The High Sheriffs' Fund
The Fund aims to encourage groups, especially young people, to be involved in challenging activities to serve a purpose in diverting and deterring them from anti-social behaviour and crime. The Fund offers young people up to the age of 21 a great chance to show how constructive they can be in their communities and what they can do to help themselves and others in their neighbourhood.
Following a major commitment of funds by the Police and Crime Commissioner in 2013, the Fund is able to support a wide range of initiatives, many of which are likely to be referred by the Police or by organisations with objectives in line with those of The Fund. The programme will support activities organised for and by young people that aim to combat anti-social and criminal behaviour, promote healthy living, stimulate personal development and encourage inclusion. Specific projects are favoured for funding over general expenses. Grants of up to £2,500 will be considered at three annual High Sheriff’s Fund panel meetings to be held in February, June, and October. Smaller grants of up to £400 will be fast-tracked and considered within two weeks of receipt.
Eligibility Criteria
Grants from the High Sheriff’s Fund aim to support activities for young people that:
- Divert young people away from crime
- Help to raise the confidence and self esteem of young people
- Provide informal learning and development opportunities
- Improve the health and well being of young people
All applications must demonstrate how their proposed project will deliver one or more of the above, the key criterion being crime prevention.
To apply for funding, click here for further information.
Read all about High Sheriff Grants here.
Application Form
- Applications to The Fund may be submitted at any time before the published deadlines but will only be determined at one of three annual Panel meetings. Dates for these meetings are published on the GCF website.
- Fast track applications may be made for funding less than £400. You will usually be given a decision within a fortnight.
- Each application will be fully assessed by the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire and a Fund panel; if there are any queries you will be contacted and may be visited.
- At the panel meeting, panel members receive a report and project summaries. For more complex appeals, full applications will be tabled for the Panel to discuss.
- You will be advised of the outcome of your bid within a week of the Panel meeting and a Conditions of Grant Offer acceptance form will be forwarded for you to sign and return. This form will explain both general and any project-specific conditions that the Trustees are applying.
- On receipt of the acceptance form, the funds will be released, together with a Monitoring Information Sheet and the first monitoring forms that you will need to complete after three months. The information sheet sets out the monitoring and evaluation requirements through the lifetime of your funded activity.
Assessment Criteria
An application will be screened for its basic eligibility in accordance with the aims of The Fund.
Successful applications will demonstrate the good management of your organisation. We would expect applicants to be able to provide the following documents:
- A constitution or governing document, which includes the group’s aims and objectives, management and financial arrangements, and dissolution clause (what would happen if the group wound up).
- Accounts from the last financial year, either audited or independently examined – depending on income level.
Successful applications will show that the bid is well planned and achievable, with clear benefits to the recipients.
Applications
If you believe that your project fits the eligibility criteria you may make an on-line application by clicking the link here. Should you have any queries or need other help with your application, please email grants@gloucestershirecf.org.uk to receive further guidance and advice.
A link to the High Sheriff’s Fund at the Gloucestershire Community Foundation is here.
If all else fails, please email Sarah Sharma, the utterly brilliant Grants Manager at the Gloucestershire Community Foundation.
The High Sheriffs' Grants
Grants Given 2023/2024
| Grant Application Name | Project Description | Amount Given |
| Bloodhound Education Ltd (Education centre at GSTP GLOS) | To provide activities addressing the need to divert young people at risk by encouraging them to try something new and raise confidence, in a fun way. | £1,800.00 |
| Cinderford Area Neighbourhood Development Initiative (CANDI) | Towards regular youth space sessions, to encourage more young people to use CANDI’s safe spaces. | £2,400.00 |
| Creative Sustainability CIC | Partnering with GARAS supporting young people to improve their mental health, wellbeing and confidence, providing peer mentoring, youth-led bike workshop and rides into nature. | £2,500.00 |
| Creative Youth Network | Providing the young people of Hanham with a vibrant, welcoming youth centre where they feel comfortable and happy: a home away from home. | £2,000.00 |
| Door Youth Project | Towards a pilot a bespoke mentoring and advocacy project for boys and young men at risk of involvement in the judicial system. | £2,500.00 |
| fly2help | Working with underperforming and at-risk pupils from local schools and groups, providing inspiration, motivation and valuable life skills, enhancing employability opportunities and wider life outcomes. | £2,229.00 |
| Four Towns Play Association | Towards 80 free 4 hour play sessions for children and 20 family sessions during the summer holidays in priority neighbourhoods/areas of high deprivation | £2,500.00 |
| Friendship Cafe | To be used as a contribution to pay for and retain our experienced Youth Work staff at the Friendship Café | £2,500.00 |
| Glos Bangladeshi Youth Organisation c/o Gloucestershire Bangladeshi Association | To provide football activity for young people in the Barton and Tredworth area, with a particular focus on people from the Bangladeshi community | £2,500.00 |
| Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation | Creating a bespoke free community project to provide weekly cricket sessions for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) predominantly from Afghanistan aged between 14 -18. | £2,500.00 |
| Gloucestershire Magistrates Association | Towards organisation of the Gloucestershire Primary Schools Mock Trials competition. This grant will support travel for primary school pupils to the relevant venues and provide prizes. | £2,300.00 |
| Learning Partnership West CIC | A basketball project in Kingswood targeted at young people at greatest risk of Child Criminal Exploitation, Serious Youth Crime gangs, drugs and anti-social behaviour. | £2,000.00 |
| Listening Post Christian Counselling Service Ltd | Funding the £15 shortfall per session for people age 18-25 or with complex trauma needs, seeking help via counselling. Long term depth work is available. | £2,500.00 |
| Mitcheldean Youth Cafe | We are looking funding for equipment to provide a safe fun environment, hot meals/snacks, activities, tables. | £2,476.00 |
| Read With Me | We seek funding for a VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR to train and manage 50 volunteers for a defined senior school literacy project. | £2,500.00 |
| Ruardean Youth Club | Running Cost / subs Cookery Project. nutritional needs Environmental issue, land and sea Personal Hygiene , the importance of looking after yourself Staff Training | £2,500.00 |
| The Inspire Arts Trust | We are looking for a grant to help us launch our new Fitness Session for 11 to 16 year olds. | £418.68 |
| The Rock | Space 51 – our Monday evening open access youth group for year 8 and above. Mix of games, sports and qualified youth worker support. | £2,500.00 |
| Total Awarded: £40,623.68 |
Grants Given 2022/2023
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Grant Application Name |
Project Description |
Grant Awarded |
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4th Cheltenham Boys Brigade |
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7th Cheltenham Boys Brigade |
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Cheltenham Festivals |
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Cheltenham Saracens Football Club |
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Cheltenham Housing for Young people |
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Forest Fighting Fit |
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Forest Pulse |
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Forest Voluntary Action Forum |
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Four Towns Play Association |
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Getting Court |
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Gloucester Magistrates Association |
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Goals Beyond Grass |
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Listening Post Christian Counselling Service |
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My UK |
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Newent Community Trust |
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Strike a Light |
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The Trust Works |
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Together in Matson |
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Wickselm House Learning Centre |
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Wye Valley River Festival |
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Your Next Move |
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Total Awarded: £51,738 |
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Grants Given 2021/2022
| Grant Application Name | Project Description | Amount Given |
| Cinderford Area Neighbourhood Development Initiative | Towards ‘Drop In’ Youth Cafe in Cinderford & Drybrook and Dance Project to enable CANDI to re-open these facilities. | £2,500.00 |
| Nelson Trust | Towards the Stay Well project is a wellbeing summer holiday programme aiming to keep young people focused on healthy activities. | £2,500.00 |
| Cashes Green Community Centre | For a program of community engagement ahead of the redesign of the community centre. | £2,074.00 |
| The Door Youth Project | To provide young people with opportunity to take on specific leadership responsibility and be role models within their peer group, in our youth centres. | £2,500.00 |
| Gloucestershire Crimestoppers Trust | Towards a youth professionals and trusted adults awareness workshop supporting awareness, signs and confidence building through Fearless.org | £2,500.00 |
| Venture: White City | To develop a programme of off-site activities and opportunities for young people aged to 11 – 18. | £2,400.00 |
| Gloucester Animal Welfare Association & Cheltenham Animal Shelter Viney | Towards the HALT (Humans and Animals Learning Together) Project , a two-week course for at-risk youths where students learn new skills and knowledge through working with animals. | £2,500.00 |
| Hill Christian Adventure Centre | Towards a kitchen refurbishment at a youth activity centre | £2,500.00 |
| Brendan’s Bridge | Supporting the BAME young people of Tredworth with a community approach incorporating sporting activities. | £750.00 |
| Teens in Crisis | To launch TIC+’s 1 at A Time (1@aT) Counselling service – a new, innovative model of counselling. | £2,500.00 |
| Your Next Move | Funding towards the costs of running a programme of dance and hip hop for young people in Gloucester, including a Coordinator’s time, workshop leaders and assistants, creation/printing of workshop resources, space hire, marketing and volunteer expenses. | £2,500.00 |
| 4th Cheltenham Boys Brigade | Paying insurance and fees for the year and funding for activities that will raise self esteem. | £2,500.00 |
| Changing Tunes | Music rehabilitation programme at Vinney Green Secure Children’s Home, Gloucestershire. Building young people’s human and social capital through trauma-informed, child-centred music-making sessions. Provision continues post-release | £2,500.00 |
| JJ Community CIC | Financial support for running costs ensuring we can continue improving our communities physical and mental heath | £2,500.00 |
| Noah’s Ark Children’s Venture | Provide a safe countryside residential indoors and outside for those young people who need it most. Promoting healthy living, outdoor learning and wellbeing. | £2,500.00 |
| Gloucester and Forest Alternative Provision School | For an outdoor permanent table tennis table for use during breaktimes & holidays by young people at risk of being drawn into criminal activities out of school. | £760.00 |
| Kendleshire Kids Foundation | To support 30 young people who have experienced trauma/ACE’s in their childhood through sports. | £2,500.00 |
| Longlevens Rugby Club | Working in partnership with dedicated mental health experts TIC+ to improving mental health amongst young people. | £1,500.00 |
| Creative Sustainability CIC | A peer mentor training programme for our youth projects, including Access Bike and 3rd Space, to ensure full participation of disadvantaged and disabled young people | £2,000.00 |
| Wickselm House Learning Centre CIC | Towards essential classroom and outdoor learning equipment, to support children who are not able to access mainstream schooling. | £600.00 |
| 7th Gloucester Boys Brigade and Girls Association | Christmas activities for boys at the Boys Brigade | £2,000.00 |
| Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers | To foster understanding and challenge discrimination between young refugees and local young people from deprived backgrounds within Gloucestershire. | £2,140.00 |
| Nailsworth Youth Club | To support a small group of young people that would meet weekly and plan small events such as litter picking, senior citizen lunch etc | £1,500.00 |
| Centred Horseplay | Enabling vulnerable young people with potentially no funding, easier access to equine therapy courses | £2,000.00 |
| Priors Park Neighbourhood Project | Creative workshops supporting disadvantaged local school pupils’ mental health and increasing their self esteem and confidence caused by school disruptions from the recent COVID pandemic. | £2,396.00 |
| Cotswold Boatmobility | To support more disadvantaged young people, including disabled and excluded young people, to access activities on the water and meaningful, safe and full participation. | £2,500.00 |
| The Rock | Towards Transition Night Tuesday, for school years 5 – 7. To support primary pupils in transition to secondary school with a range of activities. | £2,500.00 |
| Read With Me | A project targeting those Year 6 pupils who cannot yet read well which will provide support as they end primary school and begin secondary education. | £2,310.00 |
| Tewkesbury Rugby FC | To improve floodlighting to the grounds for the continuation & development of coach led play/exercise/training during winter months for our cohort of 200 children. | £2,500.00 |
| Football’s Finest Six | Running a community football tournament predominantly engaging young adults in the Foster Care system facing multiple ACEs and at risk from crime. | £2,500.00 |
| Total Awarded: £51,224.00 |
Grants Given 2020/2021
| Grant Application Name | Project Description | Amount Given |
| 1625 Independent People | Furnishing a new high support project in Yate for Care Leavers and young homeless people, creating a home with emotional support, where they feel safe. | £2,500.00 |
| 4th Cheltenham Boys Brigade | Towards some engagement activities for boys aged 10 to 19 these are hardest to engage in activities especially remotely. | £500.00 |
| Centred Horseplay | Building of toilet facilities adjacent to the arena so that participants, most importantly those suffering from anxiety can go to the toilet without staff supervision. | £2,500.00 |
| Cirencester Town Council | Towards hosting an annual scooter event and continuing to deliver the cafe/hub throughout the school holidays during 2020. | £1,700.00 |
| Creative Sustainability CIC | Towards the costs of an inclusive space for young people to develop confidence, independence, self-esteem and expectations, access peer support, explore volunteering, earning a living and active citizenship | £1,000.00 |
| FGR Community a wholly owned subsidiary of The Green Britain Foundation | To fund the development and delivery of online soccer camps in the school summer holidays for children age 4-14 years old. | £1,500.00 |
| Forest of Dean Scouts | For development of practical skills and to help with the issues of not mixing with friends during lockdown | £2,200.00 |
| Forest of Dean Sea Cadets | To cover ongoing unavoidable overhead costs over the next 6 months when we hope to be back to ‘normal’ fundraising activities. Our monthly overheads total around £700. | £1,500.00 |
| Forest Voluntary Action Forum | Towards Outreach Youth Work across various areas across the Forest of Dean to engage with young people and help them to integrate into their communities. | £2,500.00 |
| Gloucestershire Animal Welfare Association & Cheltenham Animal Shelter | Towards the HALT (Humans and Animals Leaning Together) Project, a two-week or three-day course for at-risk youths. Students learn new skills through working with animals. | £2,500.00 |
| Gloucestershire Counselling Service | To subsidise the Child & Family Counselling Service ensuring equitable access, including increasing number of complex sexually abused/domestic violence, low income clients. | £2,500.00 |
| Goals Beyond Grass | To contribute towards an accessible sports programme which engages children and young people with disabilities in sports activities during the school holidays. | £2,000.00 |
| Newent Initiative Trust | For targeted youth club sessions with a youth worker. | £1,950.00 |
| Noah’s Ark Children’s Venture | To provide a safe countryside residential indoors and outside for those young people who need it most. To reawaken and promote healthy living and personal development. | £2,500.00 |
| Paganhill Community Group | Towards activities to better integrate young people into the community in Paganhill and provide opportunities for development. | £2,500.00 |
| Southern Brooks Community Partnerships | To deliver fortnightly non-contact boxing sessions to improve health, fitness, behaviour and learning new skills, targeting young people at risk of ASB | £2,052.55 |
| The Music Works | Towards Making It 2, building on learning from the award-winning Making It programme using music to divert 16 YP from the criminal justice system | £2,500.00 |
| The Rock | Towards the Activate holiday program providing young people from the local area with a range of activities over a three week period. | £2,500.00 |
| The Rock | Towards Activate 2021, 3 weeks of various activities during the school summer holiday including a 4 day Leadership Residential. | £1,000.00 |
| Total Awarded: £37,902.55 |
Grants Given 2019/2020
| Grant Application Name | Project Description | Grant Awarded |
| 1625 Independent People | To help fund our Engagement and Learning Programme at Southwold House, Yate. Providing young homeless people and care leavers with positive, practical and therapeutic activities. | £2,500.00 |
| Bristol Aero Collection Trust (Aerospace Bristol) | To engage local students with learning and behavioural difficulties in an Aerospace Bristol arts workshop, to encourage community inclusion and engagement with arts and heritage. | £1,000.00 |
| Changing Tunes | A music-rehabilitation and skills development programme for young offenders (age 10-17) at Vinney Green Secure Unit (South Gloucestershire). Laying foundations for an ongoing programme. | £2,500.00 |
| Cinderford Area Neighbourhood Development Initiative (CANDI) | Funding towards continuation of our ‘Drop In’ Youth Cafes in Cinderford and Drybrook and Dance Projects in Cinderford and Drybrook. | £2,000.00 |
| Creative Sustainability CIC | Access bike is a youth-led, inclusive drop in cycle workshop with a co-produced peer mentor support programme for disadvantaged and disabled young people | £2,552.00 |
| Dean Scribblers | The continued growth of writing activities to help raise achievement and aspiration in schools in the Forest of Dean | £2,000.00 |
| Four Towns Play Association | Towards funding our Summer Play scheme. This scheme offers 192 free 2 hour play sessions to children aged 5-11 across 6 areas in South Gloucestershire. | £2,500.00 |
| Gloucestershire Federation of WIs | Third year payment from the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire Fund towards education activities for women at Eastwood Prison. | £1,470.00 |
| Gloucestershire Magistrates Association | Mock Trials Competition for year 5 and 6 primary school children, open to all in Gloucestershire. We require funding for venue,catering and transport of children. | £1,500.00 |
| Gloucestershire Police | To guarantee the financial stability of the mini bike project for the next 2 years on the basis of securing match funding for the project. | £1,500.00 |
| Greenwoods Therapeutic Horticulture CIC | To help towards the cost of the development of the farm site, to enable wheelchair friendly accessible hardstanding and buildings, including toilets and changing room. | £2,500.00 |
| Juice Community Project | To provide Fit and Fed sessions during the school summer holidays for children between the ages of 7 and 15 years old. | £2,500.00 |
| South Gloucestershire Council (Getting Court Project) | To provide a programme of visits for schools to learn about the judiciary system. | £2,000.00 |
| Strike a Light | The grant will be spent on weekly drama workshops for young people aged 7-18 in Matson, Gloucester. | £2,500.00 |
| T.I.C+ (also known as Teens In Crisis) | This grant will provide 47 counselling sessions for vulnerable Gloucestershire young people, improving their health and wellbeing through talking therapy. | £2,500.00 |
| Total Awarded: £31,522 |