Youth charities offered grants of up to £50,000

UK Youth and the Julia & Hans Rausing Trust have launched a £1.3m fund to help
grassroots youth organisations recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and to secure their future.

The UK Youth Fund is handing out grants of up to £50,000 to charities and community groups in England with a turnover of less than £250,000. Applicants’ primary purpose has to be running children and young people’s services and have been operational for at least two years.

Applications are open until midnight Sunday July 18.

“The last 18-months have been devastating for the youth sector and the young people they work tirelessly to support,” said UK Youth director of external relations Lindsay Marsden.

“UK Youth are proud to launch the latest round of the UK Youth Fund – Covid Resilience alongside the Julia & Hans Rausing Trust – delivering our commitment to unlocking more investment and support whilst raising the profile youth work.”

A statement from Julia and Hans Rausing added: “Young people have been some of the most impacted by the pandemic and so it is crucial to help those charitable organisations that are there to provide a vital lifeline to young people.

"Together with UK Youth, we hope to be able to make sure that small, local organisations can continue to provide services for young people after an incredibly difficult year.”

Another eligibility criteria for the Fund is that organisations should have been running services for young people and children “from a consistent space or venue where young people can meet regularly and participate in ongoing youth work activities”. The Fund adds that centres that have been temporarily closed due to Covid-19 are still eligible to apply.