Postcode Recovery Fund Launches

Charities with innovative ideas to help communities across Britain recover from problems highlighted or exacerbated by the Coronavirus pandemic are being encouraged to apply for a share of a new £3 Million fund.

The launch of the Postcode Recovery Fund has been made possible by players of People's Postcode Lottery.

It means an additional £10 Million of player funding has now been made available to charities dealing with the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown. Many of the good causes which have benefited from long-standing support from players are already delivering vital services in response to the crisis.

The Postcode Recovery Fund will allow charities to apply for between £500,000 and £1 Million in funding for high impact and original projects.

Priority Areas

Priority areas for support include educational inequalities, homelessness, domestic violence, health and wellbeing, poverty, social exclusion and isolation. Applications where there are other clear benefits to the community will also be considered.

Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People's Postcode Lottery, said,

"Charities across the country have been doing tremendous work to support the people who rely on them in times of need. Many of our supported charities have adapted to meet the enhanced needs of communities during the pandemic.

"This fund will give charities an important opportunity to innovate in a way which will provide lasting benefit, thanks to the support of players of People's Postcode Lottery.

"We recognise that without additional intervention there is a real risk that the effects of the pandemic will be irreversible for the most vulnerable in our society."

Player funding is already allowing Magic Breakfast, which provides healthy school breakfasts to children at risk of hunger in disadvantaged areas across Britain, to continue its vital services throughout lockdown.

The Silver Line, a national helpline for older people, also received funding to provide support for its telephone friendship service, which has seen an increase in callers with anxiety and loneliness making contact during the pandemic.

The funding will come from the Postcode Dream Trust, which was created to provide opportunities for charities to deliver their dream projects through collaboration. The Trust's work has been realigned this year to support COVID-19 recovery efforts.

Application Process

The fund consists of a three-stage application process:

• Stage 1 will open for charities to submit the high level details of its project and the problems it is trying to solve.
• Stage 2 involves the most impressive, impactful and original projects being shortlisted submitting a more detailed project application.
• Stage 3 will invite the very best entries to give a formal presentation to an assessment panel.

Applications for the Postcode Recovery Fund can be made from Thursday 1st October until Friday 30th October.

The successful applications will be announced in March 2021. Visit the Postcode Dream Trust site to find out more.