As the Covenant Fund starts its second decade, what advice would I give it? 

Emma de Closset, CEO of UK Community Foundations, reflects on the power of place-based grant making for the armed forces community –

First, take a moment to celebrate. In ten short years, the Armed Forces Covenant Fund has distributed over £100 million through 4,000 grants, reaching every nation and region of the UK. From reducing the impacts of veteran homelessness to strengthening support for service children, the fund should be proud of everything it has achieved so far.  

The results speak volumes. Among the many programmes supported by the fund, Force for Change has supported more than a thousand community-led projects through small grants. As Chief Executive of UK Community Foundations (UKCF), I know that even modest grants can make an outsized difference – especially when it means that local people are trusted to act on the needs of their own place and community.  

What stands out most is how the Covenant Fund has listened and evolved. From major programmes like Reaching and Supporting Armed Forces Communities, to targeted investments helping families, the fund has consistently recognised that needs are not one-size-fits-all. This is the heart of good grant making, and is an essential part of ensuring that members of the armed forces community feel seen, understood and supported in the places they live. 

At UKCF, we see the power of place-based grant making every day. Our network of community foundations works across every postcode of the UK, building trust, connection and capacity in the places people call home. When national funding combines with local grant making, it doesn’t just deliver projects: it can change systems, putting communities at the centre. 

The Covenant Fund is uniquely placed to keep leading this work in service of the armed forces community, to whom we owe so much. By partnering with others, the fund can help raise awareness and equip a far broader circle of organisations to do their part for serving personnel, veterans and armed forces families. UKCF stands ready to support you as you move into the next decade.