
Scottish Government’s Winter Support Package Funding Announcement
8th December 2020
We are delighted to have been awarded funding of £100k from the Scottish Government’s Winter Support Package, that we can share with our members delivering local befriending projects in Scotland. Befriending services have been a crucial part of the third sector response to Covid-19 but funding and limited resources have remained a key challenge, in meeting the needs of the many people referred, so it is great to see that the Minister for Older People and Equalities, Christina McKelvie, has prioritised social isolation and loneliness as part of its wider support for communities. This funding would be to increase active matches during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, that tackle social isolation and loneliness.
The application process will open 5th January 2021 and would invite Befriending Networks Scottish members to apply for a grant of between £2k – £5K, full details of the criteria and application form will be available on the website that day. Applications will close at 12noon on the 18th January. We appreciate that this is a tight turn around but the application will be no more than 2 sides of A4 and will be straightforward. Successful applicants will receive funding by the end of January 2021.
This funding could be used to increase befriending coordinators workings hours, cover additional volunteer expenses or provide digital devices that enable matches to go ahead at a distance. All funded organisations would be required to complete a short report back on the impact of the funding and provide case studies during April 2021, to enable Befriending Networks to report back to the Scottish Government on the impact of the fund.