Overview

Cornwall Councillor Community Chest Grant Scheme 2026-2027

Applicant Guidance Notes

Each Cornwall Councillor has a small grant fund to assist not-for-profit projects that benefit their local community. Applications are open to groups (including voluntary and community groups, and town & parish councils).

Key Points

Grants between £200 and £750 are available from each councillor. Grants outside this range will only be made in exceptional circumstances.

Applications for smaller project costs of up to £500 are particularly welcomed and 100% grants may be awarded for such projects.

For projects over £500 you can only apply for a maximum of 75% of the total project costs.

Members can award repeat funding if they feel this is appropriate (e.g. for supporting public events and newsletters), but a grant does not automatically indicate future funding will be given. Grants are usually intended to support project costs only, rather than running costs. However, the Community Chest may be able to support running costs where groups are facing a temporary funding shortfall.

The closing date for completed applications (with supporting documents) is 12 February 2027. Although you can make an application at any time until the closing date, it is always best to apply as soon as possible, as there is only limited funding available.

Eligible Activities

Applications should be for projects that demonstrate community demand and deliver a clear benefit to the local community within the Councillor's electoral division. Here are some examples:

Improvements to a community building

Community environmental projects

Physical activity including community health projects

Projects involving the wellbeing of older or younger people

Planning and promoting village walks

Purchase of play and exercise equipment

Local training schemes e.g. first aid course for the group

New community hub / safe space development or activity

Projects that help tackle unemployment and its impacts

Healthy eating projects and community celebrations of local food

Public events, festivals and exhibitions

Projects to improve awareness / distribution of community information

Ineligible Activities

Grants are not normally offered retrospectively (e.g. to fill unexpected funding gaps). This means that the project should not begin before a community chest application has been approved.

Political activities, lobbying or campaigning

Exclusively religious activities (faith groups may receive funding for community development. In these cases, the application must show that the project will bring wider community benefit and that its primary purpose is not religious)

Projects which Cornwall Council determines shows actual or potential unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act 2010

Statutory activities

Applications from private sector organisations (applications from not-for-profit groups that would benefit private sector organisations on a collective basis AND the wider community may be eligible depending on the specific details of the project; an example might be a community event in a town centre)

Clothing/Uniform for the sole use of an individual

Funding for national or regional projects (except those delivering specific benefits within the councillor's electoral division)

Funding cannot be paid into a private individual account

Eligible Organisations

Any constituted 'not for profit' organisation which seeks to serve the people of Cornwall. Community Interest Companies may be eligible if they can demonstrate the project is supported by the community.

How to Apply

Step 1

Please read this guidance to ensure your project is eligible for a Community Chest grant. If you have any questions, contact the Localism team at [email protected]

Step 2

Contact your local Cornwall Councillor to see if they are willing to support your project in principle and have sufficient funds in their Community Chest to do so. If the answer is yes, the Councillor will ask the Localism team to send you an application form. You can ask more than one Councillor to support your project, but you must contact them individually and let the Localism team know you are doing this.

Cornwall Councillor contact details: You can find your local councillor's name by visiting My Area - Cornwall Council and entering your postcode. Contact details for all Cornwall Councillors are available here: Your Councillors - Cornwall Council

Step 3

Fill in the application form, taking care to complete it fully. You will also need to include the supporting information listed on the form (see note below*). This will enable the application to be processed quickly and efficiently. If any information is missing, the form may need to be returned to you and this will cause delay.

Step 4

Send in the application form and any supporting information required. Your completed application will be assessed by the Localism team to ensure it meets the guidance. It will then be sent to the Cornwall Councillor who will decide whether to approve the grant and the amount to be allocated. Please send in your completed application form and the supporting information as soon as possible, so that we can process this for you quickly. If there is likely to be a delay in submitting your application, please let us know.

Supporting Information Required

*Note on Supporting Information required - please remember to include this with your application form, as we cannot progress your application without it:

(i) Written confirmation of any match funding awarded to the project (a copy of a letter or e-mail from the match funder is sufficient)

(ii) Copies of any quotations or estimates you have obtained for goods or services related to the project.

(iii) A copy of your organisation's governing document (e.g. Constitution, Memorandum and Articles of Association, Trust Deed etc), if applicable.

Advice and Further Information

For more information on the Community Chest scheme, please contact the Communities Support Assistant for your area; details can be found at: Communities Area Partnership webpage or phone 0300 1234 100.

Further support and advice can be obtained from various voluntary support organisations. You can find more information here.

We are committed to delivering services in a fair and equal way, and to communicate information in a way everyone can understand. This document can be produced in a different format. These include: audio tape, Braille, large print, easy read, alternative language, alternative document type (e.g. Word, pdf), face to face meeting, telephone call. If you need information in another format, please contact us to make a request.

Localism Team

Cornwall Council

[email protected]

0300 1234 100