This multi-million fund was opened to respond to the cost of living crisis faced by women in the UK.

The National Lottery Community Fund has provided £2.2 million for Round Two of this funding, which will be administered by the Smallwood Trust. The Trust is a specialist funder for UK women’s organisations with 136 years of experience tackling gendered poverty.

This Round will award three-year grants of between £15,000 and £60,000 to enable around 35 women’s-led community organisations to respond to the increase in demand for urgent and basic needs from women in England who are most at risk of poverty due to the crisis.

The funding can be used to pay for salaries, running costs/overheads, provision of services and goods to women, equipment, and other organisational costs.

Applications should be from organisations based in England, delivering frontline services led by, for and/or serving women and with a turnover of less than £1,000,000.

Priority will be given to organisations and/or services supporting the following groups:

• Women experiencing racial inequality
• Disabled women
• Women with No Recourse to Public Funds
• Women that are the sole parent to children under 18 years
• LGBTQ+ communities experiencing financial insecurity.

The fund aims to commit at least 50% of grants to projects that support women experiencing racial inequality and/or disabled women.

Applications are encouraged from eligible smaller organisations that fall within the Fund criteria and Smallwood’s mission on gendered poverty.

A ‘How to Apply’ webinar to support applicants to understand whether this is the right opportunity for them, and answer any questions that have not been covered in the guidance notes is taking place on Thursday 13 June, 11am – 12pm. Register here.

Expressions of interest should be submitted by 5pm on the 21 June 2024.

For full application guidance and information, visit Smallwood Trust Women’s Urgent Support Fund webpage.