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Kent Community Foundation Statement on COVID-19, November 2020

We are delighted that since March we have been able to support hundreds and hundreds of local community groups and charities with emergency and resilience funding to the total of over £2 million, helping the sector survive and stabilise after the seismic shock of COVID-19.

We are still busy making grants. We are still happy to consider re-purposing of existing grants. We are still happy to extend grant spend deadlines and impact feedback deadlines. We are still happy to cover core costs. We are happy to re-fund within short timescales, if you can show us the difference your earlier grants have made.

We have started getting out into our communities again and seeing groups in action (though at the time of writing that will be put on hold). We’ll be using video meetings too as part of our face-to-face assessments.

We will continue to support a wide range of organisations and activities through our themed and named funds, as we do every year.

With our COVID funding we will continue to support organisations working on food poverty/education, struggling families and on benefits and employment advice.

Also, as we go forward into a time of continued uncertainty, with the potential of yo-yoing into and out of short-term lockdowns, we will prioritise the following:

  • Small organisations reliant upon a small trading income (now suspended) to survive
  • Second-tier community assets struggling to cover core costs to keep them ticking over until doors can be re-opened – so those places and spaces that community activities usually operate out of
  • Organisations working to keep isolated people connected – older people, younger people, those with disabilities. Check out our Knock and Check campaign for more on this.
  • Organisations working to improve people’s well-being and mental health – those that create a net increase in positivity

We’re proud of everything the voluntary sector in Kent and Medway is achieving in difficult times, and proud of the modest role we are able to play.

As ever, Kent Community Foundation will be looking to make those grants that will have the most impact on our communities. Applications are through our website. If you’d like to discuss anything grants-related, just give us a call - 01303 814 500

If you would like to read our first statement on COVID-19 issued in March 2020, please click here. 

MASSIVE 'thank you ' to everyone at Kent Community Foundation. Your funding support is HUGELY appreciated and has enabled us to get into the heart of local communities with REAL, affordable, healthy and tasty food that does so much more than feed people.

Community chef Mike Spackman, Sheppey Matters

KCF's enthusiasm for what we are doing and hoping to do, coupled with helpful advice, gave us the confidence to take this daunting step which has paid off.

Liz Turner, Octopus Foundation

It's great having a foundation that empowers organisations and charities in our community to make real positive differences and changes!

Tom, MMK Mind