Breathe Better Air Community Fund

Please read the Essential Information before applying. 

Background Information:

The Breathe Better Air Community Fund is provided as a partnership between Community Foundation for Merseyside, UK Community Foundation and the Clean Air Fund (CAF). CAF are a global philanthropic organisation working with governments, funders, business and campaigners to create a future where everyone breathes clean air. Their aim is to promote air quality data, build public demand for clean air and drive policy change. 

CAF influence and support decision makers to act on air pollution. They also amplify the clean air movement’s impact by connecting people, increasing resources to the field and sharing evidence of what works. 

The overall aim of the programme is:

1. To encourage and enable grassroots organisations in the Liverpool City Region to become effective community air quality campaigners.​

2. To grow visibility of community representatives who are disproportionally affected by Air Pollution

3. Strengthen CAF’s evidence bases regarding local approaches to tackling Air Pollution. 

 

To achieve these aims, applications for funding will be considered that do one or more of the following: 

• Raise public awareness relating to health outcomes related to air pollution. 

• Provide activities that promote better air quality in communities. This could include educational, research-based or practical activities.

• Engage and collaborate with public bodies, networks and/or communities to promote better air quality. 

• Capacity building in grassroots organisations to support future campaigning activities that promote better air quality. 

 

Examples of projects, which have been funded previously elsewhere:

• Networks of people who care about air pollution  

• Campaigning work to raise awareness of the health impacts of air pollution 

• Schemes which promote the benefits of cycling over using a car 

 

How much is available: The maximum grant available is £5,000

Who can apply: Voluntary or community groups with a governing document, constitution or set of rules in the group’s name.

Which areas are covered: Liverpool City Region including Halton. 

Special Criteria: Projects should be completed by end of May 2024.  

 

Impact Reporting:

The grants will be monitored at the half way stage.

At the end of the grant programme, some grantees will be invited for a half-day roundtable event run by UK Community Foundation to discuss learning outcomes (Travel expenses will be covered). 

A post-grant survey with grantees will also take place after projects have been delivered.

 

The closing date is 14th July 

 

How to apply?

Please visit the Community Foundations for Merseyside 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, constitution or governing document.

2. A copy of the group’s latest annual accounts or income/expenditure document

3. A list of your current Trustees/Directors/Management Committee Members

4. A copy of a recent bank statement for your group (within the last 3 months).

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 the Community Foundation in the last 12 months and have already submitted copies of the above documents, you do not need to send them again. However, a recent bank statement is required with every application (see Point 4 above).

 

The following cannot be supported via the fund: 

•          Statutory services 
•          Activities promoting religious or party-political activity 
•          Individual sponsorship 
•          Activities generating private and/or personal profit 
•          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 
•          Retrospective funding, i.e. activities that have taken place before offer of grant 
•          Trophies and medals 
•          CCTV/Security measures 
•          Organisations that are set up for the benefit of animals or plants: environmental group 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 in August 2023.

 

For further information, please contact the Community Foundation for Merseyside Programmes Team:

Community Foundation for Merseyside

Third Floor, Stanley Building

43 Hanover Street
Liverpool
L1 3DN

T: 0330 440 4900      

Email: applications@cflm.org.uk