil penalties.
- Costs that have been covered by other strands of government or other support, for example furloughed staff or business rates covered by relief.
- Retrospective costs incurred before 1 April 2021.
- Costs beyond 31 March 2022.
- Redundancy costs.
- Projects or activities that are not in line with the objectives of the fund.
- Capital expenditure (such as cars, large equipment or equipment for building improvement).
- Costs related to campaigning or the promotion of political or faith beliefs.
Eligible Expenditure
The funding will provide organisations with additional resource that will enable them to either set up new projects or expand or sustain current services to ensure people are supported. The funding is only available to support the delivery of suicide prevention activities in England.
This is a revenue grant (not a capital grant).
The funding can only be used to support running costs and can be used to cover small capital costs which are critical to the delivery of suicide prevention activities and in line with the organisation’s capital costs policy (for example, mobile phones to support additional helplines or equipment to ensure public health requirements).
The funding will cover the following eligible costs:
- Business expenditure, such as staff salaries, appropriate volunteer expenses and fixed or operational costs related to the activity.
Rent. - Utility costs.
- Insurances.
- Facility or equipment hire.
- Core staffing costs (including casual workers) that cannot be met elsewhere by other government funds (for example, furlough scheme).
- Equipment which is not capitalised and crucial to delivery of activities – for example, items to ensure compliance with public health requirements or a new phone to support a suicide prevention helpline.
How To Apply
The deadline for applications is of 16 January 2022 (17:00). The funder intends to begin awarding applications as soon as possible and within approximately four weeks following the closing date.
The guidance notes and online application portal can be found on the HERE