Community grants and funding
Active Wellbeing Grant 2026
Up to £500 per application
The Forest of Dean Active Wellbeing Strategy aims to improve wellbeing and increase opportunities for people across the district to be more physically active. As part of this work, we're offering small grants to support local clubs, groups and activity providers.
You could be eligible for funding if your project will:
- Help increase or maintain physical activity levels in your community, club or organisation
- Enable the purchase of new or additional equipment
- Provide a funding boost to help kickstart a larger project
If you would like to discuss your idea with our Active Wellbeing team, please contact us at community.wellbeing@fdean.gov.uk. Once you've submitted your application, it will be reviewed by a panel, with successful applicants notified by 14 December 2026.
Find out more at our We Can Move Forest of Dean strategy event
If you'd like to learn more about the Active Wellbeing Strategy, or discuss grant funding for your project in person, join us at:
- Bells Golf and Country Club
- Monday 16 November 2026
- 6pm to 8pm (arrive from 5.30pm for refreshments)
Please register in advance here.
Forest of Dean Food Network Small Grants 2026
This is a one-off fund of £35,000 for not for profit and community groups - both constituted and non-constituted (a minimum of three people) - to contribute to activities* which enables or improves the equity of access to food for all communities in the Forest of Dean district.
The fund is centred around food which is purposefully broad to encourage new ideas as well as old.
This is a fund to support activity in your community to strengthen resilience and provide equal opportunity for the whole community.
We are inviting requests over £200 up to the region of £2,500*
The funding is managed by Forest of Dean District Council’s Community Team and the Forest Food Network (members of that network are not excluded from applying for funding).
Applications are now welcome and funds will be available until depleted. All applications will be considered on a first come, first served basis.
*while we have this upper limit, we recognise that there may be projects which may need more funding. Also, the fund is to enable projects and activity rather than core funding, but we would encourage these applicants to contact us in advance of applying.
Any queries please contact us on 01594 810000 or email FFN.SmallGrants@fdean.gov.uk
Other grants
To find out about other funding opportunities:
- Visit Funding Central, an online grant search tool
- For government grants go to https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/
- Visit Grants Online for up-to-date grant information
Closed grants
Community Grants 2026 to 2027
This scheme is now closed.
Voluntary and Community Sector Fund 2026 to 2029
This scheme is now closed.
Community Grants 2025 to 2026
Beneficiaries for the Community Grants 2025 to 2026 are photographed and listed below:
Health and Exercise Grant
We'll update with news of how the funds have been distributed shortly.
Community Grants 2024 to 2025
Our 2024 to 2025 Community Grants have now been awarded. You can see the groups we have funded and how they are using their grant to support the community in the file below:
Community Grants 2023 to 2024
Below is a link to the Community Grants 2023 to 2024 projects that have been funded:
Voluntary and community sector fund 2022 to 2023
Ten organisations were awarded a total of £140,022. This funding will support the delivery of services, projects and activities that benefit the local community and help to deliver the council's corporate priorities.
Organisations funded: