Deadline: 13-Aug-21
The UK Government is pleased to announce Community Ownership Fund across the UK. At a Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will benefit from a guaranteed allocation in line with per capita share. This will mean a minimum of £12.3 million in Scotland, £7.1 million in Wales, and £4.3 million in Northern Ireland.
The Fund will be delivered directly by the UK government in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Community Ownership Fund has 4 strategic objectives:
- Provide targeted investment for communities to save community assets that would otherwise be lost
- Strengthen capacity and capability in communities to support them to shape their places and develop sustainable community businesses
- Empower communities in left behind places to level up
- Strengthen direct links between places across the UK and the UK government.
The fund will support a range of community ownership proposals.
Matched capital grants of up to £250,000 will be available for most projects. In exceptional cases, up to £1 million matched capital grants will be available to help establish a community-owned sports club or help buy a sports club or sporting facilities at risk of being lost.
Outcomes
For the purposes of this Fund, community ownership refers to the ownership and management of local community assets or amenities by a community organisation in order to deliver benefits for the community and place.
To be eligible for investment from the Fund, the terms of community ownership must be either the ownership of the freehold or a long-term leasehold of at least 25 years minimum.
Community ownership of assets can boost local connections, participation and pride of place, and bolster community resilience.
By investing in the capacity of communities across the United Kingdom to take ownership of the places and spaces that matter to them, they will strengthen the social infrastructure that helps communities to thrive.
All applicants must demonstrate the potential of their projects to deliver against all of the following outcomes:
- Protect a community asset or amenity that is at risk and preserve its community value.
- Develop a sustainable operating model to secure the long-term future of the community asset in community ownership.
- Safeguard the use of community assets and associated local amenities.
All applicants must also show how their project will help deliver one or more of the following outcomes for their place:
- Increase feelings of pride and improve perceptions of the local area as a place to live.
- Improve social trust, cohesion and sense of belonging.
- Increase local participation in community life, arts and culture and/or sport.
Create additional local economic outcomes – including creating jobs, volunteering opportunities and improving employability and skills levels in the local community
Create additional social and wellbeing outcomes – including delivering positive impact in physical and/or mental health and reducing loneliness and social isolation
Eligibility Criteria
- The Community Ownership Fund is open to applications from communities to buy or take over local community assets and amenities at risk of being lost and run them as community-owned businesses.
For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-ownership-fund-prospectus/community-ownership-fund-prospectus