Apply for a slice of £150 million to take back buildings for your community

Community groups across the South East can now bid for levelling up funding to takeback control of pubs, music venues, sports facilities, and historic buildings for the benefit of the public.

Groups will be able to bid for a share of the Government’s £150 million Community Ownership Fund to rescue cultural buildings in their area that could otherwise be lost forever, as the second round of funding is open.

The first round of funding has already helped local people in the South East transform their communities into a more desirable place to live, work and visit, supporting 39 projects across the UK and three projects in the South East.

More inclusive and flexible
Changes to the fund announced at the end of May, will ensure the fund is more inclusive and flexible, so that more communities can benefit from the transformative fund.

Minister for Levelling Up, the Union and Constitution, Neil O’Brien MP said,

“The Community Ownership Fund is already putting people across the South East in control of beloved pubs, clubs and historic buildings that would otherwise be at risk of being lost forever.
“With the second round of funding now open, we want to help more communities across the region transform local amenities for the public good.”

Eligibility
The fund has been updated to widen eligibility criteria, including removing the requirement that assets have had a use within the last five years and will now consider any asset which has had a previous community use, massively expanding the projects eligible to apply.

Applicants who have a minimum of a 15-year lease on an asset would now also be considered for funding. Previously, leases were restricted to a minimum of 25 years.

Level up local communities
The announcement is part of the government’s ambition to level up local communities across the country, create more local jobs, boost local businesses and build up local economies as a result.