£5 Million Milestone for RRR

The total amount distributed through our Response, Recovery and Resilience Fund has now exceeded £5 million. This record-breaking level of support demonstrates the continued demand coming from charities and grassroots groups needing vital funds to tackle some of the most pertinent issues caused by the pandemic. However, the fund remains open and continues to welcome applications to support those most in need.

The Response, Recovery and Resilience Fund, delivered in partnership with the National Emergencies Trust, has to date supported 1.1 million people right across Scotland. A total of £4.1m in small grants have been distributed to over 1,000 dedicated organisations delivering vital support to some of the most isolated and vulnerable people across the country. Activities funded range from support for groups working to combat hardship needs through the distribution of food parcels and hot meals, support for the ongoing needs of vulnerable people to ensure their health and wellbeing is maintained through counselling and social isolation support services and funds for groups to adapt and redesign essential services though training and by embracing new technology. 

A further £1.4 Million has been invested in strategic grants to national charities such as Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland, Shelter Scotland and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) to deliver higher-level strategic support throughout the pandemic. Since launching the dedicated Response, Recovery & Resilience Fund in March, we've received almost the same number of grant applications in the last six months as the Foundation received in the whole of last financial year.

There are some desperately heart-breaking situations, lives have been turned upside down and there are now even more people experiencing extreme hardship, isolation, loneliness and fear. However, we are continually inspired by our ongoing assessment of crisis applications which we continuing to receive. It is evident that communities are coming together to urgently deliver essential and critical services to those most in need at this time.

 

Helen Wray, Programme Manager at Foundation Scotland

The Fund continues to offer grants of between £1,000-£5,000 to constituted community groups and registered charities. The fund is currently in ‘recovery’ phase supporting organisations to plan ahead, to continue their operations in the ‘new normal’, re-establish or re-design their activities to comply with new regulations.