Helping Communities Fund
This week the office launches its second round of its
Helping Communities Fund. The fund is generated from the Proceeds of Crime Act
(POCA) and enables money which has been seized from criminals to be used and
re-purposed. The aim of the fund is to support community projects which align
with the Police and Crime Plan and that of West Midlands Police
priorities. Funding is shared between the Local Policing Areas (LPAs)
with the aim/purpose of allowing communities to invest in their neighbourhoods,
helping them get actively involved in projects which would make a positive
difference and contribute to crime prevention & reduction, community
cohesion or community safety in the local area.
The round opens Monday, 4th December and will be open for the next 4 weeks. Deadline for online applications will be Friday, 29th December.
Things to note about the fund:
- Fund
will be available to communities in the following areas – Birmingham, Coventry,
Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton,
Sandwell, & Solihull
- The
maximum amount available that can be applied for is £5,000 (50% of
grant to be paid upfront and 50% on receipt of proof of purchases)
- Fund
is aimed at grass root community groups/organisations
- Project
has to be aimed at either - crime prevention & reduction,
community cohesion or community safety in the local area
- A
group/organisation can apply for one area only
- The
group/organisation cannot be currently in receipt of PCC
funding (or will not be for the period they are seeking funding for)
- Applying
for HCF can be a lengthy process, so we advise that people apply well in
advance (at least 3-4 months) of when they might want to deliver their
intended project
For any group/organisation who is interested in applying, we would encourage them to contact their neighbourhood policing team, in particular the local Partnership Engagement Team in the first instance to ensure that their proposed project will meet the local needs. Email addresses for the team will be provided on the OPCC website. For further details about the fund, including the funding criteria and the online application form, please see the following link- https://www.westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk/helping-communities-fund/