The Isla Foundation: Immediate Impact Grants

Overview

These grants are made to be available within short notice to ensure they can respond rapidly to unexpected events, urgent needs or just a great idea that cannot wait to be implemented!

What do they fund?

Examples of projects include (but are not limited to) improving community spaces, encouraging social cohesion through sport, art, community activities, or promoting education, the environment or health in the local community. Grants can also be used to test an idea through a pilot.

They need to match at least one of the following criteria:

• Work led by communities who have /have had direct experience of the issues at hand.
• Projects defined and implemented by the communities they are serving.
• Projects in need of small amounts of additional funding to transform new ideas into successful initiatives.
• Community heroes – if you, or someone you know, has played a pivotal role in a community response to the pandemic, or led efforts to make their community more inclusive, safe or welcoming.

Other things to note:

• At least part of the grant must be used within the first month of the fund transfer.
• These grants will only be awarded to individuals or organisations living or working in the communities mentioned in the application.

If you think of other projects that benefit your community, do not hesitate to reach out before applying.

NB Community: A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, town, or neighbourhood) or in virtual space through communication platforms

Who can apply?

• Any individual or organisation who requires a grant to address an urgent need or wants to implement a project with a quick impact.
• Individuals with, if possible, a track record of working for their community in one form or another (we will ask for a few references where applicable)
• Community groups (we would prefer if you can work with another organisation, but if you want to send through an application then please note that we will need a three months’ bank statement as well as social media handles)
• Small and medium-sized user-led* organisations (with an annual income of at least £75,000)
• Other medium-sized organisations (minimum annual income of £250,000)
• Location – need to work and use the funds in the UK

NB *User-led organisations are considered to be those “where the people the organisation represents, or provides a service to, have a majority on the management committee or board, and where there is clear accountability to members and/or service users.”(Morris, 2006)

What they fund

You can use the funds for:

• Capital costs (such as building and land improvements)
• Staff costs
• Activities
• Equipment
• Other core costs needed to support the project
• One time events if they understand their wider play in the project’s aim

They want to fund projects that can create narratives that:

• Look at the stories emerging from the pandemic, to find out who, or what, needs to be focussed on more
• Explore new kinds of relationships that have formed in response to COVID-19
• Show what is most important to communities
• Help inspire community togetherness after the pandemic
• Show where new kinds of infrastructure are being created, and why it’s valuable

Further Information and support

See their FAQs here

See previous grants here