Two new donors to support the GFCF

The Big Lottery Fund is a UK based organization that awards funds from the National Lottery to good causes throughout the UK and overseas. £175,917 has been awarded to the GFCF as part of a £2 million commitment to support the long term recovery of Nepal following the spring 2015 earthquakes. The two year grant sees the GFCF working with long-term partner Tewa to strengthen earthquake affected communities using community philanthropy and asset-based community development. An additional objective is to improve the evidence base for community philanthropy’s role in disaster recovery. The project includes a small grants programme to invest in women and girls and a psycho-social support programme that encourages young people to participate in community development activities.

Additionally, the Open Society Initiative for Europe (OSIFE), part of the Open Society Foundations, has just announced a grant of $303,000 to the GFCF for a two year small grants and learning programme, aiming to explore and support community philanthropy’s role in responding to the migrant and refugee situation in Europe. This work builds from a GFCF convening on the topic held in January 2016, which was also supported by OSIFE. OSIFE aims to contribute to more vibrant and legitimate democracies in the European Union by supporting the activists and civil society organizations confronting Europe’s many challenges.