By Claire Racine

Applications for the new £16.7m Hardship Fund will be open from the end of July, Minister for the Third Sector, Angela Smith, has announced.

This comes on top of the £42.5m Real Help for Communities package of measures, announced in February.

"The Hardship fund was announced by the Chancellor in the Budget to support third sector organisations that are delivering front-line services to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society, and have had their work affected by the recession,” Smith said.

Grants from the fund will be between £50,000 and £250,000 for organizations with a turnover of at least £200,000 that are in financial hardship which is impacting their ability to deliver health and social care, education and training, housing support and information, advice and guidance services.

"The Community Development Foundation will be the delivery partner for England in providing grants, assessed on need, to those organisations that are in immediate financial hardship,” Smith added.