Applications Now Closed
Thank you to everyone who submitted an application to the programme. We’ve been delighted by the level of interest and the quality of submissions received.
We are now entering the assessment and appraisal phase, where each application will be carefully reviewed in line with the programme’s aims and criteria. This process is expected to take several weeks to ensure fairness and thoroughness.
All applicants will be contacted in early September with the outcome of their submission. We appreciate your patience during this time and look forward to sharing the results soon.
About the Community Buildings Programme
Grant funding is available through the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s allocation of UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity fund to provide grants to Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations and Town and Parish Councils to support capital improvements to buildings available to the whole community.
The programme builds on the learning and success of the Village Halls and Community Buildings Grant Programme 2024 delivered in North Yorkshire, which is now being extended into York.
The previous programme funded 43 individual projects in 2024/2025 in North Yorkshire. Mayor David Skaith committed a further £600,000 from his Mayoral Investment Fund to help more than 20 community hubs, highlighting the success of the programme.
Programme Objectives
- The Community Buildings grants fund aims to support the following priorities: improvements to access and inclusion and improvements to facilities to promote physical and mental wellbeing; resulting in greater community participation and levels of volunteering
- The area of benefit is North Yorkshire and York
- Capital funding is available for applications that meet the priorities of the Shared Prosperity and Rural England Prosperity Funds and that can demonstrate that the project will deliver the programme’s aim to increase access to and use of community buildings
- The fund will focus on 2 key priority themes – Accessible Communities and Healthy Spaces
Accessible Communities
Purpose
To improve the accessibility of community buildings by creating inclusive spaces that address the diverse range of physical, social, psychological, and sensory challenges to people accessing community buildings to ensure everyone feels welcome and supported and can participate in community life.
Priorities
- Installing ramps, lifts, or automatic doors
- Accessible and inclusive toilets and changing facilities
- Visual and hearing enhancements (e.g. induction loops, tactile signage)
- Widening doorways and improving interior navigation
- Improving lighting, signage and access
Example Projects
- A village hall installs an accessible toilet and ramps at all entrances to accommodate wheelchair users
- A local arts centre fits an induction loop system and subtitled screens for the hearing impaired
- A community centre installs gender-neutral toilets, baby changing facilities or a changing space to improve access and inclusion
Healthy Spaces
Purpose
- To create and enhance community buildings in ways that promote physical and mental wellbeing for residents of all ages
Priorities
- Creating and improving indoor fitness, wellbeing or group activity spaces
- Improving ventilation, air quality and natural lighting
- Designing spaces for mental health support, mindfulness or social prescribing including outdoor spaces and gardens
- Adding kitchen facilities or growing spaces for healthy cooking
- Enhancing outdoor access such as gardens or walking routes connected to the site
Example Projects
- A community centre renovates an underused room into a warm, well-lit yoga and mindfulness studio
- A library adds a kitchen and dining space to host healthy eating on a budget workshops
- A youth hub develops an outdoor garden and walking path to support nature-based mental health activities
