The National Lottery Community Fund (TNLCF) Scotland has released an update on their activities and support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Contacting TNLCF

Email is currently the best way to keep in touch with TNLCF Scotland’s teams; most also have mobiles, and most landline extensions are being forwarded to these.

Those with a regular contact at the fund are advised to keep in touch with that person, who will be best placed to answer queries.

Otherwise, please contact the teams by the main reception and advice line: 0141 846 0447, or email: advicescotland@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk

Funding to Respond to COVID-19

Over the next 6 months, TNLCF Scotland will prioritise COVID-19 related applications through all their main funds. They will try to respond to these applications as quickly as possible in order to get money where it is needed, and hope this will be several weeks instead of several months.

The teams will prioritise applications from organisations that:

will support people at high risk
will see an increased demand in this period
that have high potential to support communities with the impact of COVID-19

They may consider supporting responses to COVID-19 even if the work would not typically meet the funding criteria for TNLCF Scotland grants, and encourage potential applicants to discuss such ideas with them via the contact details above.

Groups that have already received an “Awards for All Scotland” grant (or have had in the last 12 months) will be able to apply for a further grant if it is to help respond to COVID-19; further information on this change (and others) can be found on the Awards for All Scotland page.

Groups are still welcome to submit an application that is not related to COVID-19 to any of TNLCF Scotland’s funds; however, there is likely to be greater competition for funding, and it may take the teams longer than normal to respond.

Support for Grantholders

TNLCF Scotland has spoken to or emailed all their grantholders to inform them that:

TNLCF Scotland accepts that they might not be able to deliver the work they were funded for
TNLCF Scotland will not withdraw funding or expect repayments for curtailed activity, and accept that grantholders will use the funds for legitimate costs within their organisation, or repurpose them to help respond the crisis in their community

They have offered support around extending, increasing, or repurposing grants where needed, and offered additional funding where other income (e.g. match funding, fundraising, trading or contracts) will be lost, or where cashflow is an issue.

This support will be prioritised using the same criteria mentioned in the previous section.

What Regular Funding is Available Now, And in the Future

All current funds will remain open for the foreseeable future. Although COVID-19 responses will be prioritised, other applications for all grants will be accepted. Again, there is likely to be more competition for this funding, and TNLCF Scotland’s teams may take longer than normal to respond.

TNLCF Scotland were due to close their main medium and large grant funds this year, and develop new funds for 2021. This has now been delayed this by at least 6 months, with firmer dates confirmed in due course.

For further information, please contact the main reception and advice line: 0141 846 0447, or email: advicescotland@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk

Alternatively, visit the TNLCF Scotland website.