Go back
Back to Community and volunteering

Community grants

Voluntary and community groups rely on grant funding to help them provide services that make a difference in their communities.

If you run a community group in Barnsley, you can apply for funding from your local ward alliance or area council for community-focussed projects that support your area's priorities.

Read about how some community groups have used funding they were granted on our Love Where You Live webpage.

Better Barnsley Bond

The purpose of the Better Barnsley Bond is to support training, employment, and local community initiatives that align with the four Barnsley 2030 priorities.

Grants of up to £5000 are available. If you apply for more than £5000, you'll need to provide clear evidence that additional funding has been secured to cover the remaining project costs. A panel meets on a regular basis to assess applications.

Check if you can apply for Better Barnsley Bond funding

To apply you must:

  • Be an eligible registered community group with a constitution/governing document, a charitable organisation or a Community Interest Company (CIC). You'll be asked what your organisation type is and expected to provide relevant supporting documentation with your application. 

  • Have an annual income of less than £100,000 if you're a charity or CIC. You'll be asked for your organisations most recent accounts or other relevant financial information to demonstrate eligibility.

  • Be proposing a project which is based in Barnsley and benefits Barnsley residents. Your application should demonstrate a clear benefit to the local community and explain the positive and longer-term impact the project will have.

  • Demonstrate how your project contributes towards one or more of the Barnsley 2030 priorities:

    • Healthy Barnsley – Projects that support physical and mental wellbeing, help communities support one another, or enable people to benefit from community groups, leisure facilities, cultural activities and outdoor spaces.

    • Learning Barnsley – Projects that provide learning, education or skills development opportunities for children, young people or adults, helping people fulfil their potential and develop skills for education and employment.

    • Growing Barnsley – Projects that contribute towards employment, local businesses, enterprise, investment and an inclusive local economy, helping create opportunities for Barnsley residents.

    • Sustainable Barnsley – Projects that help protect and improve the local environment, encourage sustainable travel, reduce pollution and waste, reuse resources, or support sustainable energy.

  • Provide a clear sustainability plan showing how the project or its benefits will continue after the Better Barnsley Bonds funding has been spent. Please include details of how the project will be sustained in the longer term; any plans to generate income; any plans to secure alternative funding in the future and how this funding will help reduce the need for further Better Barnsley Bonds funding.  The panel places a strong emphasis on sustainability, and priority may be given to groups with little or no existing funding.

  • Be proposing a project that involves collaboration with other organisations or community groups and promotes inclusion and accessibility within the community.

  • Provide a detailed breakdown of costs, clearly showing how the Better Barnsley Bonds funding will be used. Include quotes for any works, equipment or services where applicable and detail how any costs above the amount requested from the Better Barnsley Bonds funding will be covered. Where other funding is also being used towards the project details of this need to be included. Where the project is dependent on other grant funding, this funding must be secured beforehand.

  • Only submit one Better Barnsley Bonds application per financial year. If your organisation has previously received Better Barnsley Bonds funding, any required monitoring relating to previous funding must have been completed and returned before a new application can be considered.

  • Confirm whether your organisation owns or leases the building/land if you're applying for funding towards improvements. If its leased, please provide details of the leaseholder; relevant lease information and confirmation that permission is in place to carry out the proposed works.

  • Provide all relevant supporting information at the point of application, including formal quotations, financial information, governing documents and permissions where applicable. Providing this information with your application will help ensure it can be assessed efficiently and reduce the need for further information to be requested.

How to apply

To apply for the Better Barnsley Bond funding, please email lovewhereyoulive@barnsley.gov.uk to check your eligibility and request an application form.

Ward alliance funding

Community groups can apply for ward alliance funding to help with projects that support their ward's priorities.

If you'd like to apply for funding email areateamsupport@barnsley.gov.uk for more details and an application form.

Grants from other organisations

There are over 8000 grant-giving bodies in the UK, and working out which funding to apply for can seem like a daunting process.

South Yorkshire Funding Advice Bureau can help you with the process of applying for funding, and Barnsley CVS also provide funding advice to voluntary and community groups.

Grant giving organisations

The following places provide support and grants to voluntary and community groups. Visit My Funding Central to search for other funders.