Community Foundations For Lancashire And Merseyside

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: ??1.2M+ (in first 6 months of 2024: ??1,233,803 across 175 grants)
• Cumulative Giving Since 1999: ??70M+
• Success Rate: 60-70% (average for community foundations)
• Decision Time: 8-12 weeks
• Grant Range: ??250 - ??30,000 (varies by fund)
• Geographic Focus: Lancashire and Merseyside regions

Contact Details

Website: www.cfmerseyside.org.uk | www.lancsfoundation.org.uk

Phone: 0330 440 4900

Email: applications@cflm.org.uk | info@cflm.org.uk

Address: Third Floor Stanley Buildings, 43 Hanover Street, Liverpool L1 3DN

Pre-Application Support: Contact the Programmes Team with any questions about eligibility or application requirements

Overview

The Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside (CFLM), charity number 1068887, has been operating since 1999 as part of the national network of 47 UK Community Foundations. Since inception, they have distributed over ??70 million to grassroots charities and community groups across Lancashire and Merseyside. In the first six months of 2024 alone, they distributed 175 grants totaling ??1,233,803. The foundation undertakes strategic social investment through grant-making, facilitates community philanthropy, and contributes to achieving positive social change in local communities. In 2025, CFLM received the largest single trust transfer donation in UK Community Foundations network history???nearly ??25 million from the Pilkington Charities???which will provide over ??800,000 annually to Merseyside charities. CEO Rae Brooke described this as “transformational” investment that will deliver “lasting, tangible impact” across the region. The foundation primarily focuses on access to education and learning, youth empowerment, mental health, crime prevention, and community integration.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Lancashire Funds:

• Lancashire Women's Fund: Up to ??7,000 for projects supporting marginalized women to overcome barriers
• Fort Vale Foundation: Up to ??4,000 for Lancashire-based projects
• Hill Dickinson Foundation: Up to ??2,500 for projects tackling homelessness, mental health, and employability in Greater Manchester
• Know Your Neighbourhood Fund (Blackpool): Supports volunteering activities and tackles loneliness (DCMS-funded)

Merseyside Funds:

• 23 Foundation (Jamie Carragher): Grants of ??2,500 and ??1,000 for youth projects (largest fund by number of grants???30 awarded in 2024)
• Liverpool ONE Foundation: ??30,000 over 2 years for children and young people's mental health programmes
• Ann & Ray Messer Foundation: Up to ??2,000 for children's mental health and reducing isolation among older people
• BHP Billiton Endowment Fund: Up to ??2,000 for environmental conservation projects in Merseyside including Halton
• Youth Empowerment Scheme: Largest by funding amount???over ??500,000 awarded for diversionary activities during school holidays
• Merseyside Police Community Cashback Fund: ??2,500-??5,000 for community integration and hate crime prevention

Application Methods: Primarily rolling basis with specific deadlines for individual funds. Online application portal with supporting documents required within 7 days of submission.

Priority Areas

• Youth Development: Diversionary activities for young people under 25, particularly during school holidays, with focus on sports and education
• Education & Learning: Access to educational opportunities and learning programmes
• Mental Health: Positive mental health and wellbeing for children, young people, and older adults
• Community Integration: Projects promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion; tackling hate crime
• Crime Prevention & Violence Reduction: Anti-social behaviour reduction and community safety initiatives
• Social Isolation: Reducing loneliness and isolation, particularly among older people
• Women's Empowerment: Supporting marginalized women to overcome barriers
• Environmental Conservation: Enhancing or conserving environmental projects
• Cost of Living Support: Addressing poverty and homelessness

What They Don't Fund

• Statutory organizations or work that is their responsibility
• National organizations without local governance and control of local finances
• Purchase, maintenance, or insurance of vehicles
• Retrospective activities (projects already completed)
• Politically connected or exclusively religious activities
• Organizations set up for the benefit of animals or plants (though environmental groups working with animals are acceptable)
• Groups comprising just one family
• Projects exclusively for entertainment without clear community benefit
• Duplicate funding for the same purpose from multiple sources

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Governance and Leadership

CEO: Rae Brooke has led the Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside, stating: “I am absolutely thrilled and delighted to be chosen to take up this opportunity to lead the Community Foundations into the next phase of its journey.” On the historic Pilkington Charities transfer, Brooke commented: “We feel incredibly honoured to be trusted with this historic legacy and are committed to using it to deliver lasting, tangible impact. At a time of increasing need, this level of investment will be transformational???across St Helens and Merseyside, where the Pilkington story began.”

Chair: Appointed in 2022, the Chair previously served as Managing Partner and Senior Partner at Hill Dickinson law firm, growing it into a successful commercial practice with turnover exceeding ??100m.

Notable Trustees:

• David Wareing: Senior Partner at Hill Dickinson LLP, serves as Chair of New Business/Donor Development & Law
• Donna Howitt: Place Strategy Director at Liverpool ONE, serves on Marketing & PR
• Treasurer: Has served CFLM since May 2018

Governance Structure: No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The organization has no trading subsidiaries and operates with strong governance standards.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

1. Wait for Review: The Programmes Team conducts initial due diligence checks
2. Receive Decision: Notification typically within 8-12 weeks
3. End of Grant Report: Required for all funded projects

Important: Applications are withdrawn without further notification if supporting documents are not received within seven days of submission.

Decision Timeline

• Organizations: 8-12 weeks (maximum) from submission
• Individuals: Can be faster, typically up to 2 months
• Specific Funds: Some funds have decision dates as quick as 6 weeks from submission
• Recommended Planning Time: Allow minimum of 3 months for organizations

Note: The foundation does not award retrospective grants, so plan well in advance.

Success Rates

The average success rate for eligible applications to community foundations is approximately 60-70%. This rate can vary year to year depending on available funds and oversubscription levels. The foundation distributed 175 grants in the first six months of 2024.

Reapplication Policy

Flexible Reapplication: You can apply again immediately if your application is unsuccessful???there is no mandatory 12-month waiting period. Where possible, the foundation provides specific feedback on why applications were unsuccessful, though sometimes rejection is purely due to oversubscription.

For Previous Grant Recipients: You can apply at any time, but you can only apply to the same fund once the first grant has been fully spent and all monitoring has been completed. In oversubscribed funds, priority may be given to groups who have not received a grant from that specific fund before.

Application Success Factors

The Programmes Team carefully reviews every application with attention to:

• Finance and Governance: Acceptable financial and governance documentation
• Programme Alignment: Whether your project meets programme priorities
• Track Record: Previous delivery of similar projects
• Monitoring History: Quality of previous monitoring and evaluation reporting (for repeat applicants)

Direct Advice from the Foundation:

“Every application is read by staff, with decision-making always in human hands.”

Key Success Factors:

1. Demonstrate Clear Community Benefit: Show measurable impact on local communities in Lancashire or Merseyside
2. Strong Safeguarding: All applications must include a current Safeguarding Policy
3. Local Presence: For national organizations, demonstrate local governance, autonomy, permanent base within the region, local bank account, and local management team
4. Feed Young People: For youth projects, consider allocating part of the budget to provide food alongside activities???this was specifically encouraged in the 23 Foundation's 2024 summer holiday projects
5. Address Priority Areas: Align closely with specific fund priorities, particularly education access, youth empowerment, and mental health
6. Previous Relationship: Having received grants before and submitted quality monitoring reports can strengthen applications

Recently Funded Projects (2024 Examples):

• LCR Pride Foundation: ??5,000 for Safe And Sound workshops in community spaces (Community Cashback Fund)
• MOVEMA: ??2,860 for dance sessions promoting inclusivity for women (Community Cashback Fund)
• Whispered Tales: ??4,900 for performance highlighting refugee experiences in Merseyside (Community Cashback Fund)
• 23 Foundation Recipients: 30 grants for youth group summer holiday projects focusing on sports and education
• Violence Reduction Partnership: ??482,644 distributed to address anti-social behaviour across Merseyside

Language and Terminology: The foundation emphasizes “grassroots charities and community groups,” “strategic social investment,” “positive social change,” “community philanthropy,” and “maximum impact in local communities.”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• High Success Rates: With 60-70% success rates for eligible applications, this is a highly accessible funder for well-matched projects
• Fast Turnaround: 8-12 week decision timeline is relatively quick compared to many funders
• No Waiting Period for Reapplication: Unsuccessful applicants can reapply immediately with improved proposals
• Strong Governance Required: Ensure you have at least three unrelated trustees/directors and current safeguarding policy before applying
• Submit Documents Quickly: Supporting documents must be submitted within 7 days or application is automatically withdrawn
• Build Relationships: The foundation works long-term with partners (e.g., 10+ years with Jamie Carragher's 23 Foundation), suggesting value in establishing ongoing relationships
• Growing Resources: The recent ??25 million Pilkington Charities transfer means significantly increased funding availability, particularly for St Helens and Merseyside
• Focus on Youth: Youth empowerment and education access received the most funding in early 2024???strong area for applications
• Contact the Team: Pre-application support is actively offered???use it to strengthen your proposal and confirm eligibility

References

1. Charity Commission Register of Charities - Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside, Charity Number 1068887.. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=1068887&subId=0

1. Community Foundation for Merseyside - Official Website.. https://cfmerseyside.org.uk

1. Community Foundation for Lancashire - Official Website.. https://lancsfoundation.org.uk

1. Community Foundation for Merseyside - Applying for a Grant.. https://cfmerseyside.org.uk/applying-for-a-grant

1. Community Foundation for Merseyside - Available Grants.. https://cfmerseyside.org.uk/our-grants

1. Community Foundation for Merseyside - Available Funds.. https://cfmerseyside.org.uk/Funds.aspx

1. Community Foundation for Merseyside - Grants Awarded.. https://cfmerseyside.org.uk/grants-awarded

1. Community Foundation for Lancashire - Applying for a Grant.. https://lancsfoundation.org.uk/applying-for-a-grant

1. Community Foundation for Lancashire - Available Grants.. https://lancsfoundation.org.uk/our-grants

1. Community Foundation for Merseyside - Frequently Asked Questions.. https://cfmerseyside.org.uk/frequently-asked-questions

1. Community Foundation for Merseyside - Our People.. https://cfmerseyside.org.uk/about-us/our-people

1. Community Foundation for Lancashire - Our People.. https://lancsfoundation.org.uk/about-us/our-people

1. Rae Brooke Profile - Community Foundation for Merseyside.. https://cfmerseyside.org.uk/team/rae-brooke

1. UK Fundraising - “Over ??800k a year to be shared with Merseyside charities and community groups” (2025).. https://fundraising.co.uk/2025/07/04/800k-a-year-to-be-shared-with-merseyside-charities/

1. Community Foundation for Merseyside - Contact Us.. https://cfmerseyside.org.uk/contact-us

1. Community Foundation for Lancashire - Contact Us.. https://lancsfoundation.org.uk/contact-us