Grants offered to Essex groups to help tackle crime
19 March 2019, 17:05
Voluntary and community safety groups across Essex will receive a funding boost thanks to the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex’s Community Safety Development Fund.
The £300,000 fund offers grants of up to £20,000 for community projects that help to prevent and tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in Essex.
Groups or projects can bid for money three times a year. The last round for the financial year closed on 31st January 2019. It was a competitive process with 99 applications received and 25 projects awarded funding.
Applications to the fund have to demonstrate that they will make a positive impact on at least one of the Police and Crime Plan Priorities. A panel of independent local representatives assesses the bids. They ensure the projects reflect specific community priorities, work with other existing commissioned or grant-funded activity, and provide good value for money for the taxpayer. In order to ensure initiatives align with local priorities and existing activity, applicants also have to engage with their local Community Safety Partnerships.
Previous recipients of the grants have included The Southend Youth Mixed Martial Arts Project, Chelsea Football Club Foundation, the Tendring Junior Wardens Project, the Springfield Youth Group, Colchester United Football Club and the Street Pastors.
Roger Hirst, Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex, said “Across Essex we have a huge number of voluntary and community groups helping to build safe and secure communities. These local groups working within their communities and solving local problems make a huge contribution and deserve our support.
“Empowering local communities, supporting innovation and rewarding those groups that achieve practical results at a grass roots level is an important way to keep our county safe and our communities strong and resilient.”
He added: “I would like to encourage anybody who is making a difference in their communities and feel they could benefit from additional funding to apply for this fund, and I would like to thank them for the work they do to make our county a safer place, helping our most vulnerable people.”
The fund will reopen for applications on the 1st April 2019
