News
Charities in Kent and Medway receive significant boost to core costs
Thirteen local charities working within the most deprived communities have received funding to support their core costs over the next three years.
Kent Community Foundation’s new Core Support Fund aims to help build more sustainable, stronger organisations that will have a significant impact on the most deprived areas of Kent and Medway, through multi-year grants to cover core costs.
Josephine McCartney, Chief Executive of Kent Community Foundation explains: “Front-line organisations invest a great deal of resource into applying for funding, and sometimes find it challenging to secure funding for their core work and overheads like utilities, rent and service delivery staff.”
Each of the organisations, one from each district in Kent and Medway, received £12,000 towards their first year of core costs. The five year programme will see over £1million invested in core activity for local charities.
The thirteen charities to receive funding are:
- Ashford - Ashford and Tenterden Umbrella
- Canterbury - Canterbury & District Early Years Project
- Dartford - Healthy Living Centre Dartford
- Dover - The Pegasus PlayScheme
- Folkestone & Hythe - John Armitage Memorial Trust
- Gravesham - CAS Community Solutions CIC
- Maidstone - UNLOCK National Association Of Ex-offenders Limited
- Medway - The NET Community Hub
- Sevenoaks - Slide Away
- Swale - The Hope Street Centre
- Thanet - Thanet Community Development Trust
- Tonbridge & Malling - Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Services
- Tunbridge Wells - Tunbridge Wells and District Volunteer Bureau T/A Community Car Service
Natalie Smith, Director or Grants and Impact at Kent Community Foundation comments: “We are delighted to be able to support these 13 excellent organisations with core grants. At Kent Community Foundation we are well placed to understand the importance of unrestricted and multi-year support to grassroots organisations and we look forward to seeing the impact of this funding on their communities over the three years.”
Sue Clark MBE, Chair of The Pegasus PlayScheme comments: “For a small charity such as Pegasus this means so much. It not only provides us with some security for the next three years as a starting block for our yearly costs, but to know Kent Community Foundation are just at the end of the phone providing a vast amount of support in other ways such a training and advice is what encourages us to carry on. We have been running for 32 year and without the help from KCF I doubt very much if Pegasus would still be around. Long may their philanthropic ways continue supporting those who need it most! Pegasus is extremely fortunate to have their support.”
Jaye, Manager at The Net Community Hub comments: "This is fantastic news from Kent Community Foundation, who've already been so supportive of us in the past two years. As a tiny charity that punches above its weight for our local community, the core funding is a real boost and will enable us to do so much more to combat social isolation in our vulnerable, elderly and isolated residents."
To apply for funding visit: kentcf.org.uk/apply