In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Jersey Funders’ Group has developed a co-ordinated response to the current challenge by increasing funds available and streamlining the application process and is urging charities in need of support to get in touch today.
The Jersey Funders’ Group (JFG) is a group of charitable funders in Jersey which convened three years ago under the chairmanship of the Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands (LBFCI) to ensure a more joined-up approach to supporting the efforts of the third sector. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the JFG are offering a single point of contact for all charity grant applications to simplify the application process and ensure nobody falls into a gap or funding is duplicated at this critical time. The funders will continue to consider and make grants for applications following their own individual eligibility criteria, but all applications will now be made to one contact and shared across the group for consideration.
Commenting on the move, Chair of both the JFG and LBFCI Katie Le Quesne says: “The charitable sector will play a critical role in reaching financially and physically vulnerable Islanders who may be in need at this challenging time. The Jersey Funders’ Group is here to support those charities to ensure the most vulnerable are served in the most efficient way. Priority will be given to supporting work which reduces or mitigates the impact of the coronavirus – and allows essential services to be provided – for those most in need.”
Participating funders in JFG are:
- Association of Jersey Charities.
- Allan Gill Gray Philanthropy.
- Bosdet Foundation.
- Jersey Overseas Aid.
- Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands.
- Roy Overland Charitable Trust.
- Saltgate Giving.
- The Sir James Knott Trust.
- The Ann Alice Rayner Fund.
- The Greville Bathe Fund.
- The One Foundation.
The combined giving of these entities is significant, with many increasing grant budgets to specifically respond to COVID-19 related applications.
The resources available will be deployed to serve the most vulnerable people in the most efficient way. Whilst funders will maintain their own specific rules, procedures and eligibility tests, the JFG will look to support work which reduces or mitigates the impact of the coronavirus and allows essential services to be provided for those most in need.
If approved, funding will be fast tracked and available within one to two weeks to ensure correct governance procedures are still followed.
The group will not, generally speaking, fund salaries and overheads of charities which are not able to deliver activities. Organisations in this position will need to apply to the Government schemes that have been made available to support businesses. Further information on these can be found at www.jerseybusiness.je.
The first COVID-19 related grants have started to be released. One Foundation is pleased to have supported Silkworth Lodge with a grant to update IT systems to enable their Therapeutic Team to continue to deliver group and individual therapy sessions remotely during the COVID-19 period. The upgrades mean they are now able to access approximately 200 people per week with various levels of support, an increase from approximately 20-25 before the IT updates.
Charities wanting to apply are invited to send a summary of their requirements to Jo Le Poidevin at jerseyfunders@gmail.com who is the primary contact for the JFG. Applicants will be asked to complete a simple form outlining what funds are going to be used for and this will be passed on for consideration by all members of the group. The applicant may then be asked for more details by the Funder who picks up the request. The JFG asks for patience as a large number of requests are being received and the situation is very dynamic.
