New fund to support community groups in Norfolk

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Norfolk County Council is set to launch a new grant scheme to support local community groups.

Each of the 84 local county councillors will be allocated £5,000 to distribute within their divisions, ensuring that funding decisions are made close to home.

The fund will offer grants ranging from £200 to £2,500 to support local projects that promote social inclusion, volunteer opportunities, and community engagement.

Any local non-profit group can apply, including charities, community associations, scout and guide groups, sports groups, faith groups whose activities benefit the wider community.

For grants of £500 or more, groups will be asked to match fund 50% through the Crowdfunding platform, potentially doubling the available funding. Grants under £500 will not be required to seek match funding but groups are welcome to do so to boost their total.

Projects must clearly benefit the local community within the local area. They should aim to bring people together, celebrate local culture, and improve the overall quality of life in Norfolk.

The 2025/26 programme will support key themes:

  • Ageing Well: Supporting the well-being of older adults through community projects.
  • Youth Focus: Engaging young people in meaningful activities.
  • Green and Clean: Promoting environmental sustainability.
  • Come Together: Celebrating community and culture through public events.
  • Active Living: Encouraging sports and physical activities.
  • Creative Connections: Fostering arts and cultural projects.

The process to apply for the fund will follow a simple step by step guide. Local groups will be asked to:

  1. Approach your local councillor and explain the project.
  2. If the councillor would like to support your project they will provide you with a letter of support.
  3. Once you have this, fill in the application form on the Crowdfunder website
  4. The team at Norfolk County Council will approve the application, subject to due diligence checks, and add the Norfolk Community Fund Pledge.
  5. The community group can then start crowdfunding for 50% match funding required (for projects under £500, there will be no match-funding requirement, but groups will have the option to still crowdfund if they wish to increase the total amount of funding).
  6. Once the group has reached 100% of the target they will receive the funding & will be able to start their project.
  7. Norfolk County Council will require you to fill in a questionnaire 1 month post project completion about the impact of the project & the experience of the process.

    Cabinet will consider the report when it meets at 10am on Monday 2 June. If agreed, the Norfolk Community Fund is expected to launch in early July.