New funding worth £200,000 is available for community heroes and youth workers who can help prevent crime in Derbyshire.
Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Hardyal Dhindsa today launched the latest round of his Community Action Grant scheme which invites community-run organisations to apply for large grants to aid their work.
Individual grants of up to £25,000 are available for large projects which will make lives safer and help vulnerable people break free from the revolving cycle of offending.
The cash is part of a £275,000 funding pot which the Commissioner will distribute throughout 2018-19 to worthy charities, community groups and not-for-profit bodies to transform lives and give people greater choice over their future.
Of this amount, £200,000 will be allocated in large grants while £75,000 has been reserved for smaller projects allocated in three separate rounds during the financial year, each receiving a maximum of £2,500.
Commenting on the launch, Mr Dhindsa said: “One of the most rewarding parts of this job is being able to support change within our communities. My Community Action Grant empowers community champions to resolve problems in their own way and make a long-term impact to public safety.
“The years of austerity have been painfully felt by our community leaders and I’m proud to be able to invest vital funds to give these projects the lift they need to achieve their goals. There is, however, a very robust application process to ensure the projects we support deliver the best possible outcomes for local people and this year will be no exception.
“Naturally, my large grants scheme attracts many worthy candidates and I would urge those organisations considering applying to do their homework. To be successful, you must present evidence of results and support the priorities outlined in my Police and Crime Plan to reduce harm and deliver positive change.”
The opportunity to apply for larger grants is open for applications from October 1 to November 30. Project managers are invited to apply for amounts between £2,501 and £25,000 to support large scale crime prevention work.
Among a number of priorities in the spotlight is tackling vulnerability, supporting victims of crime, maintaining strong and effective partnerships, tackling drugs and alcohol, supporting those with mental health issues and working with young people to prevent reoffending.
Previous recipients of funding include sports groups, education initiatives, ‘awareness’ campaigns and youth engagement.
Decisions will be made in January 2018 and successful projects will be expected to commence from April 1 2019. The deadline for applications is November 30.
For more information on the grant application process including criteria and to apply visit: http://www.derbyshire-pcc.gov.uk/communityactiongrant
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Posted on Wednesday 3rd October 2018