We are delighted to be running the Connected Communities Fund for a third year, launching mid-September 2024.
This fund is an exciting opportunity for communities to develop activities in their local area that help to achieve the countywide ambition of creating places that “support the people of Oxfordshire to live well in their community, remaining fit and healthy for as long as possible”.
The Connected Communities Fund aims to create opportunities for socialising and building meaningful connection by increasing the number of activities available for older people and adults with additional needs by encouraging grassroots initiatives to access flexible funding alongside an ongoing package of support.
Projects will be funded up to £5,000 per project.
The funding has been made available by Oxfordshire County Council and will be delivered to the voluntary and community sector through an innovative new route.
What kind of projects will be funded?
This programme is looking to support:
- the continuation or expansion of activities – we are aiming to increase the number and range of activities available across the county that provide opportunities for people to get or remain connected within their communities.
- activities for older people (over 50s) and / or adults (over 18s) with ‘additional needs’. ‘Additional needs’ has been defined broadly and has included support regarding mental and physical health and wellbeing, isolation due to language or other cultural barriers and caring responsibilities.
- regular / ongoing activities – we are looking to fund activities that have weekly, fortnightly, or monthly sessions over a sustained period. We won’t be funding one-off or short-term events (e.g. fetes, carnivals, exhibitions, or shows that do not have associated introductory / lead-up and / or follow-on activities).
- activities that provide opportunities for socialising.
- inter-generational or community-wide projects only where clear benefits, that are in line with aims of the fund, can be demonstrated for the older people involved in the activities.
- all costs directly associated with providing the activities: including ongoing running costs, project costs, and promotional costs. Small capital costs will be considered where capital works are completed and the benefit shown before the end of the funded period, and they leave a continuing legacy beyond the end of the funded period.
- projects from the following organisations: charity / CIO / registered company with charitable status / co-operative community benefit society / social enterprise / community group. We don’t fund private organisations.
How to apply
Groups and members of the community are encouraged to come forward with their ideas and will have the opportunity to talk through their proposal with the ongoing support and expertise of OCVA and Community First Oxfordshire.
There is no closing date, but applications will close when all funding has been allocated. Expressions of Interest (EoIs) will be considered, groups contacted, and funds distributed on a rolling basis.
Please complete the expression of interest form available at the link below:
We will be accepting Expressions of Interest from Monday 16 September.
The table below shows the projects that have been funded so far from this fund:
| Banburyshire Citizen Project | Banbury |
| The Cornermen | Didcot |
| St Mary’s Church | Barton, Oxford |
| Waste2Taste | Oxford |
| Hendreds Environment Group | East Hendred |
| Combe Mutual Aid | Combe |
| Bullingdon Community Association | Oxford |
| Fritwell Forget Me Not Club | Fritwell |
| Charlbury Day Centre | Charlbury |
| The Valentine Club | Steeple Aston |
| The Parasol Project CIO | Oxford |
| Clean Slate | Bicester |
| Bampton Bush Centre | Bampton |
| Iraqi Women Art and War (IWAW) | Oxford |
| The Launton Rock Chorus | Launton |
| Hanborough and District Day Centre | Hanborough |
| One Planet Abingdon Climate Emergency Centre | Abingdon |
| The Wellbeing Generation CIC | Nuneham Courtney |
| Middle Barton Bowls Club | Middle Barton |
| Home-Start Banbury, Bicester and Chipping Norton | Banbury |
| Nuneham Courtenay Adult Lunch Club | Nuneham Courtney |
| Thame Community Shed | Thame |
| The Sunshine Centre | Banbury |
| Oxford People’s Theatre | Oxford |
| Carterton Social FC | Carterton |
| Charlbury Community Workshop CIO | Charlbury |
| Oxfordshire Older Chinese People Centre (Happy Place) | Oxford |
| The Witney Shed | Witney |
| Bromsgrove Day Centre | Bromsgrove, Faringdon |
| Oxfordshire Football Association | Oxfordshire |
| Maymessy CIC | West Challow, Wantage |
| Chinnor and Thame Friends of the Earth | Emmington, Chinnor |
| Marston Community Gardening | Oxford |
| The Museum of Oxford Development Trust | Oxford |
| Barracks Lane Community Garden | Oxford |
| Banbury Talking Newspaper | Banbury |
| The Orchard Baptist Church | Bicester |
| Sunrise Multicultural Project | Banbury |
| Parkinsons.Me | West Lockinge, Wantage |
| Oxford Creators CIC | Didcot |
| Nettlebed & District Good Neighbours Scheme | Nettlebed |
| Cumnor Village Lunch | Cumnor |
| Oxford Concert Party (collaboration with Dementia Oxford) | Oxford |
| Bicester Pride CIC | Bicester |
| 13th Theatre Company Limited | Oxford |
| The Harwellian Club | Harwell |
| Eynsham Day Centre | Eynsham |
| Henley Volunteer Drivers | Henley |
| Florence Park Community Association | Oxford |
| Oxford Community Action | Oxford |
| The Cedar Community Club | Hinton Waldrist |
| Oxford Head Injury Services | Kennington |