Community Grants Fund

We are inviting community groups and voluntary organisations from across Chesterfield to apply for support from the Community Grant Fund. 

More than £250,000 is available to eligible local groups during 2026 to 2027 over two tranches – with most awards ranging from £500 to £6,000 to help boost grassroots projects that will improve life for local people. 

A portion has also been set to help groups deliver larger capital projects of up £50,000.

The Community Grant Fund aims to support local projects that will help to build resilient, healthy, and safe neighbourhoods, and develop volunteering opportunities, as well as initiatives which will help reduce the borough’s impact on the climate and wider environment by promoting greener choices. 

Further details on the types of projects that can be funded via the grant scheme can be found in the Community Funding Grant criteria. Please take some time to read this document before completing your application.  

Funding for the scheme for 2026 to 2028 is delivered by funds which Chesterfield Borough Council has raised through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Neighbourhoods portion, together with funds from Chesterfield Town Board’s Pride in Place programme, which is funded by the UK Government. 

The community grants fund provides a simple way for community groups to apply for a range of available funding. Since its launch in 2023, more than £500,000 in grant funding has been awarded to groups, with more than 100 successful applications. 

Here are some examples of community groups and voluntary organisations that have used grant funding:

• outdoor learning supporting nursery children and families
• community hub projects providing free food and social activities
• Recovery Bike Workshops supporting recovering addicts
• one to one and group support for vulnerable adults
• gardening project introducing families to green spaces and home grown food
• dementia support project reducing social isolation and general wellbeing
• accessibility project providing online information on key venues and facilities
• renewal projects supporting community hubs with updated facilities 
• reducing reliance on car use; promoting and supporting walking, cycling and low carbon travel
• developing community gardens with a focus on growing your own fruit and vegetables
• waste minimisation, improving recycling rates, reduction of food waste, or facilitating item repair,  reuse, or upcycling
• installation of energy efficiency measures or renewable energy technologies at community buildings or facilities
• projects intended to reduce material consumption through lending schemes, or support for redistributing old items

Who can apply?

We welcome applications from your organisation if:

• you are a not-for-profit organisation
• you have a constitution/written set of rules for the organisation
• the proposed activity is based in areas of the Chesterfield borough covered in the criteria document
• you have a bank account in your group’s name and at least two people (not related to one another) are required to sign any cheque or withdrawal from the account - please contact communitygrants@chesterfield.gov.uk if you do not have a bank account but would like to apply
• you have a set of accounts and make these available for inspection
• your group can run the activity and complete the application form, even if you get some help with this - the contact for the grant and the person signing the form must be a member of the group or its management committee
• your group or activity is open to everyone - if your activity is not open to everyone, you need to tell us why and the assessment panel will decide if your application is eligible
• your activities begin, and costs are incurred, after receipt of the grant - you must also spend the entire grant and complete activities we have funded within 12 months of receipt of the grant, or sometimes 24 months if it is a larger capital project (as per the funding agreement); if you are successful with an application to the Community Grants Fund, you may apply again at a later stage but for different / additional reasons

Please read the guidance below carefully to check that your project and organisation is eligible. 

Projects in Staveley and Brimington

If you have a project which will take place in the Staveley and Brimington areas, please see page six of the guidance document. 

Apply to the Community Grants Fund  

Please read the guidance below fully before applying.

Community Grants Fund Guidance 2026 to 2028

(PDF 418 KB)

You will need to discuss your project with a Community Development Worker before submitting your application, to make sure that you get the best out of the scheme.

How to apply

You can apply online or download a copy of the form below and return it to us by email or by post.

Community Grant Application Form 2026 to 2028

(Word 261 KB)

Useful information to help with your application 

• Chesterfield Borough Council Plan 2023 to 2028
  
• Climate Change Action Plan

Application periods

Funding is being released in tranches, provisional dates for 2026 to 2027 and 2027 to 2028 are shown below:

Tranche 1

• launch date - Monday 18 May 2026
• closing date - Friday 19 June 2026
• decision announced - Friday 17 July 2026

Tranche 2

• launch date - Monday 21 September 2026
• closing date - Friday 23 October 2026
• decision announced - Friday 20 November 2026

Tranche 3

• launch date - Monday 14 June 2027
• closing date - Friday 9 July 2027
• decision announced - Friday 6 August 2027

Tranche 4

• launch date - Monday 20 September 2027
• closing date - Friday 22 October 2027
• decision announced - Friday 19 November 2027

We will continue to provide community development support between these periods for groups wishing to apply. 

Contact the community grants team

The team can be contacted by:

Email: communitygrants@chesterfield.gov.uk
Phone: 01246 959657 or 01246 959415
Post: Community Grants Fund, Chesterfield Borough Council, Town Hall, Chesterfield, S40 1LP 

Community Grants are made possible through funding from the Pride in Place programme, together with money raised through the Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Portion (CIL).