GrantRadar

Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (East of England Co-op)

Co-op Community Cares Fund

Grants of up to £5,000 from the East of England Co-op, run by Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, for not-for-profit projects in Cambridgeshire that support community cohesion and integration: helping people play an active part in their communities, reducing barriers and improving social contact. Projects must be within reasonable distance of an East of England Co-op store or branch (in Cambridgeshire these are at One Cambridge Square, Cambridge, and Waterbeach), with priority to those nearest the stores if oversubscribed. Only £10,000 is available this round and the fund is routinely oversubscribed.

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

Who can apply

  • Community-focused not-for-profit organisations in Cambridgeshire, delivering within reasonable distance of an East of England Co-op store or branch (check it is an East of England Co-op, not another Co-op society; in Cambridgeshire the branches are One Cambridge Square, Cambridge CB4, and Waterbeach)
  • Under the Foundation's general rules, organisations must be legally registered if income is over £5,000; eligible types are registered, exempt and excepted charities, CIOs, religious organisations for projects benefiting the wider community without religious content, parish and town councils, village halls, parochial church councils, CICs, social enterprises and companies limited by guarantee (running at least one year, with additional criteria), co-operatives and community benefit societies, schools, and sports clubs that are CASCs, affiliated to a governing body or have income under £5,000
  • Organisations need three independent, unconnected committee members/trustees/directors and two unconnected signatories
  • Past grantees must wait 12 months after their end of grant report

What it funds

Projects supporting community cohesion and integration, aiming to achieve one or more of these outcomes:

  • Improved access to social activities for all
  • Reduction in feelings of isolation and improved wellbeing
  • Supporting people into education or employment
  • Providing information, advice or guidance to maximise income
  • Evidence of working in partnership or alliance formation

Awards can be for existing services or facilities, or new initiatives and projects; a new project that brings people together will be considered where the funding could move it forward. One-off pieces of equipment are unlikely to be considered and short-term projects are less of a priority. The Co-op must be funding 30% or more of the project costs.

What it will not fund

  • Projects where the East of England Co-op would fund less than 30% of costs
  • Organisations funded by this fund in the last 12 months (at least 12 months must pass after your end of grant report; no applications in consecutive years)
  • One-off pieces of equipment (unlikely to be considered)
  • Organisational structures not on the Foundation's eligible list, or projects not charitable in focus
  • Activities or projects which have already taken place
  • Sponsored events or fundraising activities
  • Debt or loans
  • Grant-making bodies or activities
  • Improvements to land or buildings not open to the general public at convenient hours
  • Projects promoting political activities or lobbying for causes
  • The practice of religion or projects that actively promote religion or a belief system
  • Animal welfare projects
  • Overseas travel
  • Statutory obligations, i.e. activities that replace government funding

How to apply

  1. Check your project is near an East of England Co-op store using the Co-op's store locator ('All branches')
  2. Read the Foundation's application guidance
  3. Complete the fund's own online application form (linked from the fund page), saving and returning via the emailed link if needed
  4. Upload all supporting documents with the form and submit by 4:30pm on Monday 23 November 2026

Because this fund has its own form, you can also submit one general application to the Foundation in the same round. Documents submitted in the last two years need not be resent unless your organisation has changed. Applications without documents may be declined without assessment.

Have ready

  • Signed governing document confirming not-for-profit status, with a dissolution clause passing assets to charities with similar aims
  • Accounts for the past year (or an income and expenditure statement for small unincorporated groups, or income and expenditure to date if under a year old)
  • A bank statement or paying-in slip from the last 3 months showing bank name and logo, account name, sort code and account number (screenshots not accepted)
  • Names of three independent, unconnected committee members, trustees or directors, and two unconnected signatories
  • Three quotes for any capital item or equipment costing over £500
  • CICs: CIC 36 form (registered in the last 12 months) or latest CIC 34 annual report
  • Co-operatives and community benefit societies: FCA registration form or latest AR30
  • Evidence of a long-term lease if the funding is for land or buildings you do not own

Safeguarding and equality policies need not be submitted, but you must confirm you have them.

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