Vulnerable Faith Institutions Scheme
Apply for funding if your place of worship needs extra security to protect it from attacks on racial, religious or ideological grounds.
About the scheme
The scheme will provide funding for security measures to places of worship and associated community centres that are vulnerable to attack on racial, religious or ideological grounds.
You can bid for funding from 30 June 2017.
Eligibility
We will consider bids from places of worship in England and Wales. Below are some examples of places of worship eligible to apply for the funding (please note this is not an exhaustive list):
- Mosques
- Gurdwaras
- Temples
- Churches
- associated faith community centres (for example a community centre run by a place of worship or near a place of worship that is faith based)
Faith schools, educational institutions, general community centres, NHS establishments (including chapels and prayer rooms) are not eligible to apply.
The Jewish community will be exempt from this scheme as a similar commitment was made to fund Jewish community sites through a grant administered by the Community Security Trust.
How to bid
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Provide evidence that your place of worship or associated community centre is vulnerable to and/or has been victim of an attack on racial, religious or ideological grounds. This could include your institution being in an area where there has been a high incidence of racist and religious motivated crimes. This could be demonstrated for example through a supporting e-mail from your local police to suggest that your faith institution is vulnerable and briefly outlining the reasons for this, although this isn’t a requirement and other reasonable evidence will be accepted.
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Arrange a site assessment with your local Crime Prevention Design Advisers (CPDAs) and get them to complete and sign an .
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Provide 3 original quotes for each security measure from approved security installers.
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Complete the online application form.
Security equipment
You can only bid for funding to cover the costs of security equipment and not for the cost of recruiting security personnel. Below are some examples of security equipment covered by the funding scheme, but this is not an exhaustive list:
- CCTV
- perimeter fencing
- access control gates
- window locks
- intruder alarm
- external lighting
- security doors
- bollards
- barriers
Funding would also cover the reasonable labour cost to install the security equipment.
However, funding under this scheme would not cover:
- any annual service charge
- maintenance charges
- one-off fees such as connection or monitoring charges
Site assessment
You need to have evidence that your place of worship is vulnerable to an attack before you arrange a site assessment and discuss your security requirements with your local Crime Prevention Design Adviser (CPDA) or your local Counter Terrorism Security Adviser (CTSA), if you are already engaged with them. They can provide advice and assist with an assessment of the security of your building.
All CPDAs are qualified to the national standards and most have completed a City and Guilds advanced certificate in Crime Prevention and Environmental Design.
Find your local Crime Prevention Design Adviser.
Approved security installation companies
You must choose a company from a certification body. This provides assurance that they are a reputable and trusted contractor and that they have been independently verified as meeting industry standards.
NSI provides certification services and reassurance that their chosen contractors will work to the highest industry standards.
Find a certified company for lighting at www.niceic.com or www.eca.co.uk
Planning restrictions
Successful applicants should note that they will need to seek the appropriate permissions for the work to be carried out (planning permission, listed building consent, faculty permission, as applicable). The award of the grant does not constitute permission to carry out the works.
Independent advisory panel
If you provide sufficient evidence that your place of worship is vulnerable to and/or has been victim of an attack on racial, religious or ideological grounds, your application will be passed to the independent advisory panel who will consider:
- your supporting documents
- your bid application form
- the CPDA/CTSA and Home Office assessment
The advisory panel is made up of representatives from the Sikh, Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities. The panel will also include a police representative with security experience.
Please note, even if you provide evidence of being vulnerable to an attack on racial, religious or ideological grounds, the panel can take other factors into account and still recommend your application is declined. For example if the security measures are too costly, they can recommend either part approval of the funds requested or recommend refusal of the full amount.
Checks will be carried out by the Home Office for applications put forward to the independent advisory panel, including any adverse information held by the Charity Commission. This will be taken into account when deciding whether to approve applications.
Funding requirements
Successful applicants will need to contribute 20 percent of the total costs.
Approved bids
We will issue a funding agreement to places of worship. You will need to have sufficient funds to pay for the full cost of the security equipment to be installed, using one of the approved installation companies that satisfy the Home Office requirements. Work must be completed by 31 March 2018. The Home Office Security Adviser will undertake audit spot checks on a number of completed projects to ensure that installation is in line with the description in the application and to their satisfaction. We will endeavour to reimburse places of worship (80 percent) within 30 days of receipt of invoice.
Timetable
| Bid opens | 30 June 2017 |
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| Bid closes | 17 August 2017 |
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Review period
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Bids received by 20 July 2017 will be considered by an independent panel by end of August 2017.
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Bids received after 20 July 2017 will be considered by an independent panel by mid September 2017.
Contact us
If you have any question or need clarification:
Updates to this page
Last updated 14 July 2017 + show all updates
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Updated guidance for Vulnerable Faith Institutions Scheme.
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First published.