GRANT GUIDELINES

The Liverpool ONE Foundation

This Liverpool ONE Foundation is a fund administered and managed by the Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside.

Since Grosvenor was first appointed as the chosen developer in March 2000, Liverpool ONE has developed over 42 acres in the heart of the city. The Liverpool ONE Foundation, formerly known as the Liverpool Paradise Foundation, was established by the private sector partners involved in delivering the Paradise Project, and was committed to putting something back into the local community.

The Liverpool ONE Foundation aims to help the lives of local people in Merseyside, especially Liverpool, by providing support for good causes in and around the city.

Strategically informed by local research and consultations on social priorities the Liverpool ONE Foundation plans to invest time, money and expertise into Merseyside’s charities and community groups whose work will involve children and young people, education and/or employability.

Applicants should ensure they demonstrate how their proposed project meets the Liverpool ONE Foundation priorities below.

•Children and Young People

•Employability

•Education

In addition we encourage applicants to consider a partnership approach if they are aware of similar projects taking place locally. Also please consider ‘Social Value’ within your application - what we are looking to see is the long term impact funding may have within a community and to its beneficiaries. For example, what the project will offer towards helping people access employment, training, IT support etc; If equipment is sourced locally; If staff and/or volunteers are recruited locally from within the community the project is targeted at. Projects must still represent value for money but we would like to see the additional benefits, the social value, your project aims to make in the community it will serve’.

Programme 1 – Small Grants Programme

Grants are available of up to £5,000 for community groups with an annual incomein total of £200,000. This programme is aimed at grassroots groups undertaking activity based projects.

The panel are keen to see applications from groups that are in-line with their core aims and objectives and those that can demonstrate match funding, financial or in-kind contributions. The expectation is that grants will primarily fund direct project costs and applications are welcomed from those that clearly evidence their sustainability plans.

In order to be eligible for funding your group must:

Programme 1 Small Grants Programme

  • Be a community and voluntary sector organisation based in Merseyside
  • Have an income of less than £200,000 per annum
  • Ensure your application will cover at least 80% of your total project costs i.e. Liverpool ONE Foundation is the principal funder
  • Ensure that any monitoring from previous Community Foundation grants has been completed and returned
  • The Foundation welcomes applications from groups working in partnership with others – if your group is doing this please provide evidence of the partnerships or agency support e.g letters of support, partnership agreement etc
  • Please indicate in your application if you have secured any other funding towards the project and from whom
  • If volunteer costs are included in your budget please ensure these are based on out of pocket expenditure and not a specific payment.
  • If you have been funded through the Community Foundation for Merseyside within the last 12 months you do not need to submit your governing documents but we will require a copy of your latest annual accounts, any relevant safeguarding policies , Part B of the application form and a copy of a recent bank statement with your application or within 1 week of submitting your application.

Please note only complete applications can be processed. If any documents are outstanding after 1 week of the Community Foundation receiving your application then it is likely to be withdrawn.

  • Public sector organisations or those controlled wholly or in part , e.g. local authority, primary care trust
  • Commercial ventures
  • Purchase/maintenance of vehicles
  • Activities that will have already taken place before we offer you a grant
  • Individuals
  • Politically connected or exclusively religious activities
  • Projects for personal profit
  • Trophies and medals, kits and costumes
  • Organisations that are set up for the benefit of animals or plants – environmental groups that work with animals or environment such as city farms are acceptable
  • Groups comprising just one family
  • Statutory organisations or work that is their responsibility
  • Debts and other liabilities
  • Reclaimable VAT
  • Travel outside UK
  • Gifts or projects exclusively for the purpose of entertaining (social events can be funded where there is a clear community benefit)

This list is neither exclusive nor exhaustive. If you are unsure if elements of your project may be excluded please contact the Community Foundation for Merseyside using the contact details below for help

When you apply, your application will be reviewed initially by Community Foundation for Merseyside (CFM) to ensure that you have answered all the questions, and submitted all supporting documents. We will also ensure that you have satisfied the minimum eligibility for the fund.

All eligible applications will be assessed and presented to a funding panel who will make recommendations against the Liverpool Foundation criteria and the budget available.

This programme is always oversubscribed and we cannot give any assurances as to funding being awarded.

If you have any other queries please contact the office on 0151 232 2444 or alternatively you can email us on

Go to to complete an online application. Once you have submitted the online application you will need to return part B ensuring all the documents listed below are also included (we can accept these documents electronically). If you do not submit all the relevant documents within 1 week your application will be withdrawn.

If you require any further support in completing your application please do not hesitate to contact your local Council for Voluntary Service (CVS), details of which can be found on our website

Please submit:

-A signed copy of the group’s rules or constitution (If you have received funding through CFM in the last 12 months you do not need to include this)

-A signed copy of the group’s latest annual accounts or income/expenditure document

-A copy of a recent bank statement for your group

-Part B of the application form

-Letters of support for partnership working

-A signed copy of the group’s current Safeguarding Policy.

All applicants must ensure that they hold relevant policies and procedures in place to undertake activities, such as Criminal Records Bureau checks and/or a health and safety policy, depending on proposed activity. If unsure about what you need please contact the Community Foundation for help

When can you apply?

The Liverpool ONE Foundations Programme 1 is now open and the decision-making panel will be held towards the end of March 2016. The closing date for this fund is Tuesday 9th February 2016.