The government has opened the final round of grants from the Tampon Tax Fund to bids from charities that help women.
Since 1 January 2021 there has been no tax on period products, which means the fund’s source of income has ended.
The fund was announced in 2015 when the then chancellor George Osborne promised to use the £15m a year raised from tax on women’s sanitary products to fund women’s health and support charities.
This move had followed increasing pressure to scrap the tax. However, the government said at the time that European Union rules prevented it from abolishing the tax altogether.
By the time this latest round has been distributed charities will have received £90m in funding.
Threshold lowered
For its final round the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has lowered the threshold for applications from £1m to £350,000.
Charities working to end violence against women and girls, as well as organisations that support a network of charities, will have a priority in the funding round.
Baroness Barran, minister for civil society, said: “We remain as committed as ever to ending violence against women and girls which is why this category is a priority for this round of funding, and we will continue to tackle the issue as a priority.”
The government said it is particularly encouraging applications from specialist women’s networks whose projects include making onward grants to other women’s charitable organisations.
Grants may be for 12 or 18-month projects, but all activities must be concluded and funds spent by 31 March 2023.
The deadline for applications is Sunday 4 July 2021. More details for applicants are available on DCMS's website.
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