GrantRadar

Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation

EEM Community Spaces Fund

Grants of up to £5,000 (no minimum) from the Efficiency East Midlands Foundation, managed by Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation. They are for charitable and not-for-profit organisations that own or hold a long lease on community venues such as village halls, community centres and sports clubs across Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, including the cities. The money is for capital improvements that make venues more sustainable, accessible and resilient, such as energy efficiency and accessibility works, not activities. The fund totals £100,000 (about 22 grants) and closes at 9am on 19 October 2026.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £5,000
Closes in
1 day left
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Registered charities, CICs, CIOs, co-operatives or other not-for-profit organisations with charitable purposes that manage a community space: village halls, community centres, football clubs and sports pavilions, youth centres including Scout huts, church or faith halls with wider community benefit, working men's clubs run on a charitable or not-for-profit basis, and other charitable organisations managing community venues
  • Applicants must own the venue or hold a lease of at least 10 years, and be responsible for managing it
  • They need at least three unrelated trustees, directors or committee members, none with 50% or more significant control, and a bank account in the organisation's name with at least two unrelated signatories
  • They must be based in, or benefit communities in, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire or Rutland (the web page lists Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire)
  • No income limit is stated
  • The panel aims for a fair geographical spread and a range of venue types

What it funds

Projects that improve the sustainability and long-term future of community spaces:

  • Decarbonisation and energy efficiency improvements (for example insulation, heating upgrades, solar panels or LED lighting)
  • Accessibility improvements that enable more people to use the building
  • Building improvements or adaptations that increase inclusion and help the venue better meet community needs
  • Capital works or equipment that strengthen the venue's long-term sustainability

Projects should show how they benefit the wider community and help the organisation stay viable.

Match funding is not required but can strengthen an application; if the project costs more than £5,000 you must say how the rest will be funded.

Funded work takes place between 1 January and 31 December 2027.

What it will not fund

  • Activity or running costs
  • Unrestricted funding
  • Projects that have already been completed
  • For-profit organisations
  • Organisations that do not own the venue or hold a lease of at least 10 years (explain other arrangements in the application)
  • Organisations with an active LRCF grant for capital activity or running costs are less likely to be funded

How to apply

  1. Read the fund page, criteria and applicant guidance, and the step-by-step application guide
  2. Optionally email grants@llrcommunityfoundation.org.uk to discuss your idea
  3. Get quotations and check any planning, building regulations or landlord permissions needed
  4. Register on LRCF's new grants portal (launched 7 September 2026; all applicants, including existing ones, must register again) via the fund page's apply link
  5. Choose EEM Community Spaces under Funding programmes and complete the form's sections: contact details, organisation, project (most answers around 200-400 words), geographical area, beneficiaries, costs, and required documents
  6. Submit before 9am on Monday 19 October 2026
  7. Applications are checked for eligibility, assessed and scored, then go to the grants panel in the week of 16 November 2026
  8. Applicants are notified by Monday 23 November 2026; unsuccessful applicants get individual feedback
  9. If funded, carry out the work between 1 January and 31 December 2027, then submit a short end-of-grant report (photos and a case study welcome)

An applicant webinar was held at 1pm on 29 September 2026.

Prepare answers offline and paste them in; the form can be saved and finished later.

Have ready

  • Proof of the organisation's bank account (letter or statement showing account name, sort code and account number)

The form also asks for details of the Chair and management committee, last year's income, and a budget broken down into labour, equipment and materials.

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