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Community Foundation North East is partnering with Northumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Susan Dungworth on a new £100,000 Commissioner’s Community Fund to make communities feel safer, stronger, and more connected.
The fund has been designed to help deliver the goals of Susan’s Police and Crime Plan for Northumbria and is there to help grassroots projects and local groups that provide locally led support for vulnerable people, create positive opportunities for young people, and reduce anti-social behaviour and crime.
Some of the money used to create this fund has been recovered by police under the Proceeds of Crime Act (PoCA). This ensures that money taken from criminals is reinvested into the communities it once harmed.
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Susan Dungworth, said:
“This fund is about helping communities take the lead in making their neighbourhoods safer and stronger. It reflects the priorities set out in my Police and Crime Plan for Northumbria – to prevent crime, tackle anti-social behaviour, and build confidence in policing.
“By investing in our communities and supporting ideas from the local area, we’re showing we’re listening, that crime doesn’t pay, – and we’re empowering communities to make real, lasting change.”
Adam Lopardo, Chief Funding and Partnership Officer at Community Foundation North East, said:
“We are delighted to be working with the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner and her team on the Commissioner’s Community Fund. Our Vital Signs Justice report outlines the positive impact the type of projects and initiatives this fund will support can have on our communities. We look forward to seeing those projects in action.
Small grants of up to £1,000 are available for one-off or community events, and larger grants of £1,001 to £5,000 are for projects lasting up to one year.
The Commissioner is looking to award funding to projects and initiatives that:
• Deliver diversionary activities for young people, particularly during school holidays.
• Reduce anti-social behaviour and crime.
• Repair the harm caused by offending and improve community cohesion.
• Support vulnerable people and families.
Previous rounds of the fund have supported workshops improving understanding of the criminal justice system and hate crime reporting, youth projects giving confidence and new skills, peer mentoring programmes helping young people make positive choices. The funding can help towards, staff deliver, equipment, accessibility, venue hire, transport and more.
The fund is open for applications now and will close at midday on Wednesday 7th January 2026. For more information or to apply, click here.