High Sheriff and Merseyside Police Charitable Fund

What is the focus of the fund: All applications must meet the following objectives of the fund:

• To promote a safer and increased quality of life through the prevention of crime and the protection of people and property from harm or fear of harm, and/or criminal acts for the benefit of the public in and around Merseyside.
• To support and raise awareness to help communities be and feel safe
• To increase provision of diversionary activities and facilities that engage children and young people and which create long-term impact in preventing and reducing their vulnerability to crime and in engaging in anti-social behaviour.

Due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, the fund will also consider core costs to enable groups to continue to carry out activities that meet the fund’s focus.

It will also consider projects that aim to reduce and prevent crime-related issues that have been exacerbated by COVID-19:

• Increase in domestic abuse
• Increase in violent crime
• Increase in public order offences
• Increase in cybercrime and online fraud
• Above average hospital admissions for alcohol specific conditions (under 18s) and for substance misuse (15-24 years)
• Increase in vulnerabilities associated with child criminal exploitation
• Increases in police recorded hate crimes

The fund criteria are reviewed and revised in-line with the latest available guidance and evidence from relevant research and expert advice. To ensure the activities in your application are also in-line with current best practice and therefore has the best chance of success, you may find the following toolkits useful: the College of Policing and Youth Endowment Fund.

How much is available: Grants will normally range from £500 to £2500 and may be less than the figure applied for. In exceptional circumstances, grants of higher value may be considered.

Which areas are covered: Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St. Helens and Wirral.

Any special criteria:

Groups should have been constituted for at least 12 months before seeking funding.

In addition to the completed application, applicants should provide a letter of support for the project, ideally from a PCSO (Police Community Support Officer), traffic community support officer or similar referee.

Priority will be given to projects that focus on the advancement of education and increasing the provision of diversionary activities and facilities for young people. In exceptional circumstances, consideration will be given to other types of funding.

The panel will not normally fund CCTV systems, security measures or similar pieces of equipment but will consider any applications for these items on a case-by-case only basis and will base its decision on the merits of the individual application.

NB: The donor has discretion to also commission applications.

The next closing date is 24th October at 5pm but due to a limited budget the fund may close earlier when sufficient applications are received.

How to apply?

Please visit the Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside’s website – www.cfmerseyside.org.uk and complete an online application form. Once you have submitted the online application you will need to send the documents listed below. If you do not submit all the relevant documents within 7 days your application will be withdrawn. You can now attach the documents to your online application, email them to applications@cflm.org.uk or post them to the address below.

Documents which need to be included with your application:

1. A copy of the group’s rules or constitution
2. A copy of the group’s latest annual accounts or income/expenditure document
3. A list of your current Trustees/Management Committee Members/Directors
4. A copy of a recent bank statement for your group
5. A copy of the group’s current Safeguarding Policy. All applicants must ensure that they hold relevant policies and procedures in place to undertake activities, such as Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and/or a health and safety policy, depending on proposed activity. If unsure about what you need please contact the Community Foundation for help (details below)

NB: If you have received a grant from us in the last 12 months and have already submitted copies of the above documents, you do not need to send them in again. However, a bank statement is required with every application.

The following items cannot be supported via the fund:

• Statutory organisations or work that is their responsibility
• National organizations that cannot demonstrate local governance and control of local finances
• Private Businesses or Companies Limited by Shares
• Organisations with fewer than three unrelated Trustees/Directors/Management Committee members
• Commercial ventures
• Purchase/maintenance of vehicles
• Activities that will have already taken place before we offer you a grant
• Politically connected or exclusively religious activities
• Projects for personal profit
• Trophies and medals
• Organisations that are set up for the benefit of animals or plants: environmental groups that work with animals or the environment (such as city farms) are acceptable
• Groups comprising just one family
• Debts and other liabilities
• Reclaimable VAT
• Travel outside UK
• Gifts or projects exclusively for the purpose of entertaining – social events can be funded where there is a clear community benefit

What happens next?

Completed applications are considered by Community Foundation staff to check eligibility. You may be contacted for more information after applying and a decision making panel will make recommendations based on the fund’s criteria and the budget available.

You should expect to hear the outcome of your application within 8 weeks of the closing date.

For further information, please contact David Costelloe, Programmes Manager at:

Community Foundations for Lancashire & Merseyside
Third Floor,
Stanley Building,
43 Hanover Street,
Liverpool,
L1 3DN
T: 0330 440 4900
Email: david.costelloe@cflm.org.uk