Breckland Council Inspiring Communities 2025/26

Fund details

Breckland Council Inspiring Communities is a match funding scheme providing grants of up to £5,000 for groups working in Breckland District. Applicants can apply for a maximum of 50% of the total project cost therefore match funding is required. This can be from your own funds, external funders or in the form of in-kind contributions.

The funding is for community projects that can demonstrate their alignment to the priorities of the Inspiring Communities programme and the Breckland Health and Wellbeing Partnership (see below):

Inspiring Communities Priorities:

To address vulnerability and work with the most disadvantaged members of our communities to improve their life chances, with a focus on:

Domestic abuse
Mental health
Social isolation and loneliness
Early intervention projects which prevent escalation into crisis

Breckland Health and Wellbeing Priorities:

To enhance the health and wellbeing of Breckland’s residents by reducing health inequalities:

Preventing cardiovascular disease
Improving mental health
Tackling issues arising from alcohol dependency and other alcohol related concerns
Lifecycle approach – StartWell; LiveWell; AgeWell – promoting positive health outcomes at any age

How to apply

Step 1 – follow the link below to read the Funding Guide. Make sure your planned work aligns with Breckland Council’s Inspiring Communities or Breckland Health and Wellbeing Priorities (see above), and that it does not fall under the Fund’s exclusions.

Step 2 – Contact your Breckland ward member(s) – Find your Councillor – to inform them that you are making an application to the Breckland Council Inspiring Communities Fund. Optional: You may wish to ask your ward member to provide a statement in support of your work which you could attach to your application, though this is optional, and your application can be taken forward without this.

Step 3 – As soon as you’ve contacted your Breckland ward member(s), you can begin your online application via the Apply Online link below. The application form will ask you to confirm that you have contacted your ward member(s).

What funding is available?

The Fund will provide grants of up to £5,000 from a pot of at least £84,000 in 2025-26. The grant must contribute no more than 50% of the total cost of the project for which you are applying.

When to apply:

During 2025-26 Inspiring Communities will operate over four funding rounds as follows:

Deadline: Thursday 10th July (decisions expected by end of August).
Deadline: Thursday 9th October (decisions expected by end of November).
Deadline: Thursday 8th January (decisions expected by end of February).
Deadline: Thursday 12th March (decisions expected by end of April).

A further round will operate in 2026/27. Deadlines for this will be advertised in due course.

All applicants must meet NCF’s general eligibility criteria please check that you meet these before starting an application.

Please ensure that your application is submitted with all of the required supporting information by the deadline. Applications which are incomplete at the closing date will be deferred until they are complete and may not therefore receive a decision in line with the timescale above.