Community grants for voluntary and community groups

What grants does the Council offer?

Oxford City Council recognises and values the contribution that community and voluntary organisations (CVO's) make to their communities. One of the ways we support CVO's is through grant aid.

We have a limited amount of funds available to help community and voluntary groups, which provide a project or service that benefit residents and communities across Oxford.

You can apply for a grant if your project does one or more of the following:

• Promotes community activities and cohesion
• Gets more people involved with the arts
• Tackles anti-social behaviour and improves community safety
• Promotes and protects the natural environment and biodiversity
• Tackles social inequality

There are 3 grant programmes, which are:

• Annual open bidding programme to which CVO's can apply for a one off grant up to £10,000.
• Small grants programme to which CVO's can apply for a one off grant of up to £500.
• The Commissioning programme which is funding for activities that have been identified by the Council as making a substantial and central contribution to the achievement of our corporate goals.

Annual Open Bidding Programme for 2013/2014

The annual grants open bidding programme is now closed.

The closing date for applications was on 9 November 2012.

A list of grants awarded through this programme for 2013/14 can be found below

 Grants Awarded 2013-14 (690kB PDF)

A list of those community & voluntary organisations awarded a grant through the current financial years programme (2012/2013) can be found below.

List of open bidding grants awarded 2012-13 (25kB PDF)

Youth Ambition Programme

Oxford City Council has committed £50,000 for a new grants programme. The youth ambition programme will support community & voluntary groups working with children and young people across the city. Four rounds of funding are planned for this year; the closing dates are:

• 12 noon on 25 January 2013 (Closed - Grants Awarded January 2013 (36kB PDF))
• 12 noon on 22 May 2013
• 12 noon on 16 September 2013
• 12 noon on 16 December 2013

Use the links below for the programme criteria and the application form:

 Grants criteria (114kB PDF)
 Application form (227kB DOC)
 Guidance notes (155kB PDF)
 Grants map (100kB PDF)

Social Inclusion Fund

 Social Inclusion Fund Criteria (22kB PDF)

Small community grants for 2013/2014

During the year, commencing from 1 April 2013, there will be other opportunities for community and voluntary groups to apply for funding. A budget of £7,727 has been allocated for a small grants programme.

Community and voluntary groups that have a legal structure that is appropriate to the size and nature of the organisation, which sets out the aims and rules governing the organisation, can apply for a small grant of up to £500 for a project or activity that will benefit the residents of Oxford.

The application and criteria for the programme can be found below:

Online grants application form
 Small grants criteria 2013-14 (33kB PDF)
 Help with online application form (17kB PDF)

Closing dates for the small grant applications are listed below:

• 24 April 2013, to be received by 12 noon - CLOSED -  List of Small Grants awarded April 2013 (9kB PDF)
• 19 June 2013, to be received by 12 noon
• 16 September 2013, to be received by 12 noon
• 13 January 2014, to be received by 12 noon

A list of those community and voluntary groups awarded a small grant through the current financial years programme (2012/13) can be found below:

 List of Small Grants awarded 2012-13 (24kB PDF)

Commissioning Programme

On the 8 February 2012 the City Executive Board awarded 21 voluntary sector organisations a grant through the commissioning programme. A list of these organisations funded through this programme can be found below:

List of commissioned organisations 2012-13 (36kB PDF)

Community grants prospectus programme for 2011 - 2015

The prospectus sets out which activities Oxford City Council will fund and those it will not fund.  Please read this document before applying for a grant.

Grants Programme Prospectus for 2011-15 (69kB PDF)

Where can I find more information?

Visit our Grants Frequently Asked Questions page.

Oxfordshire Community Voluntary Action website has a well-stocked resource centre with grants reference books and information.

More information can be found on our External Funding Opportunities page.

Page last updated 28 March 2013