Funding for communities affected by COVID-19
March 18, 2020
The Scottish Government has announced that an additional £350 million will be made available to councils, charities, businesses and community groups to support communities affected by coronavirus.
The funding is designed to be flexible, cutting down on red tape to enable them to respond swiftly and according to local need for people impacted economically or through reduced contact with society, including anyone struggling to access food.
Of particular interest to community groups is the £40 million Supporting Communities Fund which will be focused on community efforts at a local level, including supporting people at risk because of age, isolation, carers, homeless people and asylum seekers and signposting people to sources of help such as applying for benefits.
Another £20 million will be allocated to a Third Sector Resilience Fund, to help ensure the health and continued viability of the third sector organisations affected by cash flow and other problems.