Deadline: 05-Aug-2026
The Cornish Lithium Community Benefit Fund provides grants to local grassroots groups, charities, and Community Interest Companies working in communities where Cornish Lithium projects are located. Grants range from £250 to £2,500 and support initiatives that improve education, environmental protection, industrial heritage, wellbeing, leisure facilities, and local community life.
The fund supports eligible not-for-profit organisations operating in St Dennis, Treviscoe, Whitemoor, Nanpean, Chacewater, and Kea, specifically around Baldhu. Both core costs and project costs may be supported if the activities are charitable and create a positive difference for local people.
What is the Cornish Lithium Community Benefit Fund?
The Cornish Lithium Community Benefit Fund supports local community initiatives in areas connected to Cornish Lithium’s projects.
The fund is designed to help local groups deliver activities that create positive, practical, and long-term benefits for communities.
It focuses on grassroots organisations, charities, Community Interest Companies, voluntary groups, and social enterprises working on a not-for-profit basis.
Main Purpose of the Fund
The main purpose of the fund is to support communities located near Cornish Lithium project areas.
The fund helps local organisations deliver charitable activities that improve education, protect the environment, support local heritage, improve wellbeing, and provide better community facilities.
It is intended to strengthen local benefit in places directly connected to Cornish Lithium’s work.
Focus Areas and Priorities
The fund supports projects that create a positive difference for local communities.
Key focus areas include:
- Education and skills development
- Training for people of all ages
- Earth Sciences education
- History of Cornwall
- Mining history and industrial heritage
- Environmental protection
- Environmental improvement
- Net zero transition
- Local landscape improvement
- Community wellbeing
- Social welfare
- Leisure facilities
- Community facilities
- Grassroots community action
- Local charitable activities
Education and Skills Development
The fund supports projects that advance education and improve skills.
This may include training, learning activities, educational workshops, or community-based education projects.
Priority areas include Earth Sciences, Cornwall’s history, and mining history.
Projects should show how they benefit people of different ages and improve knowledge, skills, confidence, or access to learning.
Environmental Protection and Net Zero
The fund supports initiatives that protect and improve the environment.
Projects may focus on environmental awareness, local landscape improvement, sustainability, or activities that support the transition to net zero.
Applicants should explain how their project contributes to environmental benefit for local communities.
Industrial Heritage and Mining History
The fund supports activities that protect and promote the industrial heritage of the region.
This includes Cornwall’s mining history and related heritage projects.
Supported projects may bring educational, wellbeing, cultural, and landscape benefits to local people.
Wellbeing, Social Welfare, and Leisure Facilities
The fund can support the provision or improvement of facilities that benefit residents.
These facilities should be provided in the interests of social welfare and leisure time.
The aim should be to improve wellbeing, community connection, inclusion, or quality of life for local people.
Grant Amount
The Cornish Lithium Community Benefit Fund offers grants ranging from £250 to £2,500.
The fund can support both:
- Core costs
- Project costs
Applicants should request an amount that is realistic and clearly linked to their organisation’s needs or proposed community activity.
Who is Eligible?
Eligible applicants include local organisations operating on a not-for-profit basis.
Eligible organisations may include:
- Small grassroots groups
- Local charities
- Community Interest Companies
- Community groups
- Voluntary groups
- Social enterprises
Applicants must deliver activities that are considered charitable.
The organisation does not need to be a registered charity, but its work must meet the fund’s charitable purpose.
Eligible Locations
The fund supports organisations working in specific communities where Cornish Lithium projects are located.
Eligible areas include:
- St Dennis
- Treviscoe
- Whitemoor
- Nanpean
- Chacewater
- Kea, specifically around Baldhu
Applicants should clearly show how their project benefits people in one or more of these eligible local areas.
What Costs Can Be Supported?
The fund can support both core and project-related costs.
Eligible costs may include:
- Community project delivery
- Educational activities
- Training activities
- Environmental improvement work
- Heritage-related activities
- Community facility improvements
- Wellbeing and leisure activities
- Organisational running costs
- Local charitable activities
Costs should be directly connected to the organisation’s community benefit and charitable purpose.
Who is Not Eligible?
The fund does not support organisations or activities that fall outside its local charitable purpose.
Ineligible applicants and costs include:
- Commercial profit-making organisations
- Organisations with significant free reserves
- Statutory or public sector organisations
- Grant-making organisations
- Retrospective grants
- Political causes
- Projects intended to influence religious choices
- Projects promoting a particular belief system
- Organisations or projects whose beneficiaries are not people
- Regional offices of national bodies that do not benefit local communities
- Organisations with overdue monitoring reports with CCF
Organisations with overdue monitoring reports with CCF are not eligible to reapply until the required report has been submitted.
How the Fund Works
The Cornish Lithium Community Benefit Fund provides small grants to local not-for-profit organisations working in eligible communities.
Applicants submit a proposal explaining their organisation, the local need, the planned activity, the people who will benefit, and the expected community impact.
The fund can support new projects, local activities, core organisational needs, and community improvements where they align with the fund’s priorities.
Successful projects should clearly benefit local people and create a positive difference in the community.
How to Apply
Applicants should first confirm that their organisation operates in one of the eligible local areas.
They should then check whether their organisation is a not-for-profit group and whether its activities are charitable.
Applicants should prepare a clear proposal explaining the community need, the project or core cost request, the expected benefit, and how the activity fits the fund’s priorities.
The application should also include a simple budget showing how the grant will be used.
Suggested Application Steps
- Confirm that your organisation operates in an eligible area such as St Dennis, Treviscoe, Whitemoor, Nanpean, Chacewater, or Kea around Baldhu.
- Check that your organisation is not-for-profit.
- Confirm that your activities are charitable and benefit local people.
- Identify the community need your project or organisation addresses.
- Choose the relevant fund priority, such as education, environment, industrial heritage, wellbeing, or community facilities.
- Prepare a clear project description or core cost request.
- Create a realistic budget between £250 and £2,500.
- Explain how the funding will create a positive difference for the local community.
- Check that your organisation has no overdue monitoring reports with CCF.
- Submit the application through the fund’s official process.
Why It Matters
Local community funds can help small organisations deliver practical improvements that directly benefit residents.
The Cornish Lithium Community Benefit Fund is important because it supports communities connected to Cornish Lithium’s project areas.
By funding education, environmental improvement, heritage, wellbeing, and local facilities, the fund helps strengthen community life and support positive local change.
It also encourages projects that connect Cornwall’s industrial heritage with learning, wellbeing, sustainability, and environmental responsibility.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid applying if their organisation is not based in or benefiting one of the eligible local areas.
Projects should not be submitted if they mainly benefit a commercial business or generate private profit.
Applicants should avoid requesting funding for retrospective costs that have already been incurred.
Organisations with significant free reserves should not apply unless they can clearly justify the need for funding.
Applications should not promote political causes, religious choices, or a specific belief system.
Regional offices of national organisations should not apply unless they can clearly show direct benefit to local communities.
Applicants should also ensure that any overdue monitoring reports with CCF are submitted before reapplying.
Tips for Strong Applications
A strong application should clearly explain the local community benefit.
Applicants should show how the project fits one or more fund priorities, such as education, environmental protection, mining heritage, wellbeing, or community facilities.
The proposal should be specific about who will benefit and how the activity will improve their lives.
Projects linked to Earth Sciences, Cornwall’s history, mining heritage, net zero, or community wellbeing should clearly explain that connection.
The budget should be simple, realistic, and directly linked to the proposed activity or core cost need.
Applicants should also highlight local partnerships, volunteer involvement, and long-term community value where relevant.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Cornish Lithium Community Benefit Fund?
The Cornish Lithium Community Benefit Fund provides grants to local groups in areas where Cornish Lithium projects are located, supporting initiatives that create a positive difference for communities.
2. How much funding is available per grant?
Grants range from £250 to £2,500.
3. Who can apply?
Small grassroots groups, local charities, Community Interest Companies, community groups, voluntary organisations, and social enterprises operating on a not-for-profit basis can apply.
4. Which areas are eligible?
Eligible areas include St Dennis, Treviscoe, Whitemoor, Nanpean, Chacewater, and Kea, specifically around Baldhu.
5. What types of projects can be supported?
The fund can support projects related to education, Earth Sciences, Cornwall’s history, mining history, environmental protection, net zero, industrial heritage, wellbeing, leisure facilities, and community facilities.
6. Can the fund support core costs?
Yes. The fund can support both core costs and project costs where they align with the fund’s charitable priorities.
7. What is not eligible for funding?
The fund does not support commercial profit-making organisations, statutory bodies, organisations with significant free reserves, grant-making organisations, retrospective grants, political causes, religious promotion, projects whose beneficiaries are not people, or organisations with overdue monitoring reports with CCF.
Conclusion
The Cornish Lithium Community Benefit Fund supports small local organisations working to improve communities connected to Cornish Lithium project areas.
With grants ranging from £250 to £2,500, the fund can support education, environmental protection, industrial heritage, community wellbeing, social welfare, leisure facilities, and local charitable activities.
Applicants should ensure their organisation is not-for-profit, operates in an eligible area, benefits local people, and presents a clear proposal that creates a positive difference for the community.
For more information, visit Cornwall Community Foundation.