Organisations large and small providing domestic abuse or sexual violence support services across Warwickshire during the Covid-19 emergency are being invited to make a bid for extraordinary funding by Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe.
**The deadline for applications has been extended to Friday 5 June 2020**
Background
A total of £192,000 has been allocated by the Ministry of Justice for schemes in Warwickshire as part of its recently-announced package of additional funding for services supporting victims through the Covid-19 crisis. While cases have not yet seen large increases in the county since the lockdown began, it is expected that more victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence will come forward as restrictions on movement are eased. This makes ensuring the continued viability of support services more important than ever.
What funding is available?
The emergency funding is to cover the period from 24 March to 31 October 2020, to meet the additional costs registered charities or social enterprise have incurred or will incur whilst adapting their services during the pandemic, and to cope with demand increases resulting from it during the time period.
For example, funding may be used to:
- address short term income disruption;
- meet essential costs of sustaining current activities, such the purchasing of assets to support the move to remote and digital working, and additional staff to cover those unable to work for reasons related to the pandemic; and
- address increased demand.
The funding is ring-fenced into three pots:
- Domestic abuse services that are already commissioned by the PCC (£96,000);
- Domestic abuse services that are not currently commissioned by the PCC (£48,000);
- Sexual violence services that are already commissioned by PCC and also those that are not currently funded by the PCC (£48,000).
General criteria
- Organisations must be based in England and Wales to be eligible for this funding.
- Organisations must not use this funding for the development of new projects or services not related to the Covid-19 response, for example designing technology platforms which will not be ready to deliver services for the majority of the funding period.
- Organisations must ensure that Covid-19 related costs cannot be met from any existing funding stream, fundraising, private donations and existing grants.
- Organisations are not eligible to apply if their needs can be met through other Covid-19 support measures, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the three month VAT deferral.
- Funding can be used to address costs associated with Covid-19 from 24 March 2020 – the first day of lockdown.
- Any spend that organisations commit to beyond the 31 October 2020 must be met through their own funds.
Domestic abuse specific funding conditions
- To be eligible for DA specific funding, the primary purpose of the organisation’s service must be to provide support to female and/or male victims who have experienced DA at any point in their life. This includes adults and children. The funding can be used to support existing clients as well as new referrals.
- DA support services could include, but are not limited to:
- IDVAs;
- CHIDVAs;
- Family court support;
- face to face or remote counselling for individuals and / or their families; or
- support for particular groups such as BAME/ Disabled/ LGBT victims.
- Funding for support for victims of DA in safe accommodation is subject to a separate funding process run by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). MoJ funding must not be used to provide accommodation. However, as with current victims’ grant funding, MoJ Covid-19 extraordinary funding may be used to fund services that support these victims, if the PCC determines that it is the area with the most need.
Sexual violence funding conditions
- To be eligible for SV specific funding, the primary purpose of the organisation’s service must be to provide support to female and/or male victims who have
experienced rape or sexual abuse at any point in their life. This includes adults and children. The funding can be used to support existing clients as well as new referrals. - SV support services could include, but are not limited to:
- ISVAs;
- CHISVAs;
- court support;
- face to face or remote counselling for individuals and / or their families; or
- support for particular groups such as BAME/ Disabled/ LGBT victims.
How to apply
To express an interest in applying, please contact Chris Lewis, the PCC’s Development and Policy Lead for Victims, by email at christopher.lewis@warwickshire.pnn.police.uk or by telephone on 07971 602631.
**The deadline for applications has been extended to Friday 5 June 2020**
