About
The Community Foundation for Merseyside helps individuals and organisations give to causes that matter to them, providing a strategic approach to charitable giving and a robust grant making service. Combined with their insight into community need, they ensure maximum impact by reaching those who need it most. They have the knowledge and networks to connect those who are passionate about supporting their communities to grass roots community groups who are best placed to make a real difference. Working together, they build thriving and inclusive communities where everyone can grow, flourish and prosper. They work as part of a national network of 47 UK Community Foundations and are part of a global movement which started in the USA in 1914.
Funding Opportunities
SWEF Enterprise Fund
The SWEF Enterprise Fund awards grants to young people in Merseyside who need support with business costs that they would otherwise not be able to afford, particularly those who are not in education, employment or training. This is not a loan scheme and recipients do not need to pay the grant back. As part of the programme, SWEF provides the opportunity to join a network of peers who are also in the early stage of starting their business to share ideas, experiences and learn. The fund offers two grant tiers: Start-Up Grants of up to £500 for companies in very early stages or pre-revenue, and Business Grants of up to £2,000 for sole traders or limited companies that have been trading for less than 2.5 years and show significant dedication. The grants can be used for essential equipment, materials, website building, product development, and training, but cannot be used for salaries, debt repayment, rent, utilities, or ongoing subscriptions.
Sefton Education & Learning Fund – Individuals
The Sefton Education and Learning Fund is available to advance the education of young people aged 25 or under, living in Sefton, and to benefit those groups or charities who provide an educational service or facility in the area. This fund supports individuals from Sefton who need financial assistance for educational materials and courses. Priority is given to individuals from low income families and to particularly innovative causes. Grants of up to £500 are available to cover costs of educational materials and courses. Applicants must be residents of Sefton and the fund cannot cover the cost of international travel abroad. The application process requires proof of residence, bank statement, and a letter of acceptance or support from an educational institution.
Olivia Rae Foundation – Individuals
The Olivia Rae Foundation has been established by the family of Olivia Rae Clee-Barnett from Wirral, in loving memory of their daughter. The fund supports local young people to realise and develop their potential by undertaking new opportunities and activities that they may not otherwise have the chance to take part in. The fund also supports and celebrates neurodivergence, helping to break down any barriers to access or participation that people may experience as a result of their differences. Priority is given to projects that have long-term strategic aims, with an emphasis on the arts and those that focus on educating young people in life skills and experiences rather than more formal style education. Applicants from Wirral receive priority consideration.
The Momentum Foundation
The Momentum Foundation Fund is managed by the Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside and is designed to principally benefit the communities located in the Liverpool City Region. For 2023, The Momentum Foundation provides funding to support ecological improvements to community buildings. The fund focuses on helping the sustainability of organisations who are supporting their local community facing difficulties with cost of living. The funding is aimed to help reduce carbon emissions and utility bills of community assets. The fund will cover the costs of the purchase and installation of ecological improvements to buildings, including new boilers, energy efficient lighting, double glazing, alternative energy such as solar panels and ground sourcing pumps, and improved insulation. Applicants must own their own buildings or have a lease for over five years and will be expected to track savings made by the ecological improvements, although assistance and guidance will be provided.
Merseyside Community Investment Fund
The Merseyside Community Investment Fund aims to bring together businesses, organisations and individuals to address urgent social issues whilst making a modest financial commitment, to collectively achieve a greater impact towards the improvement of our communities. The fund aims to support projects that may struggle to access funding from other sources. This fund can be used to respond to local issues of concern to the community or pro-actively tackle an urgent social need. Priority is given to projects that target disadvantage and deprivation, including those supporting young people, older people and people with disabilities. The fund also prioritises projects that encourage communities to take a pro-active approach to make a difference, ongoing activities rather than one-off events, groups with small reserves, innovative projects that would not normally be considered for funding by corporate driven criteria, and specific projects rather than general contributions to running costs.
Joseph Harley Fund – Individuals
The Joseph Harley Bequest Fund supports young people to undertake projects or activities, where assistance from public bodies is not usually available. Applications for funding assistance will be considered for advancement of education and training of individuals under the age of 25 who are residents of Formby. The fund will support projects based around education activities, training activities, or cultural activities. Grants typically provide £500 per award, though larger amounts may be considered in exceptional circumstances. This funding opportunity is designed to help young residents of Formby advance their education and skills through various educational, training, and cultural pursuits where other public funding is typically unavailable.
John Goore Fund - Individuals
The John Goore Fund provides financial support to individual residents of Lydiate, a local area in Merseyside, UK. The fund supports individuals who are entering or continuing with higher education or training, including vocational training. It also assists individuals who consider themselves disadvantaged due to disabilities or physical/mental health issues, as well as substantial carers for another individual. Adults who need to retrain after unemployment or redundancy can apply for grants to help them gain new skills for new employment. Award amounts vary by category: £1,000 for individuals pursuing education/training, £250 for carers, and £500 for those who are disadvantaged. The fund covers expenses such as books, travel costs, study aids, short courses, apprenticeship costs, interview costs, and equipment. For carers, it supports respite activities, travel expenses, and additional living costs. For disabled residents, it covers small home improvements, travel to community activities, and items that alleviate disadvantages.
John Goore Fund
The John Goore Fund has been set up to provide support to local residents of Lydiate. The fund supports voluntary/community groups undertaking projects that benefit Lydiate and its residents, as well as local groups providing education and training to those classed as NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training). Applications for funding will only be considered if the organisation is based in and is supporting residents of Lydiate. Groups providing education and training can apply for up to £1,000 providing no more than £250 is allocated to each beneficiary, while other groups can apply for up to £500. The fund supports equipment for local groups, environmental improvements in the local area, local community events, items or activities which clearly demonstrate the advancement of further education or training, and costs towards relevant accreditations.
Halton Foundation – Knights House Fund
The Knights House Fund is one of a number of funds under the umbrella of the Halton Foundation, which was launched in February 2016 to forge links between local community groups who need help, with local businesses who may be able to provide it. The Knights House Charity was originally established in February 1875 and was merged in 1972 with the Charity of Richard Garnett to be administered as one scheme. The Knights House Fund aims to support people in the borough of Widnes who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress. The fund supports both voluntary and community groups that are working in the Widnes area on a wide range of charitable projects. Voluntary and community groups need to be able to evidence the requirement for their project and show how it will reduce the need, hardship or distress of their beneficiaries. The fund aims to support projects that are alleviating poverty, responding to a basic lack of provision and relieving emotional and physical suffering. Examples of projects that may be funded include activities for people with disabilities, foodbanks, self-help groups, luncheon clubs, projects to reduce social isolation for vulnerable groups, debt advice sessions, domestic violence projects, and mental health initiatives. The fund will not support core salaries or general running costs but will consider sessional worker costs and an element of full cost recovery as part of a specific project.
Alfred Shaw Trust Fund - Individuals
The Alfred Shaw Trust Fund is managed by the Community Foundation for Merseyside and was established in memory of Alfred Shaw. This fund supports individuals under the age of 25 who are residents of Runcorn (WA7 postcode). The fund provides grants up to £500 for educational advancement and training purposes. The fund supports young people to undertake projects or activities where assistance from public bodies is not usually available. It focuses on the advancement of education and training of individuals, with particular interest in helping to raise aspirations through music and the arts. Examples of funded activities include training sessions for educational or career advancement, costs of attending music or arts-based workshops, and coaching qualifications. Applicants must provide proof of residency in Runcorn, proof of age, a recent bank statement, and a letter of acceptance or support from the education or training provider. Decisions are made within 6 weeks of submission. The fund does not support commercial ventures, political or exclusively religious activities, personal profit projects, or travel outside the UK.
Alfred Shaw Trust Fund
The Alfred Shaw Trust Fund is managed by the Community Foundation for Merseyside and was established in memory of Alfred Shaw following the transfer of the trust fund to the Community Foundations. The fund supports voluntary and community groups based in Runcorn or with a long-standing track record of service delivery in Runcorn. The charitable objectives focus on increasing provision of diversionary activities and facilities for vulnerable children and young people, supporting vulnerable people through winter months, helping disabled children and young people, supporting young people undertaking projects where public assistance is not available, supporting education initiatives to raise aspirations particularly in music and the arts, and providing amenities for the elderly to reduce social isolation. The fund will not support core salaries or general running costs but will consider sessional worker costs and an element of full cost recovery as part of a specific project. Examples of fundable projects include equipment for youth clubs, music workshops, training for volunteers, equipment for luncheon clubs, activities for older person's groups, projects to reduce social isolation, play items for groups working with children with disabilities, coaching qualifications for young people, and training session costs for career development.
Alice's WonderDance Foundation
Alice's WonderDance exists to carry forward the vibrant, joyful legacy of Alice Aguiar; a fearless, expressive, and generous dancer who moved through life with rhythm, light, and compassion. Dance is more than movement; it's freedom, creativity, connection, and joy. The grant fund is available for both community organisations and young people to remove barriers so that every child can access dance, explore their passion, and grow through movement in a safe, empowering space. This fund supports inclusive, affordable dance programs in the Liverpool City Region, providing grants of up to £2,000 for community organisations and schools. Funding can cover materials and equipment for dance classes, dancewear subsidies for families, support for first-year students on dance-related university programs, transportation costs for children to access dance classes, and emergency support for dance-related needs. The fund prioritizes removing financial barriers to dance access for children and young people, ensuring every child can experience the joy and benefits of dance in a safe, empowering environment. Applications are welcomed from community organisations, schools, and individuals in Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St. Helens, and Wirral.
Alice's WonderDance Foundation – Individuals
Alice's WonderDance exists to carry forward the vibrant, joyful legacy of Alice Aguiar; a fearless, expressive, and generous dancer who moved through life with rhythm, light, and compassion. Dance is more than movement; it's freedom, creativity, connection, and joy. The grant fund is available for both community organisations and young people to remove barriers so that every child can access dance, explore their passion, and grow through movement in a safe, empowering space. This fund provides grants of up to £250 to young people and families in the Liverpool City Region to support dance-related needs. The fund covers dancewear subsidies for families struggling to afford equipment or dance clothing, support for first-year students on dance-related university programs, transportation costs for children to access dance classes and programs, and emergency support for dance-related needs such as broken shoes or emergency costs for competitions or exams. Applications are made through an online form and require proof of address, ID, bank statement, and relevant documentation for course place or exam costs if applicable.
At a Glance
- Total Funding Opportunities
- 34
- Active Now
- 13
- Source Domain
- cfmerseyside.org.uk
Catalog Data
This funder profile was automatically extracted from grant listings. Information may be incomplete.
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