Nationwide makes available £3.2M for disadvantaged groups

The Nationwide Foundation has made available £3.2 million to help tackle the issues of housing and financial exclusion amongst disadvantaged groups. The Foundation, a registered charity set up and funded by the Society is today launching two new grant programmes and an investor programme. Money, homes and family matters are the focus of the programmes and the Foundation will make grants to charities that:

Tackle financial exclusion, affecting disadvantaged groups across the UK;
Address housing issues and homelessness among vulnerable groups in the UK.

The Foundation will offer, through its Investor Programme, three year grants of up to £300,000 to registered charities with incomes not exceeding £10 million. The Investor Programme is open to receive applications from 1 April until 31 May 2009. In addition, through the Small Grants Programme, grants of up to £5,000 to registered charities with incomes of under £500,000 will be made available.

The programmes have been designed to fund charities that offer financial and/or housing related support to -

Survivors of domestic abuse

Older people who are one of the following:
Aged 70 years and older;
Aged 50 years and older who have dementia;
Aged 50 years and older from black and minority ethnic groups;
Aged 50 years and older who are carers for family members or partners who are also 50 years and older;
Aged 50 years and older who have experienced or are experiencing financial abuse;
Aged 50 years and older who are rurally isolated.

Lisa Parker, chief executive of The Nationwide Foundation, says: "As the economic situation continues to worsen, we feel it is important to launch a new grants programme that will help charities tackle the problems faced by people across the UK. Without financial education many people will not know how to survive the current harsh economic realities, which is why we are paying particular attention to the minority groups who are most vulnerable and most in need.

"For instance, we have discovered that one in three women accessing domestic violence services do not have a bank account and many studies have shown that there are very few housing schemes designed for the black, minority and ethnic communities. We have therefore designed our new grants programme to support the charities that look after these groups and provide a much needed resource."

Omar Khan, of the Runnymeade Trust, says: "In the current economic climate, there is understandable concern that an increasing number of people will struggle to pay their bills and make ends meet. At the same time, there is a significant population who are already at risk of financial exclusion and have poor access to bank accounts, credit, savings, insurance and financial advice. In this context, the Nationwide Foundation's announcement to fund important research and practical projects to tackle financial exclusion among disadvantaged groups is particularly significant and will contribute to greater financial inclusion for vulnerable people in the UK."

Charities wishing to apply for funding from The Nationwide Foundation should visit nationwidefoundation.co.uk