Breckland Council Inspiring Communities 2024/25

Fund details

Update 13 March 2025. The Fund has closed to new applications today. The applications received will be considered during April and you will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible. The Fund will re-open during 2025/26 and the deadline dates will be confirmed as soon as we are able.

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

Please note: The following types of application have not been successful in the first two funding rounds and are therefore unlikely to be funded going forward. Please talk to us before starting an application for these types of project:

Improvements to play areas; improvements to sports facilities; local history projects; improvements to footpaths; funding for benches and similar items.

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).

Step 2 – Contact your Breckland ward member(s) – Find your Councillor – to inform them that you are making an application and ask that they contact Norfolk Community Foundation grants@norfolkfoundation.com to give their view on the importance of your project and explain why they think it meets the Fund priorities. Please ensure you give them sufficient time to respond before the deadline.

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. You can submit this ahead of NCF receiving the ward member(s) statement of support.

What funding is available?

The Fund will provide grants of up to £5,000 from an annual pot of £90,000. The grant must contribute no more than 50% of the total cost of the project for which you are applying.

When to apply:

During 2024/25 Inspiring Communities will operate over four funding rounds as follows:

~~Deadline: Friday 14th June (decisions expected in early August).~~
~~Deadline: Friday 13th September (decisions expected in October).~~
~~Deadline: Friday 6th December (decisions expected in January).~~
~~Deadline: Friday 14th March~~ (decisions expected in April).

Further rounds will operate in 2025/26 and 2026/27. Deadlines for these 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 (including your ward member’s support) 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.