This week I am launching the Commissioner’s Community Grant scheme in Cornwall, a funding pot of £30,000 that communities across the county can apply for to help set up projects or initiatives that fulfil certain criteria. The Devon scheme will be launched next month.

Grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 are available to support community groups undertaking activities that connect communities and policing, prevent and deter crime and protect those who are vulnerable or at risk of abuse.
The scheme aims to provide short term funding (one year only) for projects and initiatives that directly impact communities.
For example, these grants can be used to support the setup of a pilot project which helps evidence proof of concept and community impact or fund a one-off purchase such as CCTV or seed funding for a safer town or a community watch scheme.

The scheme is not aimed at longer term funding so if projects or services become successful they would need to apply for funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Impact Scheme or become involved in a full open procurement process which they could readily bid for.

For a successful application, projects applying for these grants must include plans for future sustainability, directly benefit the local community and, of course, align to our police and crime plan – at the heart of which are safe, resilient and connected communities.
In 2018, a predecessor scheme helped all sorts of projects, including St Petroc’s Cold Weather Provision which received a grant of £2,500.
St Petroc’s works with homeless people in Cornwall and its Cold Weather Provision is an emergency shelter for those who are sleeping rough during the coldest period of the winter months.
The service enables anyone who has no other option than to sleep rough to be offered the option of coming in from the cold and bedding down for the night in a basic, but warm and safe setting.
During the winter of 2018/19, St Petroc’s delivered 179 nights worth of Cold Weather Provision across two locations in Cornwall to 89 individuals who accessed the service on 1,306 occasions. All of these people would have had to have slept rough if the provision had not been provided.
More than 68% of St Petroc’s clients were found accommodation, or secured accommodation themselves with friends or in the private rented sector and were able to leave Cold Weather Provision to move to somewhere indoors.

There is some really innovative work taking place across Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly and I am pleased to be able to provide support which can make these projects even more impactful.
The funding is being administered by the Cornwall Community Foundation and anyone who wishes to start the application ball rolling should visit their website at https://www.cornwallcommunityfoundation.com/introduction-to-grants/