Community Grants for 2025/26

We are pleased to announce our Grant scheme programme for 2025/26.

Grant Scheme	Total budget available	Launch dates 2025/26 *
Everyone Active Grant Scheme	£50,000	1 April – 26 May 2025
Capital Grant Scheme	£320,000	2 June – 25 July 2025
Performing Arts Grant Fund **	£60,000	28 July – 5 September 2025
Councillor Community Grant Scheme	£270,000	18 August – December 2025
Community Infrastructure Levy Grant Fund	£750,000	January 2026

* Please note, these dates are provisional and subject to change.

** This scheme for 2024/25 is still open until 3 March 2025. Details of the 2025/26 will be published soon.

Funding advice session – Thursday 20 March 2025, Cornerstone Arts Centre, Didcot

Are you thinking of applying to a South Oxfordshire District Council grant scheme?

We understand that the grant application process can seem daunting and as a result, we are providing a funding advice session where you can discuss your project(s) with a member of the team.

• We can discuss various upcoming grants.
• Eligibility criteria.
• Which type of documents are accepted ie governing documents.
• Which permissions will need to be in place ie planning permission.

If you would like to attend, please email grants@southandvale.gov.uk or call 01235 422405 to book a time slot from between 12:30 – 16:00pm.  If you are unable to attend, we are happy to book a phone call or Teams meeting with you another time. 

Click here for details on how to get to Cornerstone, Didcot

Performing Arts Grant Fund – open

The new Performing Arts Grant Fund will close on 3 March 2025. Details of the 2025/26 scheme will be published soon.

This funding aims to support community and voluntary sector performing arts groups within the district. This scheme is designed to enhance the cultural landscape by providing financial assistance to projects that demonstrate a significant community impact, meet identified needs, and ensure broad reach, engagement, and access to the performing arts in South Oxfordshire.

Organisations eligible to apply are:

• Town and parish councils
• Schools (for non-core curriculum activities)
• Non-for- profit groups, arts, or community groups

The grant application form and guidance document are available below:

Grant application form

Guidance document

More details about the grant are available on the Performing Arts Grant press release.

Fund for nature recovery projects – open

Do you have a project that could increase biodiversity and encourage public access to green spaces in the district. We have a fund of £50,000 to support community nature recovery projects.

Councillor Community Grant Scheme – closed.

This scheme closed for applications midday Friday 29 November 2024. Details of the new 2025/26 scheme will be published soon.

Is your organisation looking for funding for a small capital project, or a one-off revenue project? Each South Oxfordshire district councillor has £5,000 to award to projects or services that offer community benefits in their ward area, budget permitting.  We are particularly keen to fund projects of greatest impact for residents, such as activities that protect and restore our natural world, promote action on the climate emergency and improve economic and community well-being.

Revenue Grant Scheme 2025-2027 – closed

This scheme closed for applications midday Friday 1 November 2024.

Are you a voluntary sector organisation looking for core revenue funding to deliver services/activities that will directly benefit and meet a clearly identified need for South Oxfordshire residents?

We will favour organisations who are actively exploring partnership/joint working with other voluntary organisations, businesses or the public sector and/or other methods to help them to become more financially sustainable and have a greater impact in the communities they serve.

Please contact the community enablement team if you need any help with one of the above schemes or your application grants@southandvale.gov.uk or call 01235 422405.

You can find out more about the grants awarded up to October 2024 in the download below

If you’d like further information about the grants awarded or completed, please contact the team on 01235 422405 or email grants@southandvale.gov.uk

Business support

If you are a business that has applied for a government business grant or want information about the schemes available then please contact the South and Vale Business Support team  by emailing business.support@southandvale.gov.uk. 

Other types of council and partnership funding

• Disabled Facilities Grants – funding for home adaptations (please contact the Disabled Facilities Grant team on 01235 422436 for more information)
• Business rates relief – how to apply for a reduction in your business rates
• Energy saving grants – helping you make your home more energy-efficient
• Home improvement loans – support for changes to your home
• Berinsfield Health and Wellbeing Grant – for organisations looking to develop projects to support the health and wellbeing of residents in Berinsfield.
• We work with Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action (OCVA), who support voluntary and community organisations in throughout the county. They offer all kinds of advice, including sources of funding and getting fit to fund.

External funding opportunities

• Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate – Food redistribution charities can now submit applications for a new £15 million Government scheme, which is helping to ensure surplus food is delivered to those who need it. Funding guidance, eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found via the Government website. Scheme closes 13 March 2025.

• Community Ownership Fund – Government funding to help communities take ownership of community assets at risk of closure.  Detailed funding guidance, eligibility criteria and expression of interest form is via the Government website Further information can be found online via the My Community Website.

• Smokefree Oxon – The Public Health team at Oxfordshire County Council have launched a Smokefree Community Fund in which voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (e.g, district and parish councils, charities, schools, leisure centres, community groups, etc.) can apply for funding between £150-£1000 to create smoke-free spaces or hold smoke-free events. If you would like to apply for this funding, please email smokefreeoxon@oxfordshire.gov.uk to begin the application process.

How we use your data and why

Please read more about how we may use your information and your rights, including those about accessing your records, by downloading our Community Enablement team’s Privacy Notice