The Community Action Fund is a revenue only fund which aims to provide support for voluntary and community sector groups and organisations to deliver projects designed to make a difference for people and spaces. We hope to encourage projects designed to improve our local environment, reduce waste, promote inclusion and overcome inequality, bring people together and reduce isolation, improve health and wellbeing and promote volunteering and skills.

Although we cannot currently support large capital projects you may have a project that offers support for community spaces and venues, a project that encourages pride in place or involvement in the arts, culture and heritage. 

Shropshire's Community Action Fund as £60,000 (non- capital funding) available to pledge to projects, with a maximum of £10,000 available per project (up to 60% of the project costs). 

While this specific fund cannot support the capital elements of your project, you can still have capital elements included in your project but the funding raised by the community through the crowdfunding campaign will need to cover the capital costs. 

These types of projects will align with the Shropshire Plan and deliver healthy people, healthy economy, healthy environment and healthy organisations and partnerships.

Who can apply:
Voluntary and community sector groups and organisations are eligible to apply. This includes community groups, charities and CICs with a not for profit 'asset lock' clause included in their articles of association.

Projects carried out in partnership with town and parish councils will be considered but these must involve one or more community groups. 

Only constituted groups may apply. We cannot support applications from individuals, businesses or public sector organisations.

Please note:

• The available funding is for revenue projects only. Revenue includes operational costs where there is no lasting asset. There must be community benefits shown and can include costs associated with the running of an organisation or delivering workshops. 
• Existing activity cannot be supported, projects must be new or extend existing support to a new group of beneficiaries or a new geographical area. Projects should have clear objectives, outcomes and timeframes.
• Projects should complete before the end of December 2025.

We hope by attracting investment we can increase support for community groups and networks, enable increases in volunteering and increase the capacity of community groups and networks to establish or extend projects and engage with beneficiaries.

Projects should be focused on activities such as:

• Arts and culture
• Community education
• Community safety
• Food, environment and nature
• Mental health and wellbeing
• Social inclusion and peer support
• Outdoor activity and exercise
• Tackling inequalities/ promoting diversity

This programme runs funding rounds with deadlines to apply. See this link for more information on the key dates and the process and information on our next workshop. 

The current deadline to get involved in this round of Crowdfund Shropshire is the 16th of July. You must have completed your project page and application to the fund by this date (both done on the Spacehive platform) and be ready to crowdfund. 

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Follow the below steps to get involved. 

Create a project page
Head to spacehive.com/create to get started.

Before your campaign goes live, the project costs and necessary permissions will be checked. This involves checking quotes for all the major items and if you need any landowner permissions for your project. Try to gather any evidence and permissions in advance.

Share and collect pledges
Once your project is up and running, share news of your project via as many means possible, on and off line to start raising funds and boost local support before your pitch for funding is assessed by Shropshire Council. Spacehive offers helpful tips and resources on how to do this along the way.
 

Access Shropshire Council funds
Spacehive will connect you exclusively with Shropshire Council's UK Shared Prosperity Fund on the platform. Work with Spacehive to develop your pitch on the platform and put yourself in the best possible position to secure a contribution. 

Continue securing support from your backers in the form of lots of small pledges to demonstrate local buy-in for your project. That’s what the Council will want to see when they assess your pitch!

Your pitch will be assessed for a pledge at assessments taking place at regular intervals throughout the funding window. If you can demonstrate support from the community and write a good pitch, you could receive up to 60% of your crowdfunding target, up to a maximum of €10,000, pledged by Shropshire Council directly into your campaign.

Shropshire's Community Action Fund as £60,000 (non- capital funding) available to pledge to projects, with a maximum of £10,000 available per project (up to 60% of the project costs). 

Please note this fund cannot be used to support the capital elements of your projects.  You can still have capital elements included in your project but the funding raised by the community through the crowdfunding campaign will need to cover the capital costs. 

Hit your target and deliver your project
Once you hit your crowdfunding target, you’ll receive your funds within a few weeks and you can start delivering your project.