Armed Forces Covenant Fund: Force for Change programme

Through the Force for Change programme, we fund projects which make a real difference to Armed Forces communities locally. We will support projects that offer support to Armed Forces communities to help with needs that may not have been addressed in the past. This can also include funding for pilot projects; or to try new ways of offering local support. It can also include projects that build on earlier work that you have done

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply, your organisation must be one of the following.

• A registered charity or Community Interest Company (CIC) with substantial recent experience of supporting Armed Forces communities and have been registered for at least one year at the time of your application.
• An Armed Forces unit or base.
• A local authority.
• A school.
• A statutory body that delivers or co-ordinates NHS care

Under this programme, we cannot support:

• individuals
• academy trusts – you cannot apply for an overarching project across your academy chain, though individual schools can apply
• a charity or CIC, which doesn’t have substantial recent experience of supporting Armed Forces communities or is newly registered.
• other public sector organisations – but you could work with one of the types of organisation listed above as a delivery partner
• a charity that is based overseas.

Please note: organisations cannot apply more than once per funding round (by which we mean to each of the two deadlines this year) on this programme.

A full list of eligibility is available in the programme guidance below.

What’s available

One year grants of up to £15,000.

Themes and priorities

Under this programme, we would like to make small grants that make a big difference. We want to make a big difference to Armed Forces communities that are facing particular challenges due to cost-of-living challenges, or where there are hidden or complex needs within local Armed Forces communities and a local project could help address problems that vulnerable people are facing.

If you apply for a grant, you need to show how this would help specifically help to address compelling or specific needs in a meaningful way; and where you can clearly tell us about the current gap that exists in provision and why this project might help.

Deadlines and dates to note

There will be two application deadlines this year:

• If you applied by 5pm on 17 July 2023, you’ll receive a decision before the end of October 2023

• If you apply by 5pm on 13 December 2023, you’ll receive a decision before the end of March 2024

Guidance and resources

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