Latest quarterly grants sees AJC distribute almost £1m to local charities over 2023

The Association of Jersey Charities (AJC) distributed more than £225,000 in grants to local charities in the final quarter of 2023, once again supporting a broad range of community initiatives.

Following the latest meeting of its Grants Committee in December, a total of £228,167 was awarded by the AJC as part of its Q4 2023 tranche of grants, meaning that over the course of 2023 as a whole, the AJC has distributed a total of £957,564 to local charities.

The latest quarterly distribution includes grants totaling £77,133 from profits from the Channel Islands Lottery to:

• £30,000 to Age Concern Jersey, to support the costs of a mini-bus driver and ancillary running costs
• £5,000 to Caring Cooks of Jersey Limited, to support the cost of the 2023 Winter “Food or Fuel” campaign
• £6,631 to Family Nursing & Home Care, to support the cost of purchasing, implementing and training associated with an HR Management System
• £27,702 to Jersey Action Against Rape, to support the costs of three Sessional Counsellors
• £7,800 to JSPCA Animals’ Shelter, to support the purchase of replacement veterinary equipment

In addition, a further £57,702 was awarded through conditional grants to charities where additional criteria or specific conditions need to be met, whilst a further £93,332 was distributed from private donations.

Commenting on the latest round of grants, Beth Gallichan, CEO, AJC said:

“As our recent members survey showed, the environment for local charities remains hugely challenging. They are seeing a spike in demand from people who are relying on them more than ever, but at the same time are having to come to terms with rising operating costs and real pressures on fundraisjng.

“This puts into perspective just how important grant distribution is. The fact that we have been able to distribute approaching £1m over the course of last year to a broad range of charities, spanning conservation, health, social, youth and disability, has been vital in enabling charities to deliver critical services in the local community. The AJC is pleased to play its part in supporting charities that continue to deliver critical services to local people.”

Tracey Le Brocq, CEO of one of the recipients in the latest round of grants, JAAR, added:

“JAAR is absolutely delighted to receive a grant from the Association of Jersey Charities. This generous donation will fund the salaries of three Sessional Counsellors and will support the delivery of our fundamental objective; to provide quality one-to-one empathetic, non-judgemental counselling to help female and male survivors, and their friends and family, cope with and recover from the trauma of rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and childhood sexual abuse.

“JAAR is incredibly grateful for the kind and continued support of the Association of Jersey Charities and Channel Islands lottery which will make a real difference to the lives of survivors in Jersey.”

The AJC’s Grants Committee, which is made up of Officers of the Association and independent panel members. will next meet on 12 March 2024, with a deadline of 20 February for grant applications. Grants are open to all Jersey-registered charities, and further information is available here.