Community grants and funding
Community Grants 2025 to 2026
The Forest of Dean District Council offer not for profit voluntary and community groups - both constituted and non-constituted - the opportunity to apply for one off funding to help develop stronger and more cohesive communities. Small informal groups (a minimum of three people) can be considered.
This approach is aimed at building capacity of the community rather than directly delivering services. Projects should clearly be able to show that there is local value and leadership in them and demonstrate its importance to the community.
In order to support your application, you can contact the Community Delivery Lead on 01594 812609 to discuss your project before submitting your application so that we can better understand your aims before it is evaluated against the criteria.
Additional advice and support to complete your Community Grant Application form will be available from FVAF and GRCC at the following events:
|
8 MARCH 2025 |
Sedbury Village Hall & Sedbury Space |
Drop-in 10am - 11am or bookable slots 11am-12pm |
|
26 MARCH 2025 |
Forest of Dean District Council Offices, Coleford |
Bookable slots 1pm-3:30pm |
|
7 APRIL 2025 |
Sixteen Community Cafe, Coleford |
Drop-in 11am-1pm |
|
10 APRIL 2025 |
Newent Memorial Hall |
Bookable slots 11am - 12pm or drop-in 12:30pm-1:30pm |
|
1 MAY 2025 |
Ow Bist - Forest Community Space, Cinderford |
Bookable slots 11am - 12pm or drop-in 12pm-1pm |
To Book email [email protected] or telephone 01594 822073.
Application documents and guidance can be found below:
Health and Exercise Grant
This is a one-off fund which seeks to build the capacity of the local workforce to enable the expansion of community exercise provision in the district.
Applicants to this fund must be exercise providers who already have the appropriate baseline of knowledge/training who are looking to increase community exercise provision for people at risk of/who have long term health conditions in the Forest of Dean.
The Forest of Dean District Council delivers an exercise referral scheme, supporting people with long term conditions to exercise safely. We want to enhance this provision and allow community partners to reach more people locally. We’re particularly interested in applications to support cardiovascular and respiratory health conditions, plus provision for older adults.
Application for this grant has now ended. We'll update this section with news of how the funds have been distributed shortly.
The Community Warm Space Grant 2023 to 2024
This funding is to help communities initiate projects and support pilot schemes responding to the Cost of Living Crisis and warm spaces including community lunch clubs and strengthen local communities. The funding is managed by the Forest of Dean District Council on behalf of the Forest of Dean Integrated Locality Partnership.
Applications are now welcome and will be considered on a first come basis and funds will be available until depleted.
In order to support your application you can contact the Community Team on 01594 81000 or email [email protected] to discuss your project before submitting your application so that we can better understand your aims before it is evaluated against the criteria.
It is essential that you read the Guidance Notes before completing the application form.
We will be receiving applications by email only – if you feel this will affect your ability to complete a form then please call on the number above.
Arts and sports funding opportunities
Residents who are part of a sports or arts club may be interested in finding out more about applying for grants and funding through various sources to help support their projects.
Applications for funding can be based on several different criteria including, but not limited to: visual art projects, projects that support collaboration between arts organisations and schools, community-led tree planting projects and those that seek to assist with the reduction of anti-social behaviour in the area.
Community Grants 2024 to 2025
Our 2024 to 2025 Community Grants have now been awarded. You can see the groups we have funded and how they are using their grant to support the community in the file below:
Other grants
To find out about other funding opportunities:
- Visit Funding Central, an online grant search tool
- For government grants go to https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/
- Visit Grants Online for up-to-date grant information
Closed grants
Community Grant 2024 to 2025
Applications closed at 4pm on Friday 14 June 2024.
The Community Lunch Club Grant
This was a one-off fund for not for profit voluntary and community groups to help communities initiate projects and support pilot schemes responding to the Cost of Living crisis and warm spaces around community lunch or supper clubs through an asset based and sustainable approach.
This programme is about improving the resilience of the community as a whole, promoting equality and diversity instead of highlighting inequalities, and people caring for each other no matter their background and the sharing of resources.
Community Space Grants 2024
Forest of Dean District Council allocated over £100,000 from the government's Rural England Prosperity Fund towards improvements to village halls and community buildings. Find out more about the community space grants here.
Community Grants 2023 to 2024
The 2023 to 2024 Community Grants are now closed. If you have any queries please contact Lena Maller, Community Delivery Lead, 01594 812609 or email [email protected].
Below is a link to the Community Grants 2023 to 2024 projects that have been funded:
Voluntary and community sector fund 2023 to 2026
Applications against this funding are now closed. The deadline for responses for applications was 14:00 on Friday 9 December 2022.
This fund commissions services, projects and activities that benefit the local community and helps to deliver against the district council’s corporate priorities. There is £140,022 available annually, split against four funds which are:
- A. Advice (supporting people to have access to good advice services)
- B. Active Living and Supporting Older People (older people’s health and wellbeing is improved by taking part in activities, older people are not isolated/lonely)
- C. Mental Health and Wellbeing Support for Young People and their Families (young people have access to consistent counselling support; young carers have access to a good support network, families with young children have access to a network of support in challenges times)
- D. Volunteering Support (formal and informal) including training for individuals and community groups. The community sector has access to good funding advice, support and training
Voluntary and community sector fund 2022 to 2023
10 organisations have been awarded a total of £140,022. This funding will support the delivery of services, projects and activities that benefit the local community and help to deliver the council's corporate priorities.
Organisations funded:
Voluntary and community sector fund 2019 to 2022
11 organisations have been awarded a total of £140,022 per year for a period of three years. This funding will support the delivery of services, projects and activities that benefit the local community and help to deliver the council's corporate priorities.
Organisations funded:
Community Safety Partnership Grant 2019 to 2020
The Forest of Dean Community Safety Partnership (CSP) works to support safety in the community.
Projects that received a Community Safety Partnership Grant in 2019 to 2020:
Community Defibrillator Grant 2015 to 2020
Parishes, wards and towns receiving a Community Defibrillator Grant in 2015 to 2020: