Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

Councillor Community Grants (CCG) 2026/2027 Scheme

Reimbursement grants of £250 to £3,000 from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, allocated by individual borough councillors, for one-off items or activities that benefit residents and communities in Basingstoke and Deane. Applicants must first win the support of one or more councillors (each has £2,000 a year; two or three can pool up to £3,000), who forward the application to the council. Funded items must be bought within 8 weeks of the Grant Agreement and the organisation is repaid on proof of payment. Applications are approved monthly until midday on 1 March 2027, or until councillors' budgets run out.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: £250 – £3,000
Deadline: 134 days left; 1 March
Effort: Light; short form, little evidence needed

Who can apply

Not-for-profit organisations, groups and clubs located in or delivering services within Basingstoke and Deane: unincorporated organisations, groups and clubs; registered charities and charitable companies; CIOs; CICs; Community Amateur Sports Clubs; and town or parish councils
Applicants must have a bank account in the organisation's name and a governing document (for example a constitution, statement of purpose, annual report or signed and dated meeting notes) showing that they are an organised group with community-benefit objectives and an agreed way of working
New groups without these can get help from Basingstoke Voluntary Action
Schools may apply only where there is clear and sufficient benefit to the wider community beyond pupils, parents, governors and staff
Faith organisations and places of worship may apply only where the funded item or activity benefits people beyond the usual congregation
Each organisation can receive one grant per grant year
In exceptional cases, umbrella bodies or managers of several community facilities may submit more than one application; they should contact the grants team first
Applicants must be able to maintain the funded item without future grants

What it funds

One-off items or activities that meet a clear community need, give an ongoing community benefit and produce tangible purchases or outcomes within the short grant timeframe. Examples include:

Equipment
Furniture
Health and safety items
Books
Community infrastructure such as fencing and notice boards, including the first set-up and installation (physical items or digital equivalents)
The fund also covers:
Repairs that extend the life of community items rather than buying new ones
Costs that help an organisation understand or respond to community need, such as piloting a new activity or approach, holding a community engagement event or creating new materials

Grants can benefit a single ward or the whole borough.

Applications should show how they fit the council plan 2023 to 2027 priorities (pride in communities, the natural environment, high-quality services), and organisations should support the council's Climate Emergency Action Plan and its equality, diversity and inclusion commitments.

What it will not fund

Retrospective costs incurred or committed before a Grant Agreement is in place
Personal expenses, or costs for individuals or groups to attend trips, activities or events
Ongoing or core organisational costs, including staffing, management, training, administration, governance, insurance, maintenance or ongoing consultancy
Grants for the same purpose year on year, including repeat funding for the same event, activity or cost (awards from the previous two financial years are taken into account)
Ongoing programmes or repeat activity, such as regular sessions, clubs, services or a series of events
Contributions towards a larger fundraising total (the grant must cover the full cost unless other funding is already secured)
Expenditure paid in cash
Individuals, sole traders and for-profit companies that can pay profits to directors, shareholders or members (including companies limited by shares)
Political parties, single-issue campaigning organisations and organisations that exclusively promote political activities
Organisations that exclusively promote religious activity
School curriculum, statutory duties, or school facilities or equipment mainly for school use
More than one grant per organisation per grant year

How to apply

Read the Guidance for Applicants and check that your organisation and request are eligible
Get costs for the request, such as supplier quotes or estimates or website/catalogue prices, including any unrecoverable VAT, delivery, installation and permissions
Contact your chosen councillor or councillors (use the Find Councillor page and the ward boundaries) to discuss the request and confirm they support it and have budget left. Requests over £2,000 need the support of two or three councillors
Complete the council's Word application form electronically and email it with the supporting documents to the supporting councillor(s)
The councillor(s) forward the form, documents and their formal declaration of support to grants@basingstoke.gov.uk; everything must arrive by midday on 1 March 2027
Officers carry out due diligence checks and put the application forward for formal executive approval; you are emailed if the grant is approved
Accept the Grant Agreement, buy the item(s) or deliver the activity within 8 weeks, and submit proof of payment for reimbursement
Within four weeks of payment, send a short monitoring report with a description of the impact, photographs of the item or activity in use, and confirmation that council support was acknowledged

Do not make any payments or commitments before you receive the Grant Agreement letter, because retrospective costs are not funded.

Submit the form as a Word document, not a PDF or file-sharing link. Keep answers proportionate and use bullet points.

Applications are approved monthly, so apply early while councillors still have budget. If your councillors' funds are used up, you may be asked to approach other councillors or wait until the next financial year.

Have ready

Completed CCG 2026-2027 application form (Word document)
Recent bank statement in the organisation's name, dated within the last 3 months and showing account name, address, account number and sort code
Governing document (constitution, statement of purpose, annual report, meeting notes or similar), recent or recently reviewed, signed and dated
Evidence of expected costs for each item (quotes, estimates or links to items online)
Written evidence of any permissions needed, such as planning consent or landlord's approval

The form asks you to name files e.g. 'Governing Doc + organisation name', 'Bank Statement + organisation name' and 'Cost + number', and to redact individuals' personal details. Proof of payment (paid invoices, receipts or bank statement) is needed later to claim the grant.

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