Community Fund

The South Liverpool Homes Community Fund will support the development of new or existing projects in Speke and/or Garston that:

• Provide opportunities for customers to upskill and reach their employment capacity.
• Improve the health and wellbeing of SLH customers and the wider community.
• Encourage cleaner, greener and more energy-efficient neighbourhoods.
• Improve the financial wellbeing of SLH customers and the wider community.
• Reduce anti-social behaviour in Speke and/or Garston.
• Support equality, diversity and inclusion in our neighbourhoods.

Constituted groups operating within Speke and/or Garston can apply.

Non-constituted operating with Speke and/or Garston can apply for a small start-up grant to help them develop their project.

Organisations can submit multiple applications. However, each individual project can only submit one application year (1 April - 31 March).

Prior to funding being allocated, we have the right to request a copy of:

• Constitution or articles
• Employer's liability insurance
• Risk assessments for the project
• Safeguarding policy
• Public liability insurance
• Health and safety policy
• DBS checks for relevant staff

Use the online form on this page to apply for funding. 

• Applications from constituted groups requesting up to £2,000 will be reviewed by SLH’s Community Investment team and you will receive a response within five working days of the application being submitted.
• Applications over £2,000 will be reviewed by a panel consisting of members of SLH’s Executive Leadership Team and Customer Services Committee. The panel will be supported by a member of the Community Investment team. Once the panel has agreed an outcome, applicants will receive a decision via email within five working days of the meeting. In total, this process may take up to five weeks.
• Non-constituted groups can request up to £300 for a start-up grant.

Please note, all decisions made are final. Full or part funding may be offered.

Reasons for refusal could include but not limited to:

• Funding for a similar project has already been provided.
• Similar provision is already available locally.
• Application does not meeting one of our funding priorities.

Requests for support in the form of ‘in-kind’ repair work or colleague volunteer hours will also be considered.

Organisations can also apply to fund more than one project if they are unrelated (one project per application).

We want to make sure our application process is fair and inclusive for all. If you experience or anticipate any barriers with our application process or need help to make an application, please contact us and we discuss how we can support you.

In this section we want to know some basic information about your organisation.

1. What is the name of your organisation?

This should be the name of the organisation that is applying for funding.

2. What is the address of your organisation?

Please provide the full address, including the postcode, of your organisation.

3. Type of organisation

Please tell us what type of organisation you are. The South Liverpool Homes Community Fund is open to both constituted and non-constituted groups operating within Speke and Garston.

4. Charity registration number

If you are a charity, please provide the charity registration number.

5. Company registration number

If you are a company, please provide the company registration number.

6. Main contact

This should be the key person in charge of the project or activity. This person should be able to talk to us about the project and provide us with further details if required.

7. Main contact home address

This should be the main contact’s home address if the organisation is not a registered charity or company.

8. Main contact telephone number

This should be the main contact’s telephone number. It can be a landline or mobile number.

9. Main contact email address

This should be your main contact’s email address where we can send important information.

10. What does your organisation do?

Please provide a brief description about your organisation. What is its purpose? What does it do? Where does it operate? Maximum 100 words.

11. Are you closely connected to a member of staff or a tenant of SLH? If so, please provide details.

Please provide details of any close connections you have SLH staff, including family and friends. Also please advise if you are a tenant of SLH. This does not mean that your application will be refused but ensures openness and fairness.

12. Please link any social media accounts your organisation uses.

Please provide details of any social media accounts that will be used to promote the project activities.

Should we become aware of any information about yourself, your organisation or a partner organisation that does not align with our values, we have the right to cancel our agreement and any future planned payment.

In this section we want to know information about your project.

13. What is the name of your project?

This will be more memorable and engaging than a long, complicated one.

14. Tell us about your project.

Please tell us about your project, what you want to do, and how you will do it.  Maximum 300 words.

15. Will there be any other organisation or individual outside your organisation involved in the delivery of the project? If so, please provide their details and how they will be involved.

If any other organisation/individual will be employed by you or will be volunteering their time on the project please provide their name, and how they will be involved.

16. Which priorities does your project meet?

All projects must align with at least one of our priorities;

• Opportunities for customers to upskill and reach their employment capacity.
• Improve the health and wellbeing of SLH customers and the wider community.
• Encourage cleaner, greener neighbourhoods.
• Improve the financial wellbeing of SLH customers and the wider community.
• Reduce anti-social behaviour in Speke and/or Garston
• If you are unsure if your project meets these objectives, please get in touch and a member of the team will be happy to discuss further.

17. Where will your project be delivered?

All projects must be delivered in areas where SLH has a community.

Please tell us the name of the venue and its address including postcode.

18. Would you like to use space at one of our community projects to deliver activities?

We have a number of community projects that have space to run activities relating to our priorities outlined in question 16.

These are:

• The Market Place Social – an indoor space at South Liverpool Homes’ offices that is used for a variety of regular community activities.
• Reach – a community-based employability hub in Speke Library with a number of classroom or meeting spaces.
• Grow Speke – a community garden in Speke with both indoor and outdoor spaces that are used for a variety of community activities.

If you are aware of these projects and would like to use one or more of these spaces, please select which ones you feel would be relevant.

If you are not aware of these projects but would like to chat to a member of the team, please select further information.

19. When will your project be delivered?

Tell us the weeks or days when your project will take place. Is it a monthly, weekly or daily activity? All activities must be completed by 31 March of each year, unless agreed otherwise.

20. Who will benefit from your project?

Please tell us who the beneficiaries of the project will be.

21. Estimated number of individuals who will benefit from the project?

Let us know approximately how many people will benefit from the project. We know this might be difficult, but an estimate will help us determine the value for money of your project.

22. Estimated number of beneficiaries who will be SLH tenants?

Let us know approximately how many SLH tenants will benefit from the project. We know this might be difficult, but an estimate will help us determine the value for money of your project.

23. Why is your project needed and what difference will your project make?

Please tell us why your project is needed and what difference it will make to the people who are taking part in it. Maximum 300 words.

23. How much will your project cost?

Please tell us how much your whole project will cost. Match funding is not required for this grant. However, match funding can be included in your application where it is already secured.

24. How much grant funding are you requesting from South Liverpool Homes?

Let us know the amount of funding you need for your community project. 

25. Are you requesting in-kind support in the form of repairs or colleague volunteer hours? If so, please outline this request.

If you are requesting in-kind support, please state the repair or activity you would like colleague support with, such as boiler not working, painting hall, or support with community fun day.

26-33. How will you spend your project budget?

Please provide a budget breakdown for your project including how you intend to spend the grant from South Liverpool Homes should you be successful. 

In this section, please tell us about: 

• Each cost item* included in your application.
• The amount of SLH funding required.
• The amount of other funding (e.g. from yourself or another funding body).
• The total funding required for each item.

*A cost item might be craft supplies, a piece of exercise equipment, or other items that enable you to deliver your project.

NB: We have given you space to itemise six cost items. If you are applying for more than six items, please let us know in the box below. 

34. If successful I confirm I will;

• Supply details of how your funding has been spent, upon request.
• Use SLH's logo on all publicity for the project.
• Report on the numbers of people who benefited and how many of these were SLH tenants.
• Share any testimonials, case studies or pictures.
• Depending upon the nature of your project, you may be asked to share participants' details and ask participants to complete a short survey at the start and end of the project.

In order to be eligible for funding, organisations must agree to the monitoring and promotion criteria above. Funding over £2,000 may require further monitoring and evaluation.

35. Please select which of the following policies and documents your organisation has:

• Constitution or articles
• Employer's liability insurance
• Risk assessments for the project
• Safeguarding policy
• Public liability insurance
• Health and safety policy
• DBS checks for relevant staff
• None

Please don’t be put off if you don’t have all or any of these documents, as we may be able to provide support and advice.

36. Should South Liverpool Homes become aware of any information about yourself, organisation or partner organisation that does not align with our values we have the right to cancel our agreement and any future planned payment.   

When we make a decision to fund and promote a project or activity, we need to ensure that the organisation delivering the project aligns with our values:

• We are inclusive - We respect and value each other, we are stronger working together.
• We make it happen - We innovate; using our passion and energy to be bold, find solutions and make a real difference.
• We care - We care about the wellbeing of our customers, our colleagues and the communities we work in. They are at the heart of everything we do.
• We take ownership - We take personal responsibility for our actions; doing what we say we will do.
• We are professional - We value experience and expertise, but also love to develop potential

Find out more about our vision and values here.