Latest figures from the Lancashire Women’s Fund show the real need to support community projects working to benefit women and girls across our region.
Earlier this year the Community Foundation for Lancashire (CFL) announced the launch of the new Lancashire Women’s fund after its national membership body, UK Community Foundations (UKCF), secured a record £3.4 million award from the DCMS Tampon Tax Scheme.
The Community Foundation for Lancashire received approximately £70,000 from this allocation to enable the launch of the new Lancashire Women’s Fund and ultimately aims to raise £1 million to help support local women.
Launched in September, the fund invited applications for grants between £5,000 and £10,000 to support community projects that help benefit women and girls across Lancashire. But a high number of requests means that many applicants inevitably face the prospect of being disappointed.
The fund was significantly oversubscribed with bids of over £401,000 for a pot worth £70,000.
Chief Executive for the Community Foundation for Lancashire, Rae Brooke, said: “In response to the first round of funding available to women’s projects through the Lancashire Women’s Fund, the Community Foundation for Lancashire have received an overwhelming response from applicants, being five times greater than the current budget available.”
“This demonstrates the real need for this fund and reinforces how by coming together we can achieve so much more. Donations now towards the Lancashire Women’s Fund will have an immediate positive impact benefiting the lives of women and girls for years to come.”
Karen Morris, Development Director at Community Foundation for Lancashire, echoed Rae’s thoughts, saying: “Each application will now be thoroughly checked and assessed by our programmes team. Our expert panel will then have the difficult task of choosing to fund those projects that they believe will have the greatest impact.”
“In order to achieve the ambitions and needs of women and girls in Lancashire, we encourage more philanthropists, organisations and individuals to get behind this fund and commit their support.”
The panel will sit on December 17th, any donations prior to this will help us support more groups.
To donate or for more information visit http://lancsfoundation.org.uk/womensfund
