The Avon And Somerset Police Community Trust

Charity Number: 1076770

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £214,953 (2023-24)
  • Annual Income: £245,004 (2023-24)
  • Decision Time: Quarterly meetings (April, July, October, January)
  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £5,000
  • Geographic Focus: Avon and Somerset (Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, Somerset, and South Gloucestershire)
  • Trustees: 6 (all voluntary, unpaid)

Contact Details

Address: PO Box 37, Valley Road, Portishead, Bristol BS20 8QJ

Email: policecommunitytrust@avonandsomerset.police.uk

Phone: 01278646650

Website: www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/pct

Overview

The Avon and Somerset Police Community Trust was established in 1999 as a registered charity (number 1076770) to help local communities in Avon and Somerset become safer, better places to live. The Trust funds projects and schemes that work towards reducing crime and the fear of crime in communities. In the financial year ending March 2024, the Trust had an income of £245,004 and distributed £214,953 in grants. The charity is governed by six voluntary trustees who receive no remuneration and meet quarterly to review applications. The Trust's strategic focus centers on diverting young people away from crime and anti-social behaviour, encouraging their growth into responsible young adults, and building good community relations across the police force area.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Police Community Trust General Fund

  • Grant Amount: Up to £1,000
  • Application Method: Online application form
  • Decision Schedule: Quarterly trustee meetings (April, July, October, January)
  • For community and local voluntary organisations across Avon and Somerset

Road Safety Fund

  • Grant Amount: Up to £5,000
  • Application Method: Online application form
  • Decision Schedule: Quarterly trustee meetings
  • Specific focus on road safety initiatives

Commissioner's Community Action Fund (administered separately through community foundations)

  • Grant Amount: £1,000 - £3,000
  • Application Method: Applications through Quartet Community Foundation (Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Bath & NES, North Somerset) or Somerset Community Foundation (Somerset)
  • Approximately 50 grants awarded annually from a fund of nearly £200,000

Priority Areas

The Trust focuses on projects that address one or more of the following priorities:

  • Youth Crime Prevention: Diverting young people away from crime and anti-social behaviour, encouraging their growth into responsible young adults
  • Community Relations: Building good community relations across diverse communities
  • Crime Reduction: Reducing crime and the fear of crime in local communities
  • Road Safety: Promoting safer roads and reducing road-related incidents

Recent funded projects have included child criminal exploitation workshops at schools, kickboxing and self-defence groups for at-risk girls, art and performance workshops involving police, parents and children, and volunteer community clean-up projects.

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual applicants
  • One-off events
  • Community SpeedWatch programs (Road Safety Fund exclusion)
  • Speed Indication Device (SID) or Vehicle Activated Sign (VAS) purchases (typically funded by local authorities)
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Governance and Leadership

The Avon and Somerset Police Community Trust is governed by six trustees who serve on a voluntary basis with no remuneration, payments, or benefits received from the charity. The trustees meet quarterly to review grant applications and make funding decisions. Meetings are scheduled for April, July, October, and January each year. The Trust operates with no trading subsidiaries and employs no staff earning above £60,000. As of the latest Charity Commission report, the charity's reporting is up to date and compliant with regulatory requirements.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications to the Police Community Trust General Fund and Road Safety Fund are made through online application forms available on the Avon and Somerset Police website. The application process takes approximately 25 minutes to complete. Applicants must be community or local voluntary organisations operating in the Avon and Somerset police force area, which includes Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset (BANES), North Somerset, Somerset, and South Gloucestershire.

For the Commissioner's Community Action Fund (grants of £1,000-£3,000), applications are submitted through either Quartet Community Foundation (for Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Bath & NES, and North Somerset) or Somerset Community Foundation (for Somerset).

Note: As of the last update, applications to the Police Community Trust General Fund were closed and scheduled to reopen in April 2026. Check the Avon and Somerset Police website for current application status.

Decision Timeline

Trustees meet quarterly to review applications. Meetings are typically scheduled for:

  • April
  • July
  • October
  • January

The specific timeframe from application submission to decision notification is not publicly documented, but decisions are made at these quarterly meetings.

Success Rates

The Commissioner's Crime Prevention Fund (related funding stream) awards approximately 50 grants annually from a fund of nearly £200,000. In 2023-24, this fund supported 28 projects across the region (five in Bath & NES, eight in Bristol, one in North Somerset, and 14 in Somerset), with an estimated 27,674 beneficiaries. The largest demographic served was teenagers aged 13-17, with 15 projects designed specifically for this age group.

Specific success rates for the Police Community Trust General Fund applications are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly documented on the Trust's website or in available materials. Applicants should contact the Trust directly at policecommunitytrust@avonandsomerset.police.uk for guidance on reapplying after an unsuccessful application.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Trust's stated priorities and funded projects, successful applications should:

Demonstrate Clear Crime Prevention or Community Safety Outcomes: The Trust's core purpose is “reducing crime and the fear of crime in communities.” Applications should articulate how the project will contribute to making communities safer.

Target Young People (Particularly Ages 13-17): Given that 15 out of 28 funded projects in the Commissioner's related fund targeted teenagers, there is clear priority for youth-focused initiatives. The Trust specifically aims to divert young people away from crime and anti-social behaviour.

Build Community Relations: Applications should demonstrate how the project fosters better relationships within communities or between communities and police.

Serve Communities Across the Police Force Area: Projects should clearly identify which communities in Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, Somerset, or South Gloucestershire will benefit.

Align with Quarterly Decision Cycles: Understanding that trustees review applications quarterly helps applicants plan submission timing and project start dates.

Examples of Previously Funded Projects:

  • Escapeline: £5,000 for child criminal exploitation workshops at schools in Somerset West and Taunton
  • Southmead Development Trust: £4,962 for kickboxing and self-defence group for girls at risk of child sexual exploitation
  • DMAC UK: £3,870 for art and performance workshops involving police, parents and children in Easton
  • Taunton East Development Trust: £5,000 for new equipment for volunteer community clean-up projects
  • The Nelson Trust: £2,500 for targeted programmes for women at risk of exploitation in Somerset

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Youth Focus is Critical: Projects targeting teenagers (13-17 years) appear to be particularly favored, with over half of recent funded projects designed for this demographic
  • Clear Crime Prevention Link Required: Articulate specific, measurable outcomes related to reducing crime or fear of crime—generic community benefits may not be sufficient
  • Modest Grant Amounts: With grants typically up to £1,000 (General Fund) or £5,000 (Road Safety Fund), applications should propose proportionate, achievable projects
  • Quarterly Decision Making: Plan application timing around April, July, October, and January trustee meetings
  • Community and Voluntary Sector Only: Individual applicants and one-off events are not supported
  • Geographic Eligibility Matters: Projects must serve communities within the Avon and Somerset police force area
  • Check Application Status: Applications are not always open—verify current status before preparing an application

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