GrantRadar

Mid Suffolk District Council

Living Well in Winter Grant

Grants of up to £2,000, with no match funding needed, for constituted voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations to help Mid Suffolk residents through winter: warm and social spaces, lunch clubs, after-school clubs, subsidised family sport and similar activities tackling isolation, heating pressures and wellbeing. It is a competitive round open from 12 October to 22 November 2026, with outcomes by 27 November; any money left reopens first come, first served. The council says about two thirds of unsuccessful applicants had not contacted the Grants Team first.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £2,000
Deadline
35 days left
22 November
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Constituted voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations providing a service for the benefit of Mid Suffolk residents, for example village hall committees, voluntary and community groups, town and parish councils, sports clubs, charities, social enterprises, community shops and pubs, and CICs
  • They must be financially viable, as shown by audited or independently examined accounts; have safeguarding, health and safety and equal opportunities policies; have an independent bank account; and provide services that align with council priorities, do not duplicate existing provision and meet proven need (start-ups must evidence community demand)
  • Not for individuals, for-profit businesses or statutory authorities; schools and churches only with wider community benefit or access

What it funds

Projects that respond to winter-specific challenges (social isolation, household heating pressures, mental health impacts, reduced physical activity), which may include:

  • After school clubs, providing spaces for children and young people during darker evenings
  • Warm or social spaces: community-led provision offering warmth, connection and low-cost activities
  • Subsidised family sports sessions (e.g. swimming), with places subsidised equitably to ensure fair access for families most affected by winter pressures
  • Multi-generational activities such as subsidised sports, arts and crafts, cooking sessions or shared learning opportunities
  • Lunch clubs or supper clubs providing social connection, warmth and nutritious food
  • Enrichment activities offering experiences that help residents develop core skills, confidence and new hobbies
  • Associated core costs, where essential to delivering the project (e.g. staffing, utilities, insurance), though these cannot be the primary focus of an application

What it will not fund

  • Private individuals
  • For-profit businesses
  • Statutory authorities
  • Schools where there is no wider community benefit
  • Churches where there is no wider community access
  • Community groups without an independent bank account
  • Activities promoting religious or political beliefs
  • Services commenced or goods ordered before the grant is awarded
  • Ongoing running costs, where the funding would solely support routine operational expenditure without a defined winter-specific project or community benefit

How to apply

  1. Read the 2026-27 guidance notes and scoring matrix
  2. Email the Grants Team to discuss your project before applying (strongly advised)
  3. Complete the 2026-27 Living Well in Winter Grant application form, proposing one project outcome and the indicators you will use to monitor progress, and submit it between 12 October and 22 November 2026
  4. Applications are scored competitively after the window closes and applicants are told the outcome by Friday 27 November
  5. If successful, spend the grant within 6 months of accepting the offer and provide invoices or receipts and a monitoring form

if any funding remains unallocated, the grant reopens on a first come, first served basis.

Have ready

  • Completed application form
  • Audited or independently examined accounts
  • Safeguarding, health and safety and equal opportunities policies (the council may ask for copies, and for your constitution)
  • Evidence of local need (data, community feedback, demand indicators)
  • A realistic, costed plan for the grant

funding is not released until the full funding package for the project has been evidenced.

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