The Foundation has launched a new fund alongside the Longleigh Foundation in response to the growing numbers of people affected by hate crime across the Black Country.
Charities, community and voluntary organisations across Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton are being encouraged to apply for funding through the Longleigh Foundation Community Fund, which will help to support the delivery of projects and activities focussed on understanding, preventing and addressing discriminatory and hate-related behaviour and crime.
The Longleigh Foundation Community Fund aims to support projects that better understand the causes, and propose recommended solutions to address these discriminatory and hate-related behaviours and crimes, on the grounds of age, gender reassignment, disability, race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, political preference, sex or sexual orientation.
Available grants are for up to £5,000 per application and can help towards a wide range of costs such as salaries, equipment or volunteer costs.
Tina Costello, Chief Executive, Heart of England Community Foundation, said:
“We’re really excited to launch this fund and work with the Longleigh Foundation. Responding to the needs of our communities is something we care deeply about so tackling the rise in hate crime felt like a great way to support the Black Country.”
Andy Peers, Chief Executive, Longleigh Foundation, said:
“Discriminatory and hate-related behaviours and crimes have a hugely negative impact on communities, creating a climate of fear and leaving many individuals feeling marginalised, or even intimidated to go about their daily lives.
“Through this fund, we want to support activities that will help to understand and address the root causes and motivations of these crimes, to enable long-term transformational change in our local communities.”
Joanna Gooch, Director of Housing Strategy & Quality Assurance, Stonewater, adds:
“Targeted geographical grants from the Longleigh Foundation is part of Stonewater’s long term strategy in identifying and tackling the root cause of localised hate crime incidents; exploring the potential synergies between hate crime, geographical population mix and income deprivation in the communities we serve.
“With the support of the Longleigh Foundation we look forward to proactively working with partner agencies to support hate crime victims and re-educate offenders and the wider community to prevent future incidents of hate crime in areas with the highest levels of reported hate crime.”
To find out more about the fund, click here.