£26m to help small charities in Wales

Thousands of small charities within the retail, leisure and hospitality sector will receive a £10,000 business support grant to help them respond to the financial challenges of Covid-19, the Welsh Government has announced.

This new £26m package – an extension to the existing Covid-19 grants scheme announced last month – will support an additional 2,600 properties with a rateable value of £12,000 or below. This includes charity run shops, sports premises and community centres which, until now, have not been eligible for this type of support.

Finance Minister, Rebecca Evans said:

“We recognise and applaud the huge contribution charities make to the wellbeing of Wales, its people and communities.

“The package of support I am announcing today will provide this sector with the vital funds they need to help them deal with the financial pressures they are facing as a result of the coronavirus crisis.”

Ken Skates, Economy, Transport and North Wales Minister, said:

“Our response to this crisis has been guided by the need to help individuals and organisations from across Welsh society, including the most vulnerable. Charities play a crucial role in this and the support we’re announcing today will help them continue with their vital work. It also reflects their importance to our economy, their significance to our society, and their value for our communities.

“As a government, we have already provided more than half a billion pounds in relief grants to more than 45,000 small businesses in Wales and more will benefit in the coming days and weeks.”

This new funding is another example of the Welsh Government’s commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in society and supporting those at the heart of Wales’ foundational economy.

The Development Bank of Wales has already approved 1,142 loans, predominately in the SME sector, safeguarding 11,800 jobs at a cost of over £69 million. Alongside this the Economic Resilience Fund has provided discretionary grants to thousands of micro-enterprises or SME businesses – delivering real money to real businesses!