About the fund

The Grow Up community fund supports new projects that will support the community and deliver the Grow Up vision on a local level. There is £130,000 of funding available for applications between £5,000 to £25,000. Projects must be completed and delivered by 31 March 2025.

Our priorities and categories that projects must align with are:  

  • align with the vision, objectives and workstreams of the Grow Up! project and UKSPF
  • meet some of the interventions, outputs and outcomes of the UK Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) from which overall funding for this grant programme has come from (details of these can be found in appendix 1 of the guidance notes) 
  • deliver against our council strategy and strategic aims, our climate and environment strategy and the wellbeing and welfare strategy

Your project

Your project might include, but is not limited to:

  • local community growing projects 
  • allotment projects 
  • developing community beeyards 
  • large scale tree planting projects 
  • biodiversity projects 
  • community composting  
  • rural skills courses and workshops (capital costs associated with) 
  • climate adaptation projects 
  • forest schools (capital costs associated with) 
  • projects highlighting or demonstrating local distinctiveness 
  • food bank engagement and cooking classes (capital costs associated with) 
  • community events (capital costs associated with) 
  • outdoor structure linked to learning 
  • community garden (capital costs associated with) 

Who can apply?

Your organisation must:

1. Be a registered charity, voluntary or not for profit organisation. Constituted group or club/society, community interest company (CIC), social enterprise, a school, sports club, or parish council. Faith groups may also apply, provided their projects are inclusive. 

2. Be non-political and have an open membership policy. 

3. Have a constitution or equivalent (if you do not yet have a constitution, please contact Community First who will assist you - 0300 500 8085)

4. Have a bank account for your organisation.

5. If relevant, have a safeguarding policy (the Council’s Safeguarding Lead can assist with this if required – safeguarding@easthants.gov.uk).

6. Not be applying on behalf of a third party.

7. Religious organisations must be able to demonstrate that the funding will benefit the wider, non-religious community. Funding will not be available to any organisation solely for religious purposes.

8. Projects must be for capital funds only. To be completed and delivered by 31 March 2025

9. Abide by the branding and publicity guide, all communications materials must reference and include: 

  • The Grow Up programme - As part of East Hampshire District Council’s Grow Up programme.... 
  • The logo strip as shown on this document (available to successful applicants) 
  • UKSPF strapline  - This project is funded/part- funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. 

“[This project/name of the project] has received funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund”.   

10. Acknowledges the council accepts no responsibility or liability for this project or the facilities it provides now or in the future.

11. Be able and willing to sign-up to the relevant EHDC legal agreement in relation to receiving the funding 

12. Note, costs payable to EHDC cannot be funded, for example planning fees, licensing fees, business rates etc. 

What amount of funding is available?

This fund will accept capital project applications between £5,000 to £25,000. The funding available is £130,000. 

Applications will be assessed based on deliverability (by 31 March 2025) and how the project meets the fund criteria.

How to apply

You can apply to the Grow Up! Communities Fund 2024 now! 

The deadline for applications is 11:59am on Monday 16 September 2024.

Questions will be scored, and the success of your application depends on the quality of your answers. Therefore, this fund is competitive, so please make your answers are as succinct as possible.

This fund is for capital projects only. A capital grant is a one-off payment for fixed assets; for example, to be used towards the purchasing of equipment or building works.

Organisations can submit more than one application.

Guidance notes and scoring matrix

We strongly recommend reading the guidance notes in full before completing an application form to ensure your project is eligible.

Apply for funding

Applications should be submitted via email to communitygrants@easthants.gov.uk.

Please complete the application form below;

The deadline for receiving applications is 11:59am on Monday 16 September 2024. 

Contact us

Enquiries or further information on Grow Up community fund should be submitted by email to communitygrants@easthants.gov.uk.