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 and Shared England Prosperity

The Rural and Shared England Prosperity Funds have been created for councils to deliver as part of the government's levelling-up programme.

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)

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

Organisations from anywhere in the borough can apply for 75% of projects costs up to a maximum of £15,000. 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.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, 323KB).

Apply for Community Facilities fund

Flourish Fund - Funded by the UK Shared Prosperity 

System Partners (ICB, Primary Care, Acute trusts, Local Authority, VCFSE reps) are working together to create healthier households in Cheshire East creating a blueprint of what we want to achieve as a system by 2030. As part of these developments, system leaders understand that to support good health and wellbeing there needs to be the services that can support people to remain healthier and improve their wellbeing in their own home, creating healthier households. ​

​ The 2030 system blueprint vision statement is that:

 Cheshire East is a place that supports good health and wellbeing for everyone (all age).

 The objectives of the Flourish Fund are:-​

• To allow organisations to recruit, co-ordinate, train and recognise volunteers who are supporting vulnerable residents 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 coordinate volunteers locally, helping to match volunteers to people needing support​
• To support vulnerable individuals that are discharged from hospital to rehabilitate in their own home.

For more information about the fund criteria and application form view our Flourish Fund Supporting Document (PDF, 240KB)

This fund has now closed and will be re-opening later in 2024.

Healthy Neighbourhoods Fund 

System Partners (ICB, Primary Care, Acute trusts, Local Authority, VCFSE reps) are working together to create healthier households in Cheshire East creating a blueprint of what we want to achieve as a system by 2030. As part of these developments, system leaders understand that to support good health and wellbeing there needs to be the services that can support people to remain healthier and improve their wellbeing in their own home, creating healthier households. ​

​The 2030 system blueprint vision statement is that:

 Cheshire East is a place that supports good health and wellbeing for everyone (all age).

The objectives of the Healthy Neighbourhoods fund are:​

• Communities providing opportunities for all people to connect and feel part of their place​
• Reducing Isolation and loneliness​
• Preventing people from accessing urgent and emergency care by enhancing the “healthy neighbourhood offer” and supporting people to “step down” or out of health and care services into community provision.

For more information about the fund criteria and application form view our Healthy Neighbourhoods Fund Supporting Document (PDF, 260KB)

This fund has now closed and will be re-opening later in 2024. 

Cheshire East Crowd

Cheshire East Council has launched a crowdfunding platform, Cheshire East Crowd to support great community projects.

This exciting initiative, in partnership with crowdfunding platform Spacehive, will enable local people, businesses, the council and other organisations to pledge alongside each other to crowdfunding campaigns that bring your ideas to life.

For more information see our Cheshire East Crowd webpage.

Previous Grants

Cost of Living Community Response Grants

Cheshire East Council has recognised the implications caused by the Cost of Living crisis by re-opening the Cost of Living Community Response fund in October 2023 for a second round of applications and 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 interventions, advice and support.

These grants were funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. 

The Community Offer Cost of Living Community Response brochure (PDF, 400KB) has been created to ensure the grant funded (2023-2024) provision is accessed by those who need it most. This document can be shared with communities, residents and professionals. The project information included is only a small part of what the individual organisations do and timescales vary for each organisation, do contact them directly to discuss if you would like further information.

The Cost of Living Community Response fund will be opening for a third round of applications later in 2024. 

Health and Wellbeing Grants 

In 2022 as part of the integration agenda, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, Cheshire East Council and the  VCFSE sector worked collaboratively to design and deliver a grants programme aimed at improving the physical and mental wellbeing of the local population and reduce health inequalities.

In addition to health and wellbeing grants, the VCFSE told us about the cost-of-living implications on them and their beneficiaries. In response to this we announced a cost of living grant, funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Government Levelling Up Fund. The grant funded services (2022-2023) can be found in the document below. 

It is important that once providers are grant funded, we continually work alongside them to enhance relationships between the public sector and VCFSE sector and shared learning between grant recipients.

Health, Wellbeing & Cost of Living Grants Our Community Offer – supporting communities to respond to local need in 2023/2024 (PDF, 1.3MB)

This document has been created to ensure the grant funded provision is accessed by those who need it most. This document can be shared with communities, residents and professionals. The project information included is only a small part of what the individual organisations do and timescales vary for each organisation, do contact them directly to discuss if you would like further information.

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

Social Franchise

Cheshire East has partnered with a range of churches, community centres and other settings to create our Connected Communities Social Franchise and host a range of activities and support services closer to where people live.

We’ve provided support to the settings listed on our Connected Communities Social Franchise Opportunities webpage to enhance their digital offer, and if you’re looking to start your own group then the Centres listed may also be able to provide free room hire – contact them to find out more.

Page last reviewed: 03 April 2024