GrantRadar

Babergh District Council

Community Development Grants

Babergh District Council's main community grant: up to £10,000 (up to 100% of project costs) for constituted voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations delivering projects with clear community benefit in Babergh. It covers capital, revenue and pre-project costs, and is awarded competitively against a scoring matrix. There is one application window a year; the next opens on 2 November 2026 and closes on 17 January 2027, for funding in 2027/28.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£250 – £10,000
Deadline
91 days left
17 January
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Constituted voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations that provide a service for the benefit of Babergh (and/or Mid Suffolk) residents, show a clear need for the project within Babergh, are financially viable (audited or independently examined accounts), can fund total project costs from their own or other sources, have safeguarding, health and safety and equal opportunities policies, and do not duplicate existing services
  • The council's examples include town and parish councils, village hall and playing field committees, sports clubs, charities, social enterprises, community shops and pubs and CICs
  • CICs must be limited by guarantee, have at least two unrelated directors, no Person with Significant Control and an asset lock
  • One application per organisation per financial year

What it funds

  • Revenue, capital or pre-project costs
  • Capital: repairs or improvements to social infrastructure such as village halls, play areas and playing fields, sports clubs and facilities and youth groups, and capital purchases or improvements by charities
  • Revenue costs: core running costs such as salaries, management and administration, HR and payroll, office expenses, accountancy, communications, monitoring and evaluation, governance and compliance, and facility and energy costs - only for organisations benefiting an area larger than a single village or parish (one financial year's running costs)
  • Revenue projects: delivery and running costs of new and existing community groups and services, e.g. wellbeing groups and projects reducing isolation
  • Pre-project costs: feasibility studies or architectural costs enabling larger projects
  • Cultural organisations or projects aligned to the Culture, Heritage and Visitor Economy Strategy

Match funding is encouraged but not required.

What it will not fund

  • Private individuals
  • For-profit businesses
  • Statutory authorities
  • Schools or churches where there is no wider community benefit
  • Community groups without an independent bank account
  • Activities promoting religious or political beliefs
  • Retrospective funding (services commenced or goods ordered before award)
  • Purchase of land or projects without wider community access
  • Highways projects such as road signage or works on the road surface
  • Planning application fees and building regulations approval costs
  • Fundraising events
  • One-off revenue costs such as trips and outings without long-term community benefit
  • Grants, bursaries and vouchers to individuals
  • Revenue (running) costs for town and parish councils
  • CICs limited by shares, or CICs with a registered Person with Significant Control

How to apply

  1. Read the Community Development Grant guidance notes and the terms and conditions
  2. Contact the Grants Team before applying (Grant Enquiry Form or email to BMSDCGrants@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk) - about two thirds of unsuccessful applications come from groups who had not
  3. Complete the application form during the window (2 November 2026 - 17 January 2027) and email it with supporting documents to BMSDCGrants@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk
  4. Applications are scored against a public scoring matrix; those scoring under 50% are not eligible
  5. Successful applicants receive an offer letter (valid 4 weeks) and must complete the project within 12 months; revenue grants are paid on the signed offer, capital and pre-project grants against invoices

Incomplete applications or those missing supporting documents will not be considered.

Have ready

  • Latest accounts
  • At least two quotes for capital works (or a valid reason for a single quote)
  • Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety, and Child and Adult Safeguarding policies (linked or provided)
  • Evidence of land tenure where appropriate (freehold or a lease with at least 10 years unexpired)

CICs may also need to provide their last CIC34 report and details of paid directors.

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