Community Capacity Fund

** Opening for applications 12th September 2025 – further details, including how to apply, to be shared at this time **

We are launching a new round of Community Capacity Funding, thanks to just over £520,000 from Oxfordshire County Council. Grants will be made to help Oxfordshire’s adult residents to live independently and healthily for as long as possible in their lives.

The Community Capacity grants support the Council’s Oxfordshire Way vision to support the people of Oxfordshire to live well in their community, remaining independent and healthy for as long as possible. This includes building both individual emotional resilience and community resilience, addressing health inequalities and addressing preventable conditions.

Local community organisations play a huge role in supporting people to thrive with less need for government services. This can help people have a much better quality-of-life.

1. Increased physical activity levels
2. Reduce isolation and loneliness
3. Improved mental wellbeing
4. Development of local community spaces and organisations

The following are examples of schemes we are looking to see in applications. However, we welcome applications for schemes beyond these.

• Tried and tested solutions, and also new, experimental approaches
• Schemes that fill gaps and therefore increase the options available to community connectors and social prescribers
• Schemes that focus on unpaid carers.
• Schemes to tackle causes of loneliness, ranging from physical isolation to digital exclusion. These can include intergenerational schemes.
• Schemes that support underserved groups that find it hard to find support through traditional services
• Schemes that help to increase mutual support led by local communities (e.g. volunteering, self-sustaining enterprises)
• Schemes that work with local businesses and partners, tapping into their Corporate Social Responsibility policies.

Applicants must fulfil the following criteria:

• Registered Charity, Charitable Incorporated Organisation, Charitable Company (Limited by Guarantee), Community Interest Company, a Constituted but Unincorporated Club or Association (i.e. it has a constitution but is not one of the other entities listed above)
• Operating in Oxfordshire
• Income under £1 million
• At least one year of operation; if constituted for less than one year but active for longer, evidence should be provided
• Have a bank account in its own name with at least two unrelated signatories, open for three months or more
• Have at least three trustees/committee members/directors who are not related to each other
• Have at least three months’ running costs in reserves (if they are more than 12 months, an explanation may be requested)
• Up to date monitoring and reporting to OCF for any previous grants received from OCF

Please note that groups who received Community Capacity funding in 2024 and requested a two-year period for expenditure on delivery are not eligible to apply for this round of funding.

Please also read our updated Grants Policy which sets out in detail the criteria that apply to all OCF grant-making.

The grant is intended for vulnerable adults and those experiencing inequality and exclusion, including underserved groups that struggle to find support through traditional services.

The target beneficiaries must be Oxfordshire residents aged over 18.

• Running costs these are costs that keep your organisation running, such as salaries, rent, utilities, etc. Often known as “core costs”.
• Capital costs these are costs related to any physical assets your organisation may need, such as equipment or IT support.
• Project costs these are both core and capital costs directly associated with the delivery of a specific project.

Grants round opens – 12th September

Grants round closes – Midday on Wednesday 15th October

Funding decisions announced – 20th November

Successful applicants provide required financial and governance evidence – by 25th November

Grants paid – by 31st December (contingent on financial and governance evidence being received and due diligence being completed)

Apply online from 12th September to midday on 15th October.

We will be offering an online and in-person drop-in session to answer any specific questions you may have about your application. These will be later in September.

Further details of how to join these sessions will be announced soon.