Statement from the Jersey Funders Group

The Jersey Funders Group (JFG) is a forum for representatives of the main grant-giving charities in Jersey. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, its members are working collaboratively to ensure that:

• Charities needing financial support only have to make one application for funding which will be shared among the Group;
• The resources which are available (being private and other funds set aside by the individual member organisations) are distributed fairly between the charities in most urgent need;
• Duplication of funding is avoided to the greatest possible extent.

To date, the JFG has received 34 applications requesting funds to an aggregate value of £335,955 of which £95,260 has already been distributed and a further £117,495 is being processed this week.  

JFG is very much aware that almost all charities are currently affected by the COVID-19 situation.  Many will have had their fundraising activities curtailed or cancelled whilst others are unable to provide their regular services due to social distancing and self-isolation restrictions imposed on staff, volunteers and clients.  Many charities will see an increased demand for their services in the face of reduced income and higher operating costs. Some will be draining precious cash reserves just to keep afloat.  

In response, JFG members have relaxed their grant application conditions so that approved grants are available to be used in response to the Coronavirus emergency.  The majority of members have guaranteed that all future grant commitments will be honoured and that instalments scheduled over the next three years may be accelerated on request.  Where individual JFG member organisations are unable to fund their normal grant commitments short term, the JFG is looking at affected charities on a case by case basis and, where possible, covering the short-term need.

However, the amount of funding which JFG (and Government) can provide is not unlimited and must be applied in the most effective way.  Hastily responding to all funding requests before the full implications of the emergency are known may not be prudent, so JFG has identified three stages in its response to the crisis:

Jersey Funders Group media statement contd/…

At this time, JFG is only funding emergency requests from those organisations delivering vital services which mitigate the effects of COVID 19.  It is also requiring that organisations seeking funds for existing regular services collaborate with each other to make best use of current facilities and resources before receiving further funding.  All of its members are reserving funding so that resources are available for later distribution to those essential charities whose income and activities have suffered the most and are in recovery phase. 

We know that some groups will not be able to access our funding over the coming months and we will endeavour to return to broader support as soon as we can. The situation is continuously changing and we will keep our approach under constant review.

JFG has some difficult decisions to take. It will do everything it can to ensure those decisions are taken in the best interests of the charity sector, the community and the Island as a whole.

Charities are encouraged to contact the JFG to discuss their eligibility for emergency funding as well as setting out their future financial needs at jerseyfunders@gmail.com

Participating funders in JFG are:

• Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy.
• Association of Jersey Charities.
• Bosdet Foundation.
• Jersey Overseas Aid.
• Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands.
• Philip Gower Charitable Foundation.
• Roy Overland Charitable Trust.
• Saltgate Giving.
• The Ann Alice Rayner Fund.
• The Greville Bathe Fund.
• The One Foundation.
• The Sir James Knott Trust.