Guidance notes for Small Grants Scheme and Community Safety Partnership Priority Fund applications

Introduction

The PCC’s commissioning and grants programme seeks to prevent and offending, to support the vulnerable and those who have been victims of crime. One of the ways the PCC does this is by working with and providing funding for services and projects that seek to support victims of crime in Warwickshire. Over the last two years the PCC has committed his MoJ funding and additional allocations to support work with victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence. In July 2022, the Commissioner secured further MoJ funding for the next 3 financial years (April 2022 to March 2025) for:

• Domestic violence
• Counselling
• Sexual Violence Support
• Additional Independent Sexual Advisor (ISVA) posts
• Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDV) position

This funding comes on top of core funding and additional funding already distributed to providers across Warwickshire to support victims and survivors of domestic and sexual abuse in 2021-22 and 2022-23. Additionally, the PCC is currently in the process of commissioning five victim services to deliver:

• General Victims Service
• Sexual Violence and Abuse Service
• Child Exploitation Service
• Independent Modern Slavery Advocacy Service
• Restorative Justice

Whilst the PCC remains committed to supporting victims of crime through its commissioning budget and MoJ funding for victims of crime, he also recognises that investment in ‘prevention and diversionary’ interventions is vital in the fight against crime in order to avoid people being drawn into the Criminal Justice System in the first place. To build on the ongoing efforts to combat crime and reduce reoffending across the county, this year’s funding will be used to fund projects which deliver crime prevention and diversionary work to contribute to make communities safer in Warwickshire. This excludes counselling support and services which are funded through our commissioning programme and/or MoJ funding, Home Office and other national funding.

The Commissioner’s Small Grants Scheme & Community Safety Partnership ‘Priority’ Fund for 2023-24 will be focused on the overarching theme of:

Prevention and Diversion

• Prevention: targeting the causes of criminality and/or anti-social behaviour, seeking to break the generational cycle of offending to prevent it from occurring in the first place.

and/or

• Diversion: supporting individuals who have already begun a journey of perpetrating crime and/or anti-social behaviour, but who, armed with the right knowledge, understanding and commitment, can be diverted from this path towards a brighter future.

Projects, pilots and initiatives under the theme of Prevention and Diversion will need to address one of more of the following priorities in the Police and Crime Plan:

1. Fight crime and reduce reoffending
2. Deliver visible and effective policing
3. Keep people safe and reduce harm
4. Strengthen communities
5. Deliver better justice for all

The PCC is particularly interested in receiving proposals that address the Police and Crime Plan ‘focus areas’ of Violent Crime, Violence Against Women and Girls, and Vulnerability. Information on focus areas can be found at the end of this document.

CSPs and organisations are expected to carefully consider how they can leverage partnerships and jointly commission projects to address key community safety priorities for the county whilst supporting the aims within the Police and Crime in order to achieve greater impact.

CSPs and organisations are able to submit multiple bids covering any number of the focus areas. However, each application must be for a different project or initiative that clearly aligns to the overarching theme of ‘Prevention and Diversion’ and addresses one or more of the priorities in the Police and Crime Plan and local CSP strategic priorities. Each application will be evaluated separately.

Available funding

Organisations

• Applications from organisations are being accepted for grants between £1,000 and £15,000 for each separate proposal.

Community Safety Partnerships

• CSPs can apply for grants between £1,000 and £15,000 for each separate proposal.

Duration of funding

This funding is for the financial year 2023-24 only. Projects/initiatives funded by the PCC under the Community Grants Scheme and Community Safety Partnership ‘Priority’ Fund run for 12 months or less during the course of the financial year, unless separate funding from other sources is secured.

Location

Applications are welcome for projects, pilots or initiatives that will be delivered at a countywide level across Warwickshire or are targeted in one or more local authority/CSP areas or locations within the county.

Who can apply?

Applications are welcomed from new and established community, voluntary or third sector organisations or groups; and statutory organisations[1]*. All projects must engage with the local Community Safety Partnership leads and local policing teams via officers and/or your local SNTs.

The Community Safety Partnership ‘Priority’ Fund is only open to Community Safety Partnerships. The PCC welcomes CSP led consortium bids with local organisations to deliver shared projects and outcomes in order to make communities safer in Warwickshire.

There is a requirement that all applicant organisations:-

• are constituted as a legal entity or operate under a formal constitution (equivalent in form to the Charity Commission model constitution);
• have at least 3 years of audited accounts;
• are able to provide the last year’s audited accounts;
• provide appropriate policies and practices as detailed in Section 6 of the application form
• complete a Subsidy Allowance Declaration form in accordance with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA)

Online application

Applications to the funding schemes can be made via our new online grants application form which will also be used to manage successful grants. Please note that we are unable to consider applications submitted by other means. If you are unable to use the online application form please contact us for assistance. The online application form is designed to capture all of the information required for us to consider your project.

What does the application need to consider?

All applicants need to detail and provide evidence as to how their projects support one or more of the priority areas of the PCC’s Police and Crime Plan 2021-25 (set out in more detail at Appendix A to this guidance). Every application must demonstrably support at least one of these five priority areas.

The application form is self-explanatory but please ensure you fill in each of the sections in order that you:

• Provide requested information about the organisation;
• Describe the project or activity and who the beneficiaries will be;
• Demonstrate clearly how their project will contribute to the Police and Crime Plan’s outcomes and priorities;
• Clearly demonstrate and evidence the need for their project or activity;
• Provide clear understanding of what differences the project or activity will make and how this will be measured and reported. All successful applicants will be required to provide a quarterly grant update report detailing the outcomes, outputs and impacts of their project or activity;
• Explain the longer term strategy for providing this project. The PCC grants scheme is time limited and successful applicants should be able to demonstrate to the Commissioner their longer term vision on sustainability, mainstreaming or funding opportunities;
• Provide a clear breakdown of project costs. This should include match funding and volunteer time.

Provide clear evidence for the need for the project and how it supports the priorities in the Police and Crime Plan. It is also critical that there is a clear intention to monitor outcomes and a demonstrable understanding in all grant applications of how these outcomes will be effectively monitored throughout the life of the project.  This is so that the true impact of a project funded can be illustrated to the OPCC and to the public.  It is strongly advised that these aspects of your application are well-developed.

Any funding offered will normally be made on a one-off basis, for a specified purpose, and with no commitment to renew, increase or extend funding beyond the offer’s terms and conditions. Applicants should therefore have arrangements for dealing with the ending of any funding stream offered by this scheme.

Is there anything that the PCC will not fund?

The following types of projects and expenditure are not eligible for support:

• Projects in relation to Road Safety (this is covered under a separate Grant Funding stream)
• Projects that do not clearly align to the overarching theme of ‘Prevention and Diversion’
• Projects that do not contribute to the Police and Crime Plan 2021-25
• Projects outside the Warwickshire area
• Ongoing staff costs including salaries for permanent or fixed term staff (applications including funding for one-off project-specific workers allowable)
• Training costs for existing or planned activities
• Recurrent expenditure such as utilities, rent, telephone and broadband charges, stationery and postage, insurance, Annual DBS Membership Fees, organisations licence fees
• Profit-making projects
• Projects that require ongoing funding beyond the scope of the current financial in order to be delivered (unless this has already been secured and is outlined as match/additional funding in the application)
• General appeals and sponsorships (we need to see a clearly defined project)
• Academic research and educational bursaries
• Projects that benefit one individual or family
• Contributions towards refurbishment, infrastructure, building or maintenance works to roads, cycle lanes, buildings and premises owned by public organisations, individuals, charity organisations or for-profit organisations
• Used vehicles/routine repairs and maintenance
• A contribution to an organisation’s running costs for an unspecified purpose
• Projects that promote religious or party-political beliefs
• Expeditions or trips
• Bursaries or scholarships
• Projects or activities that have taken place prior to the 1^st April 2023
• Prizes
• Loan or debt repayments, topping up of accounts or transferring money to another group
• Projects that should be funded by other local authorities (projects that part of a statutory requirement)
• Food banks including food and beverages
• CCTV/Security Installation
• Speed Laser Devices and Speed Activation Devices
• Anything that has already been funded from a different source i.e. services funded through commissioning programme and/or MOJ funding/ Home Office and other national funding

Please note that the PCC, at his discretion, may choose not to fund a project that is politically-sensitive or contains politically-sensitive elements.

How will the applications be assessed?

Your application will undergo an initial review to ensure that it meets the criteria. All applications that pass the initial review will then be considered by an evaluation panel within the OPCC, before being presented to the PCC for a final decision.

Applications should show clearly their relevance and importance to this year’s theme of ‘Prevention and Diversion’. Each bid will be assessed on its own merits using an evaluation process and scoring system. Some scores may be weighted to reflect areas of importance in the evaluation process.

Please note that the PCC, at his discretion, may opt not to allocate all available funding through the schedules grant schemes if submitted bids fall below a quality standard. Unallocated funding may be allocated at a later date.

A decision by the PCC not to award funding in relation to an application is final. There is no appeals process.

Match Funding and Sustainability

Applications which have secured part-funding towards their project from elsewhere are welcome and we therefore encourage you to approach other organisations to support your project.

Projects must have a robust and sustainable delivery model including plans for future financial sustainability. The PCC wants to encourage and enable organisations to move towards their projects becoming sustainable in the long term. Therefore, your application should show how you will plan to move towards becoming more financially sustainable and priority will be given to those organisation who can demonstrate this for the next few years.

Working in Schools/ Colleges and other organisations

The PCC receives a number of applications for projects to work in schools / colleges or with community groups. From the applications, it is not always clear if prior arrangements have been made with the institution that the project plans to work with. We strongly advise that you:

• Approach the relevant organisations and/or Warwickshire Police or local SNT, Community Safety Partnership and schools to discuss the need for such a project/activity in the geographical area.
• Consider making an agreement in principle with those settings/projects. The application should include contact details of those organisations that agreement/ support arrangements has been made with.

The named individual will need to be aware of the project and will be able to endorse that the information within your application addresses local needs and strategic plans for the county.

If your project is for funding relating to those aged 25 and under, please ensure that you approach the relevant local authority to gain support for the project and agree viable referral pathways where appropriate.

How to apply?

In order to apply, applicants must:

• Read the specific criteria and guidance for the bid areas (Appendix A)
• Complete the relevant application form electronically
• Submit the application and all required documents electronically by 6PM on the 31 January 2023.

For further information and advice about the Commissioner’s Grant Scheme, please contact Precious Williamson, Commissioning and Grants Officer, at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner by emailing [email protected].

[1] *Note: Applications will not be accepted from Warwickshire Police as a single/lead agency but are welcome as part of a collaborative bid.