Supporting victims and witnesses is a key priority for the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester. In order to deliver this, a commitment of funding is being made to provide a 3-year small grants programme within Greater Manchester based VCSE victim support organisations.
The objective of this funding is to provide opportunities to GM CVSE victims’ support organisations that require some additional capacity to enable lead officers to pursue development opportunities. The GM VCFSE Victims and Justice Leadership Group are looking for applicants that are willing to support the development of Victims Strategy in Greater Manchester, but who may require additional capacity in their organisation to allow them to spend time on the strategy and/or access to leadership coaching and support to build their personal capacity and skill set.
Victims service organisations play a crucial role in providing much-needed support to victims of crime in Greater Manchester. Recognising the importance of their work, the Deputy Mayor is committed to assisting these organisations in their mission. Through the Victims Capacity and Capability Fund, the Deputy Mayor aims to strengthen the support network for victims and ensure they receive the help and support they need.
The focus of the first year of this initiative will be tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). The GM VCFSE Victims and Justice Leadership Group want to promote and encourage the voice of the support sector in Greater Manchester that provide support to female victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Leadership in the sector is vital to the next stages of the GM Victims Strategy development. This is unknown territory, following the June 2025 Spending Review and responding to the requirements of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024. This is alongside potential wider changes in government policy and in particular, the changes in the criminal justice system emerging out of the Sentencing Review.
The Deputy Mayor and Combined Authority (CA) recognise that it is not solely the responsibility of organisations to develop leadership capacity.
This fund is being released in part to demonstrate that commissioners have a responsibility to support building capability and capacity if we want services to act as an eco-system of provision against a strategic vision. Some of the aspects will include:
- Skillsets to develop confident leadership
- Building bridges to small and diverse organisations
- Creating effective networks and strengthening and sustaining relationships
- Strategic Priority for year 1 is Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG) services/ enhancing VAWG within Victim Strategy Board
A key part of enhancing services and support available to victims in Greater Manchester lies in encouraging increased collaboration among the various victim services organisations in the city region. There are already some good examples of alliance in Greater Manchester, and this fund aims to build on that.
By working together, organisations can share knowledge, resources and best practice, leading to a more comprehensive and effective support system for victims. This collaborative approach creates a thorough approach to victim support, where organisations can complement each other’s services to address the diverse needs of victims.
To apply see attached guidance and application form. Completed applications should be emailed to: matt.berry@greatermanchester.gov.uk
Deadline: 20th February 2026