The Trust launches the first Covenant Fund programmes under its three-year Funding Framework
In April 2024, the Armed Forces Covenant Trust (The Trust) released the Armed Forces Covenant Fund: Funding Framework Consultation and Development 2024-/27 – the findings from our public consultation held in summer 2023 and how we have developed this feedback into Covenant funding opportunities for the next three years. The full report is available to read here
Since the launch of our Funding Framework, we have been actively working to develop the core themes of understanding complex problems and identifying solutions; ensuring Armed Forces communities are not disadvantaged; and supporting those in need of special consideration, into strategic grant programmes that will genuinely impact the lives of the Armed Forces community.
We launched the initial open programmes under our new Funding Framework in early July and will make decisions in December 2024.
The first two programmes, Serving Families: On the Move and Apart Not Alone: Support for Serving Families, are designed to address the overall theme of ensuring Armed Forces communities are not disadvantaged. These programs have the specific aim of enhancing the quality of life for those affected by the challenges of mobility, separation, and isolation that can accompany Service life.
Also, within this core theme is the Embedding Prevention of Veteran Suicide programme. The aim of this programme is to enable systemic change and long-term, sustainable impact, incorporating key findings from the Trust’s earlier One is Too Many programme.
Transparent, thematic, strategic
The three core themes of the Funding Framework are:
Understanding complex problems and identifying solutions
This theme will include programmes that help understand and address complex problems through strategic research or innovative projects that can try new approaches and share the learning.
Ensuring Armed Forces communities are not disadvantaged
This theme will include programmes designed to:
- improve the quality of life for those impacted by the mobility, separation, and isolation challenges during and after service life
- prevent and improve access in relation to mental health wellbeing
- support those who have been adversely affected by their Service
- support serving personnel and families living on overseas bases
- address and prevent complex challenges
Supporting those in need of special consideration
Programmes included under this theme will seek to:
- reduce the barriers for families of Wounded, Injured or Sick serving personnel or Veterans
- support those who have been bereaved, including children and families.
Outcome driven programmes, influenced by consultation
We developed the core themes, Funding Framework and subsequent programmes, in consultation with the Armed Forces community, sector research and the Trust’s learning from evaluations and grant monitoring data. They each aim to bring about positive change and progress over the next three years via targeted, results-oriented funding programmes that support the delivery of the Nation’s Covenant promise to our Armed Forces, Veterans and families.
Each programme, launched under our three-year Funding Framework, addresses one of the three core themes under our Funding Framework and will have its own specific aims and outcomes. If you are applying for funding from us, you should read the guidance for the programme you are applying under. The aims and outcomes will be specific to that programme. We may run similar programmes in year two and three of the Framework, but these will be further refined with learning from the grants that we award this year.
We will be releasing more programmes in the coming weeks and months. The new programmes will be announced on our social media pages, website, and through our newsletter.
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