Safer City grants

The Safer City grant scheme provides "kick start" or "one-off" grants to community-based projects that will tackle crime, the fear of crime and antisocial behaviour in Cambridge.

You can apply for either a capital or a revenue grant or a combination of both, as long as the total does not exceed £5,000.

The guidance notes will tell you what the difference is between capital and revenue grants.

As with any other application for a grant, you must demonstrate that there is a need for the funding and support this with evidence.

You must also have a clear plan of what you want to spend funding on and support this with clear costings and quotes, where appropriate.

Criteria governing Safer City grants

If you need help in defining the nature and extent of the problem you want to address and in planning a project, please read the very informative booklet on guidelines for monitoring and evaluation.

A successful application will need to demonstrate a majority of the following:

• the application is submitted by a community-based group with a clear structure
• the project involves working in partnership with the community or other organisations
• there is an identified need for the project, which is supported by evidence
• the aims of the project are clearly defined
• the project is realistically costed
• the project falls within a priority area shown in the Cambridge Community Safety Plan 2008 - 2011
• the ways in which the project will be monitored and evaluated have been considered
• the project represents value for money when comparing the amount of grant requested with the benefits described
• the cost of the project is under £5,000.

What will happen next

After your application is received and acknowledged, we will consider whether the project has merit, taking into account supporting evidence and disussions with identified partners (as appropriate), and make a recommendation to the Cambridge Community Safety Partnership as to whether your application should be approved or rejected.

The Executive Councillor for Community Development and Health, who holds the portfolio for community safety, and opposition leader will then be asked to endorse the recommendation, following which you will be notified of the final decision.

If you have completed your application correctly and submitted it with sufficient supporting evidence, we will let you know within five weeks of the date of receipt if it has been successful or not.

Funding projects above £5,000

The primary purpose of the Safer City grant scheme is to support projects up to £5,000.

If you require funding above £5,000 we strongly recommend that you seek alternative avenues of funding.

That said, whilst there is nothing stopping you from applying for a grant greater than £5,000, you must be aware that in addition to the application process described above, your application will have to be considered by the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee, so you must therefore make a very strong case for the funding.

Also, as this committee meets on average only four times each year, your application may be substantially delayed.