Charitable organisations seeking to influence and achieve change in national policy and practice in relation to accommodation, social security and refugees and asylum seekers are urged to apply for a new funding programme launched today (16 March) by Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales.
16 March 2023
Charitable organisations seeking to influence and achieve change in national policy and practice in relation to accommodation, social security and refugees and asylum seekers are urged to apply for a new funding programme launched today (16 March) by Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales.
Rising living costs and economic, political and policy challenges are making it much harder for many people. But for people already facing complex issues, the systems designed to support them are not fit for purpose and risk pushing them further into hardship and destitution. To address this, The Foundation seeks to partner with charities to advocate for people directly affected by these issues and to work to influence and change national policy in England and Wales.
Grants of £30,000 - £150,000, for up to three years, will be available for organisations working towards achieving positive change around:
The Foundation is interested in initiatives or organisations spearheaded by or actively developed with people, charities and communities with first-hand knowledge of the issues through lived or learned experience and that address inequalities, whether based on race, disability, or other factors.
This funding will support a range of activities, including research, policy work, campaigns, and communications activity, but not the delivery of services. Applicants must identify how their work will address specific objectives within these three themes using the guidance notes available online.
Paul Streets, Lloyds Bank Foundation CEO, said: "People, communities, and charities are facing huge challenges, compounded by the cost of living crisis. It's getting harder for people, who already face disadvantage, to survive, find accommodation, and get the help they need. We need to fix the systems perpetuating those challenges. We can only do this by influencing national policy, particularly at this crucial time in the run up to the next general election. This funding will equip charities to advocate for change, particularly those developed by people directly affected by these issues, and we encourage them to look at our criteria and apply.”
The Foundation has been funding influencing work since 2015, recognising that however good charities are at providing services, policy, practice, systems, and structures must change to tackle the causes and consequences of key social issues.
A charity previously funded by the Foundation to develop its influencing work is Latin American Women’s Rights Service:
Gisela Valle, Director Latin American Women's Rights Service (LAWRS): “Thanks to support and funding from the Foundation, we hired our first policy role. We were able to collect evidence that two thirds of abuse survivors with insecure immigration status felt the police wouldn't believe them because of their legal status, and more than half were threatened with deportation by their attackers if they went to the police.
“Our campaigning, evidence and persistence paid off. We improved migrant women's protections – the National Police Chiefs Council created a policy to protect migrant women reporting to police. In 2022, the Justice Committee called for a firewall between reporting abuse and immigration control in the Victims' Bill, and the London Mayor's Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2022–25 commits to lobbying for this firewall.”
For full application criteria for this funding and to apply, visit our website. (live from 9am 16 March 2023). Applications close on 19 May, 5pm.
ENDS
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Stass Daniells at sdaniells@lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk or call 07968594549.
Notes to editors:
Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales has been funding influencing work since 2015. For more information, visit https://www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk/influencing
About Lloyds Bank Foundation
We're an independent charitable foundation funded by Lloyds Banking Group. We work in partnership with small and local charities, people and communities, changing lives and working towards a more just and compassionate society. The needs and aspirations of people drive our work. We strengthen the small and local charities that support them and the communities they live in, and advocate for a better future.
Through unrestricted funding, support to develop and influencing policy and practice, we help small and local charities thrive, communities grow stronger, and people overcome complex issues and barriers so they can transform their lives.
