In a welcome move, the new Energy Bill Relief Scheme cutting energy prices for businesses, and public-sector organisations such as schools and hospitals will include charities. The scheme will run for six months covering energy used from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023.There will be a review in 3 months’ time to consider extending support to ‘the most vulnerable non-domestic customers’. More details on the scheme are available here

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With the cost of living crisis a growing concern to individuals, families, communities and charities, a number of charities are seeking to collect evidence and insight into the problems people are facing. The Cost of Living Alliance is a coalition of over 70 organisations working together to demonstrate the impacts of rising costs of living for people in the UK. It is collecting stories from organisations that hear first-hand how much people are struggling because of the crisis. 

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The Charity Commission highlights the first set of changes introduced by the new Charities Act 2022 will come into force this autumn.  These include:

  • a new power that trustees can use to be paid for providing goods to the charity
  • a new power to enable trustees to process certain ‘ex gratia’ payments – where they reasonably feel a moral obligation – without coming to the Commission (financial thresholds will apply).
  • where fundraising appeals do not raise enough money, or too much, simpler and more proportionate rules will apply. 

Other provisions included in the Act will make it more straightforward for charities to change their governing documents, grant more flexibility in using ‘permanent endowment funds’ and allow greater flexibility around the advice needed when selling land. These will come into force next year. See Charities Act 2022: information about the changes being introduced.

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Our funding rounds in 2022 will be held in March, June, September and November. The deadline dates for applications are:

  • 08 February 2022
  • 17 May 2022
  • 11 August 2022
  • 25 October 2022

If you are thinking of applying please read the information on the Apply for Funding page then use the form on the Contact Us page.

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We recently awarded a small grant to the Little Woodhouse Community Association to fund the making of a video about a street art project they were undertaking.

The Street Art mural was completed a couple of weeks ago on the south facing wall of footbridge between Woodhouse Square and Great George Street in Leeds.  This film was commissioned with the aim of understanding why people tag and the difference between graffiti tagging and Street Art:  

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A new report produced by Voluntary Action Leeds on behalf of West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership  “Third sector resilience in WY & Harrogate: before and during Covid-19” has been published today. More than 300 Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations delivering services in West Yorkshire and Harrogate (WY&H) completed a survey in April and May 2020, representing the diversity and breadth of the Third Sector and the intrinsic contribution they make to the health and well-being of the population and reducing health inequalities. The findings from the survey capture and reflect the impact of COVID-19 on the sector.  

To read the report and it’s recommendations go to:  https://www.wyhpartnership.co.uk/download_file/view/2255/639

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We understand that during the coronavirus pandemic our present grantees may need to pause activities or re-purpose their grants. Please contact us to make us aware of this.  As for new applicants we will continue to accept applications under our usual criteria but in part due to the effect on the Foundation’s income we have reduced our maximum grant amount to £2,500 for the foreseeable future.

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The Wharfedale Foundation is a member of the Yorkshire Funders Forum (YFF).  Formed last year from the Yorkshire Grant Makers’ Forum and the Yorkshire & Humber Funders’ Forum, the YFF enables local funding organisations to be better connected and informed in order to boost their impact on Yorkshire people and places. 

This week the Forum’s roundtable met in Leeds and heard presentations by Neil Green from The Charity Commission and Natasha of the Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF).  

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Iain Cloke was one of two new trustees appointed to the board at last week’s trustee meeting.  Iain is a community development worker based in South Yorkshire. He has a background in voluntary, community and faiths sector infrastructure and is currently leading a later life engagement strategy with Age UK Rotherham. Iain is an experienced charity trustee and has volunteered and led local community and faith based responses to poverty and social exclusion for over 30 years.

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