CLOSED: Start-Up Support programme

The programme is funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and delivered by Community Led Homes.

Funds are now fully allocated and funds are now closed. 

Please read the FAQ about how COVID-19 has impacted this fund here.

What's available?

Area: England

Amount: up to £10,000 revenue funding is available. Funds are close to being fully allocated.  Applications received after funds have been allocated will not be considered.

Open to: early stage voluntary and community organisations exploring community led housing.

If you are located in the Greater London Authority area, please speak to Community Led Housing London resource and advice hub to determine what start up support and funding this hub can provide you before you consider applying to this fund.

Deadline: the grant programme will be a rolling programme open for applications until 28 February 2020, or until all funding is committed, whichever is sooner.

What are we looking for?

  • The Start-Up Support Programme aims to help groups of local people to develop their own community led housing solutions. The grant programme is targeted to support the earliest stages of a community led housing group’s development and help community led housing projects at an early stage to explore options, to enable community led housing solutions to become a reality.
  • This programme aims to support groups to progress their projects to become ready to apply for further pre-development revenue grants from other programmes. Homes England’s Community Housing Fund programme provides revenue grants to fund pre-development costs so that projects can complete the Group, Site and Plan stages and are ready to start on site or acquire properties.

What we'll fund

  • Seed corn costs (up to £4,000) - All community led housing groups will incur costs during their early stages of a project’s development. Examples include community engagement costs such as room hire, volunteer expenses, staff expenses, legal fees to incorporate the group, travel costs to see other community led housing projects, training course fees and the costs of hiring a professional to undertake site valuations and surveys.
     
  • 1:1 support from community led housing enabler hubs - Increasing numbers of community led housing enabler hubs are providing specialist 1:1 support. If a hub exists in your local area we will put you in touch with an adviser to arrange your support sessions. You can find out if an enabling hub exists in your area here.
     
  • Support costs (up to £6,000)
    This start-up support is only available to groups where:
    • There is no Community Led Housing Enabling Hub operating in your area.
    • Your group requires start-up support that falls outside the skillset of your local enabling hub.
    • Your local enabling hub has reasonably taken the view that your group is at too early a stage or needs additional support to become more certain about your approach before you can qualify for support from them at no up-front cost.
    • You would like to work with a community led housing advisor of your choice, who is not an associate of a local enabling hub.

How to apply

Funds are now fully allocated and funds are now closed.