VÚB Foundation gives €315,000 to families

As part of its For Hope programme, the VÚB Foundation is lending a helping hand to families caring for children with health or physical disabilities. To this end, it has launched two open grant schemes this year: ‘Every Child Has a Chance’ and ‘At Their Own Pace’. Applicants from across Slovakia submitted a total of 218 projects to both programmes. The VÚB Foundation’s Board of Trustees will distribute a total of €315,415 amongst the 24 selected projects.

The ‘Every Child Has a Chance’ programme: Supporting cognitive and social development

Approximately 5.2 percent of children in Slovakia have a disability. The aim of this scheme was to support activities designed to develop these children’s cognitive, communication and socio-emotional skills, so that they can enjoy a happy childhood and build relationships with their peers.

A total of 182 organisations applied for funding under this programme. The VÚB Foundation increased the originally allocated sum of 100,000 euros and approved funding for 13 projects from across Slovakia totalling 113,200 euros, with a maximum of 10,000 euros per project. The submitted projects were assessed by a five-member expert panel comprising specialists in the fields of social work and the inclusion of children with health-related disabilities.

The ‘At Your Own Pace’ Programme: Support for Rehabilitation and Medical Aids

This programme (formerly known as We Help to Help) focuses on providing direct support to children with physical disabilities aged 0–18. The aim is to cover the costs of high-quality rehabilitation, therapeutic treatments, and co-payments for medical and assistive devices and services that help children achieve the highest possible level of independence in everyday life.

36 organisations took part in this scheme. The VÚB Foundation allocated 200,000 euros for this purpose, with the maximum grant per project amounting to 20,000 euros. The Foundation’s Board of Trustees increased the funding and approved grants for 11 projects totalling 202,215 euros.

Emphasis on quality and the partners’ own contribution

A new feature of this year’s programme was that the supported organisations had to provide their own added value, so that they were not merely passive intermediaries of funds, but genuine partners to families, enhancing the quality and overall impact of the project. A three-member expert panel therefore rigorously assessed, in addition to formal criteria, the organisation’s track record and the contribution through which it goes beyond the role of a mere financial intermediary. Applications under this programme were assessed by an expert panel comprising specialists working in the fields of social work and special education.

Support that makes a real difference

“We encountered enormous interest in both programmes. The more than two hundred applications submitted to both grant schemes confirm just how important – and yet how under-resourced – support is for families caring for disadvantaged children. Our aim was to support organisations that act as reliable partners for these families. Whether it concerns children’s cognitive development and socialisation, or physical rehabilitation and assistive devices, we believe that the supported projects will give children the chance to progress at their own pace and lead a good quality of life,” said Lucia Luptáková, manager of the VÚB Foundation.