Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside is a registered charity that channels donations from individuals, corporates, and public bodies into grants for grassroots community organisations across Lancashire and Merseyside, awarding £2.6m across 450+ grants in 2025/26.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersLiverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside does
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside (CFLM) is a registered charity (No. 1068887) operating as CFLM Limited, formed in 2014 from the merger of the Community Foundation for Merseyside and the Community Foundation for Lancashire. It is headquartered in Liverpool with a regional office in Preston, and serves as a place-based grant-making intermediary for the Lancashire and Merseyside regions of North West England. The organisation is part of a national network of 47 UK Community Foundations, itself part of a global community foundation movement originating in the USA in 1914.
The foundation operates two core service lines: a grant-making service that directs funding to grassroots community organisations (450+ grants and £2.6m awarded in 2025/26, reaching 115,000+ people), and a fund setup/administration service that enables individuals, corporates, charitable trusts, public sector bodies, and community benefit funds to channel donations through the foundation. Named funds under management include Liverpool ONE Foundation (mental health for young people, £3m+ distributed), 23 Foundation (Jamie Carragher's youth fund, £1.1m+), Merseyside Women's Fund, Youth Empowerment Scheme, Merseyside Police Community Cashback Fund, and the recently transferred Pilkington Charities Fund (over £25m in assets).
The business model is donation-based philanthropy. The foundation does not charge grant recipients; revenue is derived from donor contributions, fund administration fees, and Gift Aid recovery. Its 2025/26 grant outflow was £2.6m, with 87% of funding directed to organisations with income under £1m, reflecting a deliberate grassroots skew. Strategic leadership sits with CEO Rae Brooke and Deputy CEO Karen Morris, with a board chaired at the presidential level by Peter Oliver OBE, DL and with Cherie Blair CBE KC as long-standing patron.
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside
- Legal name
- CFLM Limited
- Website
- https://cfmerseyside.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside is a registered charity that channels donations from individuals, corporates, and public bodies into grants for grassroots community organisations across Lancashire and Merseyside, awarding £2.6m across 450+ grants in 2025/26.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Foundation Grant Making
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)
Keywords
Where Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Liverpool, Merseyside
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Giving: The foundation receives donations from individuals, corporations, charitable trusts, and public sector organizations. These donations are used to establish named funds that support grant-making to community organizations. Revenue comes from the generosity of donors who contribute to causes aligned with their philanthropic interests.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside operates as a strategic grant-making charitable foundation that connects donors (individuals, corporations, charitable trusts, and public sector bodies) with grassroots community organisations across Lancashire and Merseyside. The foundation offers fund setup services (Personal Giving, Corporate Giving, Trust Transfers, Community Benefit Funds, Public Sector Funds) and manages multiple dedicated grant programmes focused on youth, mental health, women's services, crime prevention, and emergency response. Recipients do not pay for grants; the foundation earns its operating costs through donor fund management fees.
Product overview
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside operates as a unified grant-making organization offering strategic charitable giving services. The core offering consists of grant-making services that connect donors with grassroots community organizations, and fund setup services enabling individuals and organizations to establish charitable funds. The organization manages multiple dedicated grant programmes including Liverpool ONE Foundation (mental health for young people), Merseyside Women's Fund (support for marginalized women), Youth Empowerment Scheme (diversionary activities for at-risk youth), Merseyside Police Community Cashback Fund (crime prevention), Halton Foundation Learning Fund (education bursaries), 23 Foundation (youth support), and emergency appeals such as Southport Strong Together and Liverpool Spirit Appeal. The organization works as part of a national network of 47 UK Community Foundations to direct funding to local communities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Grant Making Services
- Fund Setup Services
- Liverpool ONE Foundation
- Merseyside Women's Fund
- Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES)
- Merseyside Police Community Cashback Fund
- Halton Foundation Learning Fund
- 23 Foundation Grants
- Southport Strong Together Appeal
- Liverpool Spirit Appeal
Quantifiable outcome
- £56.8 million+ awarded since establishment
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Local TrustcoreEnables residents in 150 Big Local areas to improve their lives and places. CFM worked with Local Trust to support delivery in Northwood and Beechwood, Ballantyne and Bidston.
- Merseyside Women of the YearcoreLong-standing awards show celebrating women throughout Liverpool City Region. Raises funds for Merseyside Women's Fund. CFM has been charity partner for multiple years.
- Sefton CVScoreIndependent registered charity assisting voluntary community and faith sector activity across Sefton. Partner on Southport Strong Together Appeal.
- Halton & St Helens Voluntary and Community ActioncoreProvides advice, information and development support services to voluntary, community, not-for-profit and faith organisations in St Helens and Halton.
- Knowsley ChamberminorKnowsley-based non-profit organisation of business community members furthering economic areas of Knowsley.
- Halton Chamber of Commerce & EnterpriseminorHalton-based non-profit organisation of business members furthering economic areas of Halton.
- One KnowsleyminorIndependent social infrastructure body and CVS supporting local voluntary groups and social businesses.
- Community Foundation for LancashirecoreCFM and Community Foundation for Lancashire merged in 2014. Now operates as Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside.
- Liverpool Charity & Voluntary Services (LCVS)corePartnership for Liverpool Spirit Appeal in response to May 2025 parade incident. LCVS committed to long-term support for recovery.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside social profiles
Digital presenceCommunity Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside
What does Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside do?
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside operates as a strategic grant-making charitable foundation that connects donors (individuals, corporations, charitable trusts, and public sector bodies) with grassroots community organisations across Lancashire and Merseyside. The foundation offers fund setup services (Personal Giving, Corporate Giving, Trust Transfers, Community Benefit Funds, Public Sector Funds) and manages multiple dedicated grant programmes focused on youth, mental health, women's services, crime prevention, and emergency response. Recipients do not pay for grants; the foundation earns its operating costs through donor fund management fees.
Is Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside a public or private company?
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside founded?
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside based?
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside is headquartered in Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Giving.
Does Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside have an API?
No public API is recorded for Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside.
What industry is Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside in?
Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside's product category is Community Foundation Grant Making. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAB, Community Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8600.