Ward Member Community and Rural Grants

These two new community grant schemes are now open and provide funding for local projects and initiatives across the district. Both grants support a range of capital and revenue projects and are administered through the same application and assessment process, enabling the two sources of funding to work together where appropriate. 

The Ward Member Community Grant

• Each ward member has an allocation of £35,000 to support projects that benefit residents and communities in their ward.
• Minimum grant value is £500.
• Applicants must first approach their ward member with a project and the member will decide which project/s to support.
• Ward members may also approach organisations with a suggested project.

Rural Grant Scheme

• This is a separate £500,000 Grant Scheme which provides additional funding specifically for smaller villages and rural communities, recognising that these areas have received a smaller share of funding through previous grant programmes. Eligible parishes are listed here.
• Requests must be within the range of £500 - £20,000.
• As above, applicants must first approach their ward member with a project and the member decides which project/s to support from the large Rural Grant pot.

The Ward and Rural Grants can be combined. Councillors can also choose to combine their allocations across wards for larger projects. Find your ward councillor here - Councillors by Ward | Harborough District Council.

Officers are available to support and advise you as you develop your projects. Contact us at communitygrants@harborough.gov.uk with any questions. You may prefer to book a one-to-one appointment at our next Grant Surgery on 12 October (book here) to assist with project development. Further grant surgeries will be published on this website, advertised on social media and also in our communities newsletter mailings (sign up here).