Helen Wray details how Foundation Scotland has responded to Covid-19 this year, and reveals the lessons that will be taken into the future
We could see the crisis coming. As Scotland’s only community foundation, we knew that charities and grassroots groups would be turning to us. We understood we had to be able to quickly distribute emergency funding to meet the immediate needs of the most vulnerable.
The National Emergencies Trust (NET) were already in discussions with Foundation Scotland to be their lead partner in Scotland. Our expertise, experience, and local knowledge of Scotland’s diverse and thriving communities made us their natural choice. Together we could be ready to respond to any domestic disaster that might trigger a fundraising response and require funding distribution; be that potential flooding or terrorist acts. Little did we know that within weeks we’d be helping to tackle the effects of a pandemic together.
Across our 25-year history, we have witnessed first-hand the sector's incredible potential and capacity at a local level. Yet, we’ve been amazed at how quickly the community responded and mobilised to this life-changing pandemic. We knew we had to be able to support and enable them at a similar pace.
Our dedicated Response, Recovery and Resilience fund was the first source of community funding to open in Scotland. We worked relentlessly to meet demand, we delivered on our 72-hour turnaround promise, and we quickly reached those that needed us most. In just 12 days we had already awarded over £1 Million in grants. By September, our support had reached over one million people. By October, we had assessed more applications through the crisis than through the entirety of the previous year.
We challenged ourselves internally so that we could deliver the support communities truly needed. In addition to NET we managed significant donations from other organisations including Scottish Gas Networks, Rockstar and Queensberry Trust. We also ensured all other funding programmes remained open and continued to coordinate more than 50 community benefit funds nationally. We maintained our understanding and flexible approach with applicants; flexing criteria so that funds would be redirected to meet immediate priorities, setting no pressurised deadlines, and allowing multiple applications.
Incredible infrastructure and successful new networks have emerged through this crisis, for the groups delivering on the ground but also within the funding landscape. The Scottish Emergency Funding Advisory Board (SEFAB) brings together Scotland’s key funders to discuss, collaborate, share learnings and plan ahead. We aim to collectively ensure that as a sector, we deliver funding to meet all the recognised priority needs. We chair this group, with input from the Scottish Government, SCVO and key groups such as the Red Cross, Third Sector Interfaces and the Scottish Refugee Council.
Looking to the future, we recognise 2021 will be a turbulent year. This crisis will have a long-term impact on the sector; unprecedented demand for services will continue with unparalleled funding demand. However, we know the capabilities exist, and so we remain engaged and positive. We will continue to search for new funding partners, so we continue to enable. We have moved our fund to the Resilience phase this month. While we will continue to provide emergency support for those who need it, we are prioritising support for long-term planning, helping to encourage sustainability, despite the continued uncertainty.
Helen Wray is head of programmes at Foundation Scotland
