Buckinghamshire Community Fund

Support is available to groups and organisations that can demonstrate clear need and demand for their services. We value organisations that see themselves as part of the wider sector and collaborate to better respond to the needs of their service users.

• Not-for-profit organisations with income of under £1 million annually providing a service in Buckinghamshire can apply.
• Organisations that work outside Buckinghamshire must evidence at least 60% of their operation (in terms of spend, beneficiaries, staff) is active in Bucks and that they have established partnerships with local organisations.
• Organisations registered with a regulating body, such as the Charity Commission or Companies House, can apply for a grant for up to 3 years.
• Groups, societies and sports clubs not registered with a regulator can apply for a grant for 1 year only.

• We fund project, core and capital costs. Where the funding is capital only, we prefer to not be the only funder.
• Funding of up to £30,000 over three years (maximum of £10,000 per year) is available.
• Community groups and newly established small-scale charitable organisations seeking a grant of £5,000 or less, should apply to the Rothschild Foundation’s Grassroots Grants Fund managed by Heart of Bucks.

• Applications are made online through our grants portal.
• Application deadlines every year:
  • 27th January
  • 18th April
  • 27th August
  • 18th November
• Applicants will be notified if their grant is awarded within 6 weeks of each deadline.
• If your grant application is unsuccessful, you will receive feedback explaining why. You can apply again at any time, but it’s a good idea to speak with a Grants Manager beforehand.

• All applications require policies for:
  • Safeguarding
  • Health and Safety
  • Equality
  • GDPR
  • Applicants for grants of £5K or more must have an Environmental Sustainability policy
• All applicants must share
  • Governing document or constitution demonstrating three Directors or Trustees.
  • Management accounts
  • Applicants for grants of £5K or more must share a full project budget, or an organisational budget if applying for core costs
  • Proof of your organisation’s bank account
• We encourage using data and research to demonstrate the need, efficiency and impact of charitable work, especially using the Bucks Data Exchange (BDEx). The BDEx is a free resource designed to help small charities in Buckinghamshire better understand the needs of the communities they serve and show the difference they’re making.

• Funded organisations share an annual written report. This includes a narrative on the activities delivered with their grant, any evidence collected, key learnings, expenditure to date, and information on who has benefitted.
• We encourage funded organisations to consider and measure success by demonstrating: 
  • the difference their funded activity makes, the outcomes i.e. the changes, benefits, learning or other effects 
  • and how it does this, the outputs i.e. activities, services, or facilities 
• Organisations awarded a grant of £5K or more also provide a breakdown of grant expenditure.
• Funded organisations are invited to a biennial networking event to share knowledge, learn from each other, and connect with programme experts.

• We don’t fund in Milton Keynes or counties neighbouring Buckinghamshire.
• For-profit organisations, businesses and individuals seeking bursaries or scholarships cannot apply.
• We don’t fund uniformed groups, promotion of religion, overseas travel, animal welfare and campaigns.
• Organisations may only hold one grant from the Community Fund at any time.
• A full list of funding exclusions can be found in our FAQs.