The Community Foundation for Merseyside (CFM) is delighted to announce the launch of the new Merseyside Women’s Fund after its national membership body UK Community Foundations (UKCF), secured a record £3.4 million award from the DCMS Tampon Scheme. This is the largest grant awarded to any organisation from this fund.
The Community Foundation for Merseyside will receive approximately £70,000* from this allocation to enable the launch of the new Merseyside Women’s Fund and ultimately aims to raise £1 million to help support local women.
The Community Foundation for Merseyside helps people and organisations to invest in local communities where it is most needed and where it will have greatest impact. The Women’s Fund will award grants to local groups working with women and girls, including women-only charities to help women throughout Merseyside.
A recent study, commissioned by the Community Foundation for Merseyside, reveals that there are a number of key issues affecting women and girls in Merseyside, which include confidence, aspiration, self-belief and resilience, mental wellbeing, social isolation and domestic violence and abuse.
In welcoming this new initiative, the Community Foundation for Merseyside Chief Executive, Rae Brooke, commented on the need to launch a specific fund due to significant cuts in local resources in recent years meaning many women have been left unable to access crucial support. 35% of women’s groups recently consulted in Merseyside believe their sustainability in the next three years is questionable.
“Similar women-only funds are already in existence in the North East, Scotland and USA and have delivered real impact for women in their communities. We want women to feel safe, supported, empowered and confident when confronted by abuse, discrimination and a lack of opportunities”, Ms Brooke said.
“By highlighting key issues and difficulties facing girls and women in Merseyside, we can encourage others to support meeting the need. We hope sharing these findings amplifies the message. We want to equip girls and women in Merseyside with adequate resources to allow them to flourish”, she concluded.
Karen Morris, Development Director, Community Foundation for Merseyside echoed these sentiments and added, “In order to achieve the ambitions and needs of women and girls in Merseyside we encourage more philanthropists, organisations and individuals to get behind this Fund and commit their support”, said Morris.
