Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside

Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside (CFLM), established in 1997 as Sefton Community Foundation and evolving into its current form, is a place-based philanthropy leader dedicated to enriching lives and fostering thriving, inclusive communities across Lancashire and Merseyside. Anchored by an endowment exceeding £20 million, CFLM drives positive social change through strategic grant-making informed by local research, community consultations, and "vital signs" insights. Its core values—collaboration, community leadership, responsiveness, sustainability, and commercial astuteness—position it as a champion of agile funding within the UK Community Foundations network, having distributed over £70 million to more than 1,300 local organizations since inception, with full transparency via 360Giving.

CFLM funds broad thematic priorities responsive to local needs, including mental health (e.g., Sean’s Place), youth empowerment and education (Youth Empowerment Scheme), women’s empowerment (Lancashire and Merseyside Women’s Funds), homelessness, employability, crisis response, and support for BAME communities, refugees, families, older people, and other marginalised groups. It backs voluntary sector organisations, community groups, and social enterprises with flexible grants for projects, core costs (select funds), pilots, capacity building, minor capital, emergency relief, and innovative test-and-learn initiatives, prioritising measurable community impact and gaps in public provision.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, community groups, or social enterprises with at least three unrelated trustees, properly constituted, and a permanent base in Lancashire or Merseyside (e.g., Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, Wirral); preference for small/medium organisations under £1 million income, though larger ones must show local governance. Grants range from £250 to £30,000 (typically £1,000–£7,000), via online forms on a mostly rolling basis (decisions in 8–12 weeks; supporting docs required promptly), with some deadlines like 15 August or 3 November 2025. Exclusions include vehicle purchases and retrospective costs; CFLM stands out for its local expertise, donor-community synergy, and sustainable legacy-building.