Community groups who want to build homes will be given a boost thanks to a £4.2 million investment from independent trust Power to Change. The organisation is launching Homes in Community Hands, a new fund to support pre-development costs for community led schemes.
The Homes in Community Hands programme, administered by Community Led Homes, will award grants averaging £50,000 to community led housing groups in England. These include community land trusts, cohousing groups, and housing co-operatives.
Grants will cover the costs for new build and refurbishment projects of:
- Feasibility work to assess the viability of a site or buildings for development
- Pre-development work leading to submitting a planning application (if required)
- Post planning costs for work to get a project ready to start on site
Funds will also be largely focused on Leeds City Region, Liverpool City Region, Tees Valley City Region, the West of England and the West Midlands. A proportion of the Homes in Community Hands funding will also be available to genuinely innovative community led housing projects anywhere in England.
Rose Seagrief, programme manager in charge of housing at Power to Change said: “We are delighted to be launching these funds to support the increasing number of community groups who want to create better places to live now and in the future by delivering permanently affordable homes. Nationally, 5,500 community led homes are expected to be built over the next five years but groups need help with the costs in the early stages of these projects to get these essential schemes off the ground.”
More information on the Homes in Community Hands grant programme is available on the Community Led Homes website here: www.communityledhomes.org.uk
Visit our programme page to read the guidance before applying. You can also register for our webinar on 25 February to find out more on the programme.
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Notes to editors
The Homes in Community Hands grants programme is open from Monday 4 March. Applications can be made through the Community Led Homes website here: www.communityledhomes.org.uk/homes-community-hands-programme
About Power to Change
Power to Change is the independent trust that supports community businesses in England. Community businesses are locally rooted, community-led, trade for community benefit and make life better for local people. There are nearly 7,000 community businesses across England employing 35,500 people, with a combined income of £1.2bn. From pubs to libraries; shops to bakeries; swimming pools to solar farms; community businesses are creating great products and services, providing employment and training and transforming lives. Power to Change received its endowment from the Big Lottery Fund in 2015.
www.powertochange.org.uk @peoplesbiz
About The National Lottery Community Fund
We are the largest community funder in the UK – we’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Since June 2004, we have made over 200,000 grants and awarded over £9 billion to projects that have benefited millions of people.
We are passionate about funding great ideas that matter to communities and make a difference to people’s lives. At the heart of everything we do is the belief that when people are in the lead, communities thrive. Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, our funding is open to everyone. We’re privileged to be able to workwith the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life,
About Community Led Homes
Community Led Homes exists to make community led housing a mainstream housing option. The programme will provide training, funding and practical support to community led housing groups, councils and developers.
Community Led Homes is run by four leading community led housing organisations: Confederation of Co-operative Housing, Locality, National Community Land Trust Network and UK Cohousing. they have come together to make it easier for communities to access support and build a lasting movement.
www.comunityledhomes.org.uk @commledhousing