Round Two Grantees Covid 19 Response Fund Small Grants

Rosa is proud to announce the second round of specialist women’s organisations who will receive grants from our COVID-19 RESPONSE FUND (SMALL GRANTS). This fund aims to support the immediate needs of specialist women’s organisations who often miss out on funding to more mainstream and gender-neutral organisations. The following 23 organisations were awarded grants totalling £201,382.

Diaspora African Women’s Support Network inspires women to nurture, lead and excel. The team focuses on supporting women and girls from Black and other minoritised groups from disadvantaged backgrounds in Scotland. The grant will fund training through webinars and Zoom, for Black and minoritised women at the fringes of the labour market, around the concepts of personal financial literacy. Find them on Facebook.

In Liverpool, Granby Somali Women’s Group works to remove the barriers preventing Somali and other minoritised communities from accessing public services, jobs, health and education. Equipping women with knowledge to beat the cycle of inequality is central to their work. Funding will help to increase the hours of support that can be offered to the women they support. Join them on Facebook, and visit the website.

Since 2012, Inspiring Futures Partnership CIC (Inspire Women Oldham) has been creating an empowering, nurturing space for women to build self-confidence and independence. Demand has surged since Covid-19, and this grant will enable the team to meet the needs of its community by funding staffing, general running and communications costs. Follow on Twitter, and visit the website.

Whether in prison or living in communities, Positive Changes Scotland (CIC) helps women who have touched the Scottish criminal justice system and are choosing to make positive changes. Funding will contribute to the founder/directors salary in order to secure their short-term survival during Covid-19, and enable them to purchase 20 Kindle devices to increase women’s confidence using technology.

From Liverpool, 4Wings Northwest provides a safe space for marginalised women who have experienced trauma and domestic abuse. The team hosts coaching and creative workshops that encourage cultural exchange and improve women’s language skills and self esteem. This grant will fund staff costs, and technology to enable beneficiaries to participate in resilience sessions via zoom. Follow on Twitter, and visit the website.

Mentoring organisation Ashdon Jazz Academy supports vulnerable young women aged 11-21 with weekly drop-ins and group discussions, all with the aim of building young women’s resilience to overcome issues like bullying, family breakdown and school exclusion. Funding will mitigate for loss of income due to Covid-19 and enable the organisation to increase its support offering. Follow on Twitter, and visit the website.

The Community Network Group CIC is a user-led Farsi-speaking women’s organisation supporting migrant women in Finchley and Ealing. CNG offers advice on immigration, welfare and housing, cultural programmes, English language courses and lots more. Funding will cover new resources and enable the team to learn more about redesigning their services post-pandemic. Find them on Facebook.

The team at Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales offers online support and advocacy to help Welsh women to access gold-standard treatment for a range of ‘invisible’ chronic conditions like endometriosis. This grant will help to cover funding loss due to cancelled workshops and awareness raising events, and extend the contract of their Engagement and Administrative Officer. Follow FTWW on Twitter, and visit the website.

International Women’s Association Doncaster improves the lives of women in its communities by providing education, training, employment and community development. Funding will help IWAD to directly support Black and minoritised women who are facing financial hardship due to Covid-19. Join them on Facebook.

The team at Saffron Sheffield provides free psychotherapy for women in Sheffield who are suffering complex post traumatic stress after experiencing abuse. They work holistically with women to treat their trauma, and to reduce their risk of repeated victimisation. This grant will fund 180 hours of therapy for women experiencing trauma and who have complex mental health needs. Follow on Twitter, and visit the site.

Tassibee provides a holistic service to transform the lives of Black and minoritised women in Rotherham through training, volunteering, personal development, social activities and advocacy. This grant will cover the Chief Executive’s salary, enabling her to spend time maintaining phone contact with isolated BAME women who are unable to access services at the women’s centre. Follow on Twitter.

Empowering peer support for women with maternal mental health problems is central to Happy Mums Foundation. The team is increasing access to safe spaces for women to receive peer-led support and to advance understanding of maternal mental health in Carlisle and North Cumbria. Funding will contribute to staff salary and purchase online training software. Follow on Twitter, and visit the website.

The Hull Lighthouse Project offers one-to-one support, outreach and long-term practical help to women at risk of involved in prostitution – the number of which has risen during Covid-19 due to extreme financial hardship. The grant will pay for additional rental and utilities costs in new premises, which are now unsuitable for the required increase in provision of support.

Since 1984, Turkish Cypriot Women’s Project has been supporting vulnerable Turkish-speaking women aged between 24-89 in London, providing advice and advocacy in housing, homelessness, social welfare, and law. This grant will fund a comprehensive service to Turkish-speaking women to assist with the impact of Covid-19 providing support via email, telephone and eventually in-person. Browse the website.

From its hub in Hackney, Teen Action provides culturally appropriate support with transitions, education and skills development to disadvantaged young women from the Orthodox Jewish communities. The grant will help Teen Action transition its educational and skills development activities into a remote offering during Covid-19.

Social enterprise Women After Greatness is on a mission to equip marginalised young women and girls in East London will the skills to conquer negative experiences. The team does this through education, training, and wellbeing programmes and services with a focus on Black and other minoritised aged 14-30. The grant will be used to pay for the costs of staff, volunteers, IT & materials to enable the group to run a writing and wellbeing project.

In Scotland, Argyll and Bute Rape Crisis provides free, confidential support and advocacy to survivors of sexual violence, via its helpline at 0800 121 4685. This grant will enable increased support to deal with survivors’ ongoing (and newly triggered) issues, and help to reduce the impact of social isolation on their wellbeing. Follow on Twitter, and visit the website.

Empowerment platform Girldreamer supports millennial and Gen-Z women of colour to develop personally and professionally, and builds access and representation for one of the most marginalised groups in society. This grant will employ additional staff to respond to the increased demand from women of colour requiring support. Follow on Twitter, and visit the website.

In West Norfolk, Pandora Project supports women and children affected by domestic abuse with one-to-ones and group programmes, safety plans, and help with housing. The team also offers training to professionals to raise awareness of domestic abuse in communities. This grant will purchase 20 laptops, PPE and health and safety adaptations to the premises. Follow on Twitter, and visit the website.

Ipswich-based Phoebe helps women fleeing violence to find safety and regularise their immigration status, with specialist family law legal advice surgeries and immigration advice. Funding will cover support sessions in self esteem, and work with the Suffolk Probation Department to create safe spaces for women to meet. Visit the website.

Sunbeams London addresses a need for multi-disciplinary early mental health intervention for girls and young women struggling with pre-diagnosed and early onset mental ill health – the team is currently working with 150 vulnerable Jewish Orthodox girls in London. Funding will cover increased hours for the project coordinator and clinical supervision to support 25 new girls.

Torbay Women’s Circle delivers creative, practical and motivational workshops to women who are isolated, vulnerable, abused, culturally controlled, and in substance and dependency recovery. Funding will help the team to extend its existing provision of advice, information and support to reach a range of marginalised women. Join them on Facebook.

Trauma-informed women’s organisation Wight DASH is open to all women but focuses specifically on those with experience of severe and multiple deprivation. Activities range from assertiveness workshops to sewing classes, psycho-educational programmes and one-to-one support. The grant will fund a Recovery Worker to deliver direct work via phone, online or in an outdoor space. Follow on Twitter, and visit the website.