FUNDING has been made available for projects which help victims better understand and access their rights.
The Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, has launched the Victims’ Code Innovation Fund: Know Your Rights West Midlands 2026–27 to ensure victims receive the rights and services they are entitled to.
The new £80,000 funding programme is now open to applications from voluntary and community sector organisations, with grants of £5,000 to £10,000 available for innovative, grassroots projects that raise awareness of the Victims’ Code.
The Victims’ Code sets out 12 key rights which bodies like the police and Crown Prosecution Service must deliver.
They include the right to be kept informed, to receive updates on a case, and to access specialist support services.
However, victims can only benefit from these entitlements if they are aware of them and feel confident exercising them.
The new fund encourages creative approaches to improving awareness and understanding of victims’ rights, including community drop-in sessions, multilingual resources, peer mentoring, creative arts projects, roadshows and victim feedback initiatives.
Mr Foster, said: “Every victim of crime has important rights under the Victims’ Code, but too often those rights are not fully understood or realised.
“This new fund is about changing that. By supporting innovative, community-led projects, we want to make sure victims know their rights, understand what they are entitled to, and feel confident navigating the criminal justice system.
“I strongly encourage voluntary and community organisations across the West Midlands to apply. Your ideas, your reach and your insight are vital to ensuring victims are informed, supported and treated with the dignity and respect they are entitled to.”
Examples of eligible projects include community “Know Your Rights” drop-in sessions, training volunteers as Victims’ Code champions or peer advocates and peer mentoring schemes led by people with lived experience.
The Victims’ Code Innovation Fund reflects the Commissioner’s commitment to investing in voluntary sector innovation, empowering communities, and strengthening trust and confidence in the criminal justice system by ensuring victims’ rights are understood and upheld.
The fund will close on March 2, with successful projects starting from April.
For more or to apply click here.
