Aims/priorities: The funding is for civil society organisations (CSOs) in England to deliver politically neutral, place‑based activities that help people understand, engage with, and participate in democracy.
The Fund focuses on communities least likely to engage with democracy:
- Young people (aged 5-25)
- Ethnic minority groups
- People who are homeless
- Regular movers
- Disabled people
- People from low socio economic backgrounds.
Who can apply? Civil society organisations with experience of, or demonstrable capacity to deliver, community-based, politically neutral projects in England may apply.
This includes:
- Charities
- Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs)
- Community Interest Companies (CICs)
- Companies Limited by Guarantee
- Community Benefit Societies / Co‑operatives
- Co-operatives and faith groups that work independently from the state and market to create social value and address community needs.
- Other Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be a non-governmental, non-profit entity that works independently from the state and market.
- Be based in the UK.
- Be legal constituted and show governance and financial controls.
- Be able to provide two years of accounts.
- Have an annual income/turnover of between £50,000 and £1 million.
Partnership and consortium bids are welcome. One organisation must act as the lead, accountable body and will be responsible for managing the grant and ensuring funds are used appropriately.
CSOs applying to this Fund must operate on a not-for-profit or asset-locked basis (for example, a CIC limited by guarantee).
Social enterprises that operate with a profit-distribution model (for example, a CIC limited by shares without an asset lock) are not eligible to apply.
Grant amount: There is a total budget of £2.5 million. It is anticipated that around 80 to 100 projects will be funded across England with a wide geographic spread.
Most projects will receive up to £25,000, with up to £50,000 available in exceptional cases.
The grants will be paid in two instalments:
- 75% in 2026/27 on completion of the grant funding agreement.
- 25% in 2027/28 on completion the project and submission of evaluation requirements.
Projects must start no earlier than January 2027, and all funded activity must be completed on or before 31 October 2027. with data collection completed by December 2027.
There are currently no plans for further funding rounds of this particular grant after March 2028.
Application process: The application window opens on 22 June 2026.
The prospectus is available on the GOV.UK website. The application form will be available once the fund has opened for applications.
An organisation may apply once to this grant. An organisation cannot apply for more than one project.
The funding will be awarded and paid in January 2027. Monitoring and evaluation set-up period will be January to March 2027. Project delivery to begin in March 2027.
Deadline: Monday, 31 August 2026
Contact information: Email: democraticengagement@communities.gov.uk