High Sheriff and Merseyside Police Charitable Fund
About the Fund
The High Sheriff and Merseyside Police Charitable Fund (“the fund”) aims to work with voluntary bodies and community groups in Merseyside to support community safety, crime prevention and security initiatives in their locality.
Fund Criteria
Crime Prevention
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.
Diversionary Activities
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.
Community Safety
To support and raise awareness to help communities be and feel safe
Specific criteria
- Groups should have been constituted for at least 12 months at the point they apply.
- Applicants must provide a letter of support for the project, ideally from a PCSO (Police Community Support Officer), traffic community support officer or similar referee. Please provide the letter of support by the end of November.
- Groups who received a grant from the Youth Empowerment Scheme (decisions communicated July/August 24) are not eligible to apply. This is to allow other groups the opportunity to receive Merseyside Police 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.
Additional Criteria
Enhancing youth community cohesion
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
Preventing young people’s risk of becoming involved in county lines
Amount Available
Grants are available up to £2,500.
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.
The following items cannot be supported via the fund
• Statutory organisations or work that is their responsibility
• National organisations 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 or 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
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/expenditure document.
- A copy of a recent bank statement for your group. If you do not have a bank account in place, you must be able to nominate another organisation to hold the funds (CVS, another local charity, church etc.).
- A list of your Trustees/Directors/Management Committee members. A minimum of three un-related must be in place.
- A copy of your current Safeguarding Policy. All applicants must ensure that they hold relevant policies and procedures in place to undertake activities, such as Criminal Records Bureau checks and/or a health and safety policy, depending on proposed activity. If unsure, we recommend taking advice from your local CVS..
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.