Round 1 - Rural Crime

The first round of the Community Action Fund will focus on tackling rural crime, an issue which continues to affect the safety, wellbeing, and livelihoods of many communities. Rural crime remains a significant concern across the country with offences such as machinery theft and livestock worrying continuing to impact farms and rural businesses.

To help address this, we are launching the Community Action Fund (CAF) funding which is designed to empower local communities to take proactive steps in preventing crime and supporting those affected by it. This fund is open to a wide range of applicants, including local groups, parish councils, neighbourhood watch schemes and registered charities.

We are proud to have a Dedicated Rural Crime team within Leicestershire police, specialists who understand the unique challenges faced by our countryside. This empowers communities to take action, support the police and work together in a shared mission to reduce rural crime and build a safer more resilient countryside.

Applicants can apply for funding up to £10,000 to support projects that aim to reduce rural crime and enhance community safety. Funding can be used for a variety of crime prevention tools and initiatives, such as:

• Equipment for rural crime prevention workshops – Helping to educate and engage residents.
• Educational materials for schools – Promoting awareness and resilience among young people who may be at risk of becoming involved in rural crime.
• Community equipment – such as security lighting and motion sensors, lockable storage unites or fencing barriers to protect vulnerable land or livestock and target hardening equipment.
• Vehicle tracking – Using GPS systems to protect and track valuable equipment.

These tools not only help deter criminal activity but also empower communities to feel safer, more informed, and better supported.

The Rural Crime Community Action Fund will open on Monday 1st September 2025 and will stay open until Friday 17th October 2025*. We will not accept any applications after this date.

We encourage all eligible organisations to apply and take advantage of this opportunity to make a meaningful impact in their communities. Together we can continue to drive down rural crime and create a safe, more secure environment for everyone.

*Please note: While we aim to keep the round open for the full duration, we reserve the right to close the round earlier than the published end date if necessary.

Who Can Apply:

We want to hear from people who understand their communities and have great ideas for making a positive impact. Charities, schools, community groups, parish councils, constituted groups and voluntary organisations can apply, please see below our eligibility criteria:

• Multiple Applications:  You may submit more than one application. Each will be assessed independently, and if more than one meets the quality threshold, we may consider funding multiple proposals. However, funding more than one application is not guaranteed and will depend on the overall strength of submissions and available resources.
• Organisation Size:  Your organisation must have fewer than 30 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff. Volunteers and schools are not counted in this total.
• Funding Limit:  Applications requesting more than £10,000 will not be considered.
• Project Relevance:  Your project must clearly support at least one of the Police and Crime Plan priorities. Applications that do not align with these priorities will not be eligible.
• Current Funding:  If your project is already receiving funding, you cannot apply for additional funding if the new funding period overlaps with your current one.