Community Impact Grant
Direct support for grassroots organisations delivering measurable local outcomes.
About this programme
The Community Impact Grant is our flagship programme, administered directly by the foundation. It exists for organisations that are already doing meaningful work in their community and need properly sized funding to do more of it. Applications are reviewed by an internal panel against the published criteria, and every applicant receives written feedback on their submission.
What this funding can cover
- Programme delivery costs: staff time, sessional workers and volunteer expenses
- Venue hire, materials and equipment directly tied to the project
- Monitoring, evaluation and community feedback activities
- A fair share of organisational overheads (up to 15% of the request)
- Accessibility costs so no one is excluded from participating
Who can apply
- Community groups, nonprofits and social enterprises with a track record of local delivery
- A defined project with clear, measurable outcomes for a named community
- Ability to provide basic financial records and a simple project budget
- Two referees who can speak to your organisation's work
The application process, step by step
- 01
Tell us about your project
Send us a short summary through the guidance form — what you do, who benefits, and roughly how much you need. We confirm eligibility within a few working days.
- 02
Prepare your application with our support
Work with our team on your narrative, outcomes framework and budget. Most applicants complete this stage in two to three weeks.
- 03
Submit before the deadline
You submit the final application directly to the foundation. We check the pack is complete before it goes to the panel.
- 04
Panel review and decision
Applications are scored independently by at least two assessors, then moderated. You receive the decision and written feedback either way.
How applications are assessed
- Clarity of need and proposed response
- Realistic budget and delivery plan
- Community involvement and accountability
- Evidence the outcomes can be sustained after the grant ends
Grant support
How we help you win the Community Impact Grant
You don't have to figure this out alone. Our grant professionals work with you at every stage — from first idea to final submission.
Shape your project plan
Before you submit, our team reviews your draft project plan against the assessment rubric and flags gaps — unclear outcomes, missing milestones, or activities that don't connect to the need you've described.
Build a budget that holds up
We help you cost each activity realistically, apply the overhead allowance correctly, and present co-funding in the format our panel expects. Weak budgets are the most common reason good projects score poorly.
Strengthen your evidence of need
We show you how to combine community testimony, local data and your own track record into a need statement that assessors can score confidently.
Mock assessment before you submit
Final drafts can be read by a reviewer who has scored real applications. You get criteria-by-criteria notes and a priority fix list while there's still time to act on them.
Applications are open now — deadline 31 Oct 2026
Start early. Applicants who request guidance at least four weeks before the deadline submit noticeably stronger applications.