Supplementary Grants in aid of COVID recovery

The Alexander Fund is offering additional grants of up to £1,000 to Districts and Scout Groups in Lambeth and Wandsworth to assist them in recovering from the impact of COVID 19 since the start of the pandemic and first lockdown in March 2020.

Districts and Groups should submit applications in writing to the Trustees - by 31st January 2022 at the latest - with full details of the costs incurred, or money still required, to recover from the effects of the pandemic.

An indicative list of the costs which the Trustees are prepared to consider is set out in the Appendix. Groups should not be limited to this as long as the issues they are facing and the consequences for their continuing viability, future operation and scouting activities are clearly explained and the case for financial support is justified. Special application forms can be downloaded from the Alexander Fund Website. They should be countersigned by the appropriate Group Scout Leader or District Commissioner or Treasurer, scanned or forwarded by post to the Administrator. All applications will be acknowledged.

There is no limit on the number of applications that can be made by a Group before the closing date. However, Groups should if possible consolidate into a single document simultaneous requests for assistance from different sections. The true cost to the District or Group of the pandemic should always be quoted even if this exceeds the £1,000 per Group aggregate grant limit currently on offer from the Fund.

The Trustees will take into account everything which is submitted to them in support of each application but their decision will be final and not subject to appeal.

Grants will be considered at meetings of the Trustees to be held in October and December 2021 and March 2022. Groups will be notified if their application has been successful, or more information is required, as soon as possible after each meeting.

Groups will be expected to note in their annual report and accounts how any supplementary grants have been spent. To comply with their fiduciary duties and ensure equity, Trustees reserve the right subsequently to carry out spot checks of Group accounts.

Please note that Groups should continue to apply to the Administrator for grants towards scouting activities traditionally supported by the Alexander Fund in the usual way following procedures and using the standard forms available to download from the Website.

The scale of grants under the normal Alexander Fund programme will not be affected nor discounted against any grants awarded under the supplementary COVID recovery grants scheme

Indicative List of issues which could be used to justify grant applications

• Campaign costs for recruiting new Adult Volunteers, including funding for external resources, hall hire, admin, reference and other checks, marketing & publicity

• Funding for additional PPE / Infection Control kit or facilities required or advisable for any face to face/close contact meetings

• Replacing essential kit – pens, balls, paints etc that may have perished during lockdown or where additional items are required due to COVID19 restrictions

• Administration and Communication support – e.g. for printing risk assessments, postage of resources to sections and other similar

• Grants for families struggling financially due to the pandemic to enable purchase of uniforms or other necessary kit, badges etc

• Venue hire – short-term assistance to enable/bring forward a restart of meetings if groups have had to find new venues/start new partnership agreements/ enter into new tenancies etc.