Capital Grant Scheme 2025/26 – opening June 2025

Are you a voluntary or community organisation looking for funding towards capital projects that help to build thriving communities and improve the quality of life for the residents in the district?

If so, we are keen to fund projects that; improve economic and community well-being, provide infrastructure that meets local need, that protect and restore our natural world; and take action on the climate emergency.

How much is available and what can it be used for?

We have a total budget available of £320,000 to award for capital projects that take place in the district or within a three-mile radius of the district boundary. You can request a minimum of £5,000 and a maximum of £75,000 but no more than 50 per cent of your total project cost. Your total project cost must be at least £10,000 but no set maximum cost.

Applications should focus on projects that benefit significant numbers of South Oxfordshire residents, or that that will improve outcomes for disadvantaged groups and contribute towards at least one of the council Corporate Plan priorities 2020-2024 (please see the related links on this page to find out more).

Please read our short guide for help identifying capital expenditure for community grant purposes and our latest policy, which you access and download below.

Guide to capital expenditure

*Capital 2024/25 policy

*We are currently updating the 2025/2026 Capital Grant Scheme policy, the changes relate to the Corporate Plan Themed criteria within the scoring and award matrix section. The section is being updated to reflect the priorities from the new 2025-2029 Council Plan. All other aspects of the 2024/2025 Capital Grant Scheme policy remain correct for the 2025/2026 scheme.

The 2025/2026 Capital Grant Policy will be uploaded on this page as soon as it has been approved.

For ideas of what previous grants have funded, please refer to our list of grants awarded.

We have put together a useful checklist to help you prepare your application.

Applications will be scored once, and all eligible applicants will be invited to the Community Grants Panel in November 2025 to present their project. Funding decisions are expected to be made by the end of January 2026, so the earliest project start date would be February 2026. We do not pay retrospective costs.

We are unable to accept requests to amend applications once they have been submitted, however we must be informed of any changes to project costs and financial contributions.

Who can apply?

Town and Parish Councils
Non-profit businesses and Community Interest Companies
Community based organisations

Who isn’t eligible?

Other local authorities/public sector bodies (for example Oxfordshire County Council, NHS trusts)
Groups who raise funds on behalf of or will improve/create facilities that will predominately benefit an ineligible organisation (for example PTA’s delivering projects to benefit their school)
Projects that usually fall to other public sector/statutory bodies to provide, or will primarily benefit organisations under their remit
Individuals (this includes making any payments to individuals on behalf of community groups)
Profit-based businesses

Equalities

The council is committed to promoting equality and diversity and welcomes applications from organisations representing minority or vulnerable groups. We encourage all applicants to make their projects as inclusive and accessible to all as possible.

If you need any of our documents in a different format please email communityenablement@southandvale.gov.uk

Action on climate and nature recovery

Sustainability Guide for Community Projects

Every organisation (parish council, charity, community group) – no matter how big or small – can take action to reduce the carbon footprint of their project, lower costs, and protect themselves and the people who use their services from the effects of climate change.

Please read our sustainability guide to support you with your projects.

Get in touch

We would welcome any questions about the scheme and we are happy to hold a one-to-one meeting to discuss whether you, your organisation or the project are eligible, so please do drop us an email at grants@southandvale.gov.uk.