Funding to organisations with annual income over £75,000 for change making efforts relevant to homelessness, forced migration, gender justice, mental health and early childhood development.

Funding for organisations that will make a significant contribution to their sector – e.g. forging new ways of working in the wake of COVID-19, contributing evidence that will move things forward, cross-sector collaboration which recognises the way issues intersect, or advocacy and campaigning work. They are looking for change making efforts that are relevant to social change themes of homelessness, forced migration, gender justice, mental health, and early childhood development. 

WHO CAN APPLY?

• Small and medium-sized organisations that focus on equalities and are user-led. Your organisation must have an annual income of at least £75,000 (at least half of senior team and trustees) are from the community(ies) the organisation serves.
• Other medium-sized organisations based in the UK.  In this case your organisation needs to have a minimum annual income of £250,000 

20% is ring-fenced for efforts led by and working with BAME communities.  Will fund single and partnership bids.

WHAT IS THE CHANGE MAKERS PROGRAMME?

Coronavirus has had a huge impact on daily life, and Comic Relief has been distributing emergency funds in a number of ways to support organisations surviving and adapting in response to COVID-19. This call for proposals is different, and will focus on creating change in the wider world – locally or nationally. CR are looking for organisations that will make a significant contribution to their sector, whether that’s forging new ways of working in the wake of COVID-19, contributing evidence that will move things forward, cross-sector collaboration which recognises the way issues intersect, advocacy and campaigning work, or other change making efforts that are relevant to Comic Relief’s social change themes.The coronavirus pandemic exacerbated issues of poverty, impacted on domestic violence and our mental health, and highlighted inequalities notably around race, gender, disability and sexuality.
Expect to fund 30 Change Maker proposals. Welcome proposals from organisations big or small, national or local and want to hear from and support organisations led by, working with and for those who are hardest hit and systematically excluded in society: BAME communities, the LGBTQ+ community, women, those living with disabilities.

WHAT WORK WILL COMIC RELIEF SUPPORT?

Your proposed work must contribute to change for more than your organisation or your direct beneficiaries.  Some ways you might do this include the following – though this is not an exhaustive list:  

• working with others directly in partnership
• creating shared learning, evidence, research  
• producing and sharing evidence of effective models of working
• working with others to model new ways of working

The contribution can be to any forum or area that feels appropriate, for example:

• enhance commissioning in your local area
• provide a cross-sectoral response to issues in your local area
• shift the understanding within your sector or allied sectors on an issue, model, approach
• influencing communities, charities or the public sector to be more responsive and effective 
• shift policy or legislation
• shift public attitudes

Will fund core funding alongside funding for project delivery costs.  

SPORT FOR CHANGE AND TECH FOR GOOD PROPOSALS

Welcome applications from organisations using Sport for Change and Social Tech approaches that cut across our core issues and respond to the priorities of the Change Makers funding call.

Key Dates: 

• Applications open online: w/b 13th July 2020 
• Deadline for Expressions of Interest: 12 Noon 28th August 2020 
• Invites for stage 2 applications sent: Early October 2020
• Deadline for Stage 2 applications: 11th December 2020
• Funding starts: May 2021

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST AND FURTHER GUIDANCE

Details of Expression of Interest, application guidance and priorities are available now – before the application window is open.

PRE-APPLICATION INFORMATION SESSIONS

Pre-application information sessions in July and August.

All information and details are available at: https://www.comicrelief.com/funding/funding-opportunities/change-makers/

Voluntary Action Leeds