Voluntary organisations will be able to tap a €125,000 financial aid fund to help make it through the COVID-19 pandemic.  

On Friday Finance Minister Edward Scicluna announced that applications for the fund had gone live on the government website.  

This, he said, had followed consultation with groups in the voluntary sector who, he said, had been hit especially hard by the crisis.

“These are organisations that have either had to stop operations, or else been severely compromised when it comes to raising funds. And yet they operate in sectors that are so important to the community,” Scicluna said. 

Noel Camilleri, who heads the council for voluntary organisations, said each organisation would be able to apply for a maximum of €5,000.  

All applications would be treated on the merits of each case, and those facing a critical situation would be given priority. 

Voluntary Organisations Parliamentary Secretary Clifton Grima said the government had immediately acknowledged the need to support NGOs at this difficult time for the country. It was not willing to allow them to disband because of the harsh economic realities of the pandemic, he said.