On 19 September, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) launched a Common Ground Award for Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector organisations that are bringing people together from different backgrounds.
The grant is open to applications from VCSE organisations with a base and operating in England, with charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes. Up to £1.7 million capital funding is available in 2025 and 2026 and will be distributed in payments of up to £10,000 per successful applicant.
The Common Ground Award aims to:
- identify and reward good practice in building bridging social capital
- invest in the physical spaces and equipment that enables good practice
- build a community of practice, for knowledge sharing across the voluntary and community sector and with government
Applications must state the level of funding required and confirm that it can be committed for spending by 31 March 2026.
Capital grants can be used to support new builds, refurbishment, and expansion of facilities used to build bridging social capital. Funding can also cover essential equipment, such as laptops or furniture for the property.
The fund opens on 14 October and the deadline to submit an application is 21 November.
Funding will be awarded in January 2026.