The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) has announced a new round of funding under the Reducing Veteran Homelessness (RVH) Programme in a bid to deliver further sustainable, supported housing options for veterans in need.
The Trust is
delivering this important programme on behalf of the Office of Veterans’
Affairs (OVA) in support of the government’s ambition to end veteran
homelessness and ensure veterans have access to the support they need,
including housing.
Current
findings from the RVH programme
Following on
from the initial awards made in July 2023, the Trust commissioned Alma
Economics to consult with key stakeholders in the housing sector, including
those awarded funds in the first round. Key recommendations from this
consultation include:
·
A
need for increased support for veterans with acute, complex or multiple support
needs.
·
Promoting
a needs-based approach to support provision.
·
Addressing
bottlenecks across the lifecycle of support provision.
·
A
focus on partnership working.
Both the RVH interim programme evaluation report and the summary of consultation findings are available to read on the Trust’s
website.
Further
funding available
Under this new
round of the RVH programme, charities, local authorities and registered social
housing providers can apply for up to £300,000 towards a project delivered for
up to nine months.
There is also
an opportunity for organisations to apply for an enhanced award of up to a
further £200,000 where that work will fill a significant level of unmet need.
What applicants
will need to show
Projects should
improve the capacity of services in supported housing to better help veterans
with a range of different needs. Full details of the programme priorities are mapped
out in a Programme Guidance document available on the Trust’s website.
Op Fortitude
Funded projects
will need to work with Op Fortitude, a UK wide referral pathway supporting
homeless veterans or veterans at risk of homelessness, into housing.
Find out
more
Want to know
more about applying to the RVH programme? Full details are available at: www.covenantfund.org.uk
Application
deadline is noon, 31 March 2025.