The LF Foundation
About the Fund
The fund will support a wide range of charitable projects in St Helens and close surrounding areas in Knowsley that support families in hardship or children’s educational development where financial hardship is a barrier.
Fund Criteria
Education and training for children and young people
Prevention/relief of poverty
Specific eligibility criteria
Applicants must be based in St Helens. Applications can also be considered from areas in Knowsley bordering the St Helens Local Authority area
Examples of projects that may be funded
Money management support sessions
Projects that offer advice and guidance to people at risk of homelessness
Projects to tackle hunger such as food banks, food pantries
Crisis support
Projects that help young people learn new skills and gain qualifications
Activities for families who would not normally be able to engage with due to financial barriers
Amount Available
Grants of up to £5,000 are available
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/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
- 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
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.