Parish councils are now able to apply to the multi-million-pound Community Ownership Fund.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) today launched the third round of its £150m Community Ownership Fund.
The aim of the fund is to help community projects to save local assets, such as sports clubs, music venues and historic buildings.
The amount of funding all projects can bid for will be increasing from £250,000 to £1m in this third round, and the requirement for match-funding is also being reduced to as low as 10%.
Minister for levelling up, Dehenna Davison MP, said: ‘We want even more communities to benefit from the fund and that’s why we are making these changes so community groups can apply for even more money to save much loved local assets.’
Parish councils will now also be able to apply to the fund, which has previously only been available to charities and community groups.
Cllr Keith Stevens, chair of the National Association of Local Councils, said: ‘The National Association of Local Councils is delighted that England’s local (parish and town) councils will now for the first time be able to apply to the government’s Community Ownership Fund. ‘This vital funding will help local councils, which are the first tier of local government in most areas, continue to work with their communities to protect, enhance and preserve their treasured community assets.’
