West Northamptonshire Council is inviting local groups to apply for a £260,000 grant designed to strengthen charities, social enterprises, and community organisations across the region. The funding aims to help these groups grow their skills, secure more investment, and better support residents in Northamptonshire.
The council is looking to appoint a single organisation or a team of groups working together to deliver a support programme. This programme will focus on building capacity in areas such as financial management, human resources, governance, and safeguarding. Support will be specifically targeted at smaller, resident-led groups and those operating within the nine Local Area Partnerships that cover the area.
Research conducted by the Strategic Alliance for West Northants highlights the need for this support. Their recent survey of the local voluntary and community sector found that 80% of organisations identified financial sustainability as their top priority. With approximately 1,660 such organisations in West Northamptonshire, many are operating on a small scale; 33% have an annual income under £50,000, and 74% operate with five or fewer staff members.
Cllr Charlie Hastie, the council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, said the fund is intended to invest in the groups that provide essential services to the community. The programme aligns with the council’s wider strategy to focus on prevention and community support.
Eligible organisations can submit their applications online through the council’s website. The deadline for all submissions is 10am on Wednesday 13 May 2026.
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