Community Grants

Cheshire East Council prides itself on supporting the Voluntary Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) Sector. Having a responsive grants process, a good relationship with the sector and a shared understanding of meeting either existing or emerging needs of the community, allows for systematic partnership working. The needs of our communities can change and the need to pilot and test service delivery to sense check what works in what areas is important and we aim to do this through grant allocation.

Improved, Greener, Community Facilities Fund

Funded by the UK Rural England Prosperity Fund

The UK Rural England Prosperity Fund has been created for councils to deliver £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. 

Grants are currently available to improve digital connectivity, energy efficiency and save carbon at community facilities and buildings through the Improved, Greener Community Facilities Fund, funded by the UK Rural England Prosperity fund.

Funding (capital grants) will be pledged by Cheshire East Council towards projects which demonstrate investment in capacity building and infrastructure support for local civil society and community groups. (UKSPF Intervention E11) and Investment and support for digital infrastructure for local community facilities (UKSPF Intervention E15)

Energy Efficiency Projects - Organisations can apply for 75% of projects costs up to a maximum of £15,000.

Digital Connectivity Projects – Organisations can apply for a grant award up to a maximum of £10,000.

Applications will be considered from organisations for local projects, meeting the fund objectives and criteria.

Are you a community building who wishes to make your building more energy efficient to help with energy bills or become the digital community hub? This fund can help bring your idea to life!

For more information about the fund criteria and application form view our Improved, Greener Community Facilities Fund supporting document (PDF, 286KB).

For digital projects, refer to our Digital Project Examples Supporting Document (PDF, 244KB) for further information on what you could apply for.

Closing date for applications is Friday 6th December 2024 subject to funds remaining. 

Apply for Community Facilities fund

Supporting Community Wellbeing Fund 

Funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund

Cheshire East Council is offering grants that will support the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector in the borough to respond to the needs of their beneficiaries through intervention, advice and support.

 The grants will be funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit UK Shared Prosperity Fund: prospectus (Gov.uk) or our UK Shared Prosperity Fund page.

Applications for up to £10,000 will be considered from organisations for local projects, meeting local need and objectives stated below; 

• To allow organisations to recruit, co-ordinate and train volunteers who are supporting vulnerable residents to stay in their own homes, in the community, that will in turn reduce health inequalities and the demand in social care. 
• To increase the number of organisations that can match volunteers to vulnerable people needing support in their communities.
• To support vulnerable individuals that are discharged from hospital to rehabilitate in their own home.
• To provide accessible and affordable transport to services and appointments for vulnerable people, across all areas of Cheshire East that creates a diverse community transport offer that gives options for individuals with different circumstances. 
• Support the VCFSE sector to develop sustainable food solutions and long-term support to reduce the dependence on food banks.
• Enable those adversely impacted by the Cost of Living to access the right help and support at the right time.

Applications for up to £500 will be considered from organisations for support with organisational governance, meeting the objective below; 

• To allow organisations to manage their basic governance, risk and compliance processes, utilising software licences and/or systems 

For more information about the fund criteria and what can be funded see the Supporting Community Wellbeing Fund supporting document (PDF, 197KB).

Closing date for applications is Friday 29th November 2024.

The form will take 45 minutes to complete.

Apply for the Supporting Community Wellbeing Fund

Previous Grants

Visit our Grant Funded Projects web page to see what has been funded previously and how you can access these funded services. 

GrantFinder

Does your organisation need funding? Would you like support searching for funding opportunities for your organisation?

GrantFinder is one of the largest and most comprehensively supported databases of its type. It offers users a user-friendly, accurate and continuously updated package that has helped to facilitate the securing of millions of pounds’ worth of funding support. We have a license to use the GrantFinder service, providing VCFSE organisations with bespoke funding searches for their organisation or for specific projects.

For further information or to request a funding search, contact communitygrants2@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Page last reviewed: 21 November 2024