Deadline: 27-Jun-2025
The Burnley Community Grants Programme, led by the Burnley Pendle & Rossendale Council for Voluntary Service, aims to enhance opportunity, prosperity, and equity across the region. Rooted in the wider UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), this program is focused on overcoming long-standing geographical inequalities and unlocking the potential of communities that have often been left behind.
At its heart, this grant program is about more than just funding—it’s about reigniting pride in place. By supporting empowered local leadership and community engagement, the initiative seeks to strengthen the social fabric, elevate life chances, and ensure that people feel proud of where they live. This renewed sense of belonging is key to building resilient, vibrant, and inclusive local areas.
The UKSPF’s overarching goal is to restore a sense of community, pride, and belonging, especially in places where these have been eroded. It focuses on the improvement of both the social and physical fabric of local neighborhoods—understanding that community infrastructure, local identity, and opportunities for connection shape the choices people make about where to live, work, and invest.
For the 2025–2026 cycle, the grants are aligned with three main mission-led themes: Communities and Place, Support for Local Business, and People and Skills. Applicants are encouraged to develop projects that align with these themes and contribute to meaningful local change.
Additionally, funding will prioritize initiatives that increase individual and family resilience, improve mental wellbeing, and support people in overcoming barriers to achieving their potential. Projects that provide assistance to vulnerable residents—such as those with long-term health conditions or complex care needs—are especially encouraged.
A key aim of the program is to strengthen collaboration between the community and statutory services, as well as other voluntary and community sector (VCF) organizations. It also seeks to empower residents to take part in service development, helping reduce social isolation and improving overall wellbeing. Initiatives addressing the lasting effects of COVID-19 and those promoting digital inclusion are also welcome.
Grant awards will range from £5,000 to £20,000. The fund is intended specifically for community projects within Burnley and Padiham, with an emphasis on supporting smaller groups and delivering high-quality initiatives within a single locality.
Applicants should aim to achieve at least one of the following measurable outputs: improvement of amenities or facilities (such as energy-efficient upgrades, improved accessibility, or renovations), creation or enhancement of tourism or heritage assets, support for community events that bring people together, development of physical activity programs like tournaments or teams, or providing direct grant support to local organizations.
This program offers a vital opportunity for community-based groups to shape a more connected, resilient, and prosperous Burnley—one initiative at a time.
For more information, visit BPRCVS.
