Groups can bid for slice of £12.6m fund

Sep 5 2007 by Deborah James, Liverpool Daily Post

VOLUNTARY and community groups are being offered £12.6m in grants by Liverpool City Council.

Bids are being invited from groups to take a slice of £4.2m a year during the life of the three- year fund, which will run from April 2008 through to April 2011.

Around 80 organisations have received money under the existing three- year scheme, which was launched in 2005.

Each of those organisations, including the Liverpool 8 Law Centre, Arabic Cultural Foundation, and Merseyside Society for the Deaf, is permitted to bid again, but their applications will be treated as new submissions, alongside first-time bidders.

In 2006/7, organisations which were funded through the programme gave 4,000 vulnerable adults and disabled people days out and recovered £4.3m of welfare benefit arrears for local people. They also provided 36,000 meals for elderly, vulnerable people, and helped recruit 700 volunteers.

Ideas are invited under five themes: community legal advice services, support for victims of domestic violence, non-housing support for single homeless people, stronger communities, and strengthening community and voluntary organisations.

Full guidance and an application pack are available from www.liverpool.gov.uk

The closing date for applications is 15th October 2007. For details call 0151 225 2316/2541.