Merseyside Police Community Cashback Fund
About the Fund
The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and Chief Constable have developed a scheme, which is designed to make funding accessible for grass root community projects that aim to support crime prevention initiatives. The scheme is funded by Proceeds of Crime Act recovered assets.
Fund Criteria
Promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Projects should focus on
- Contributing towards the prevention of crime – For example, this can be through the promotion of community cohesion, by providing a sense of purpose and community to service users that diverts them away from negative behaviours; by educating service users and the community on the impact of crime and providing intervention for those at risk of becoming involved in such activity.
- Primary Prevention (situational and social prevention), i.e. is directed at stopping a problem before it happens. This involves reducing the opportunities for crime, reducing risk, and strengthening community and social structures.
And/Or
- Secondary Prevention i.e. seeks to change people, typically those at high risk of embarking upon a criminal career. The focus can be on rapid/effective early interventions (e.g. youth programmes) and/or high-risk neighbourhoods.
We recommend groups take note of the following special criteria before applying
- Applicants must have been established for a minimum period of 12 months at the point they apply.
- Groups who received a Community Cash Back grant last year (decisions communicated in September 2023) are not eligible for consideration for the 2024 round. This is to allow other groups a chance to be considered for a grant from this programme.
- Groups who received a 2024 PCC Youth Empowerment Scheme grant (decisions communicated July/August 2024) are not eligible to apply. This is to allow other groups the opportunity to be considered for PCC/Merseyside Police funding.
- Groups are excluded from applying if their project has received funding from Participatory Budgeting within the same calendar year – 2024.
- Priority will be given to applications from high harm areas as defined by socio-demographic data and police crime data.
Examples of the types of projects that can be funded (this is not exhaustive)
Intervention for men/young men to change potential negative/harmful attitudes and behaviours towards girls/women
Activities that seek to prevent and raise awareness about the impact of hate crime
Social action projects that seek to raise awareness and address issues affecting historically marginalised people and their rights
LGBTQ+ inclusion and pride delivery to help people to feel safe in their communities
Raising awareness to prevent exploitation or ‘mate crime’ committed against people with learning differences or people living with disability
Advice and information that allows people at risk of discrimination to know their rights
Community integration and cohesion delivery focused on fostering understanding between different communities, particularly between communities of a different ethnic background, or different faith (or no faith), or between communities and migrants
Programmes for adults or young people which seek to challenge and change potential negative/harmful attitudes and behaviours towards other people of a different ethnic background, or sexuality/identity, or who are living with a disability
Amount Available
Grants of up to £5,000 are available
There is a budget for approximately 20 grants to be awarded in total throughout Merseyside.
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside are a Real Living Wage employer therefore we encourage applications that include staff costs at the current Real Living Wage of £12.00p/h as a minimum. What is it? | Living Wage Foundation
The following items cannot be supported via the fund
- Individuals
- Organisations with fewer than three unrelated Trustees/Directors/Management Committee members
- Projects and activities classed as a statutory responsibility
- Purchase/maintenance of vehicles
- Private Businesses or CICs Limited by Shares
- National organisations who do not have local governance and control or local finances
- Retrospective funding
- Politically connected or exclusively religious activities
- Projects or events which promote or condone extremist ideology, activities or terrorism;
- Academic research, educational bursaries or travel projects
- If you have already received funding for the same project (i.e. we will not accept multiple or repeat applications for the same project)
How to Apply?
An online application form can be completed via the “Apply Now” button below. You can attach supporting documents to your online application, or email them to us at applications@cflm.org.uk.
Documents which need to be included with your application:
- A copy of your governing document
- A copy of your latest annual accounts or income and expenditure document if a newer organisation
- A copy of a recent bank statement for your group.
- A list of your Trustees/Directors/Management Committee members
- A copy of your current Safeguarding Policy
If you have applied to us within the last 12 months and provided this information, we do not need you to send it again, although we may require a more recent bank statement.
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.