Citizen Local Fund

🎉Here We Are Again Citizen Local Fund Round 1 2026 Is Now Open!


We can’t believe it’s that time already —Round 1 of the 2026 Citizen Local Fund is officially open!

If you’ve got an idea that could make a positive difference in your community, this is your chance to bring it to life. Whether you want to support wellbeing, create new activities, bring neighbours together or improve your local area, we’re here to help you get started.

On this page, you’ll find resources, guidance and support to help you feel confident about applying.


🌟 What is the Citizen Local Fund?

The Citizen Local Fund is here to help you turn great ideas into real change where you live.

If there’s something you’d like to see happen in your neighbourhood — an event, activity, group, project or improvement — you can apply for up to £3,000 to make it happen.

Every year, we dedicate funding to ideas that help to:

✅ Boost physical or mental wellbeing
✅ Reduce loneliness or isolation
✅ Bring people together
✅ Improve your local area

Together, we can build stronger, happier and more connected communities.


💡 What kind of ideas are we looking for?

We’re looking for ideas that help people feel happier, healthier and more connected. Your project should aim to do at least one of the following:

  • Support physical or mental wellbeing
  • Reduce loneliness or isolation
  • Bring people together
  • Improve your local area

If your idea helps your community in any of these ways, you’re already on the right track.


✅ What you’ll find on this page

This page includes everything you need to apply with confidence:

🎥 Application Support Videos

Step‑by‑step videos to guide you through the application process — great if you're new to applying or want some extra support.

📝 Top Tips for the Application (Downloadable Word Document)

Helpful advice and examples to give your application the best possible chance.

🗺️ Citizen Map – Previously Funded Projects Near You

Use our interactive map to see past funded projects in your local area. It’s a great way to get inspired and understand what types of ideas are successful.

🌟 Awarded Projects Page

Read about fantastic projects funded in previous rounds — from community food projects to wellbeing activities, youth groups and more.

👉 Citizen Local Fund: Awarded Projects

📘 Project Guidance & Funding Matrix

A clear guide outlining the types of projects we fund and typical funding ranges. This helps you plan your project and understand what level of support to request.

💷 Understanding Your Funding Amount

You can apply for up to £3,000.
Depending on your project and the number of applications we receive, we may:

  • ✅ Fully fund your project
  • ✅ Part‑fund your project


We always aim to fund as fairly as possible and will let you know clearly what support we can offer.

Even partial funding can help brilliant ideas grow and we encourage all applicants to think creatively about how their project could work with different funding levels.

✅ How to Apply

To apply for the Citizen Local Fund, you’ll need to visit the Citizen Housing website.
Please click the link below to start your application:

👉 Apply for the Citizen Local Fund




Review of the 2025 Citizen Local Fund Rounds

It’s been an incredible journey, with so many amazing applications coming in from across our communities. Choosing which projects to award was not easy – every idea showed creativity, care, and a real passion for making a difference.

Round 1

  • 📅 Opened: 7 April
  • 📨 Applications received: 41
  • ✅ Projects funded: 18

Our Engagement Team visited some of these projects and got a real insight into how they’re supporting our customers. If you check out our Awarded Projects page, you can see some of the amazing stories behind these initiatives.

Round 2

  • 📅 Opened: 15 September
  • 📨 Applications received: 34
  • ✅ Projects funded: 10

We’re currently in the process of sending out the Citizen Local Fund payments so these awarded projects can get started. We can’t wait to see the impact they’ll make!

Overall for 2025

  • 📝 Total applications: 75
  • 🌟 Total projects funded: 28
  • 💷 Total investment: £55,000

Some Helpful Thoughts from a Funded Project

Here’s what one customer-led project shared about their experience with the Citizen Local Fund:

  • The fund made a real difference — it helped bring their idea to life and create something meaningful for the community.
  • Planning ahead made things easier — managing the funding was straightforward with a clear plan and good communication.
  • Applying is worth it — they encouraged others to go for it, especially if you have a strong idea and a clear sense of how it will benefit others.

“If you’re thinking of applying, go for it — just be clear about what you want to achieve.”



🎉Here We Are Again Citizen Local Fund Round 1 2026 Is Now Open!


We can’t believe it’s that time already —Round 1 of the 2026 Citizen Local Fund is officially open!

If you’ve got an idea that could make a positive difference in your community, this is your chance to bring it to life. Whether you want to support wellbeing, create new activities, bring neighbours together or improve your local area, we’re here to help you get started.

On this page, you’ll find resources, guidance and support to help you feel confident about applying.


🌟 What is the Citizen Local Fund?

The Citizen Local Fund is here to help you turn great ideas into real change where you live.

If there’s something you’d like to see happen in your neighbourhood — an event, activity, group, project or improvement — you can apply for up to £3,000 to make it happen.

Every year, we dedicate funding to ideas that help to:

✅ Boost physical or mental wellbeing
✅ Reduce loneliness or isolation
✅ Bring people together
✅ Improve your local area

Together, we can build stronger, happier and more connected communities.


💡 What kind of ideas are we looking for?

We’re looking for ideas that help people feel happier, healthier and more connected. Your project should aim to do at least one of the following:

  • Support physical or mental wellbeing
  • Reduce loneliness or isolation
  • Bring people together
  • Improve your local area

If your idea helps your community in any of these ways, you’re already on the right track.


✅ What you’ll find on this page

This page includes everything you need to apply with confidence:

🎥 Application Support Videos

Step‑by‑step videos to guide you through the application process — great if you're new to applying or want some extra support.

📝 Top Tips for the Application (Downloadable Word Document)

Helpful advice and examples to give your application the best possible chance.

🗺️ Citizen Map – Previously Funded Projects Near You

Use our interactive map to see past funded projects in your local area. It’s a great way to get inspired and understand what types of ideas are successful.

🌟 Awarded Projects Page

Read about fantastic projects funded in previous rounds — from community food projects to wellbeing activities, youth groups and more.

👉 Citizen Local Fund: Awarded Projects

📘 Project Guidance & Funding Matrix

A clear guide outlining the types of projects we fund and typical funding ranges. This helps you plan your project and understand what level of support to request.

💷 Understanding Your Funding Amount

You can apply for up to £3,000.
Depending on your project and the number of applications we receive, we may:

  • ✅ Fully fund your project
  • ✅ Part‑fund your project


We always aim to fund as fairly as possible and will let you know clearly what support we can offer.

Even partial funding can help brilliant ideas grow and we encourage all applicants to think creatively about how their project could work with different funding levels.

✅ How to Apply

To apply for the Citizen Local Fund, you’ll need to visit the Citizen Housing website.
Please click the link below to start your application:

👉 Apply for the Citizen Local Fund




Review of the 2025 Citizen Local Fund Rounds

It’s been an incredible journey, with so many amazing applications coming in from across our communities. Choosing which projects to award was not easy – every idea showed creativity, care, and a real passion for making a difference.

Round 1

  • 📅 Opened: 7 April
  • 📨 Applications received: 41
  • ✅ Projects funded: 18

Our Engagement Team visited some of these projects and got a real insight into how they’re supporting our customers. If you check out our Awarded Projects page, you can see some of the amazing stories behind these initiatives.

Round 2

  • 📅 Opened: 15 September
  • 📨 Applications received: 34
  • ✅ Projects funded: 10

We’re currently in the process of sending out the Citizen Local Fund payments so these awarded projects can get started. We can’t wait to see the impact they’ll make!

Overall for 2025

  • 📝 Total applications: 75
  • 🌟 Total projects funded: 28
  • 💷 Total investment: £55,000

Some Helpful Thoughts from a Funded Project

Here’s what one customer-led project shared about their experience with the Citizen Local Fund:

  • The fund made a real difference — it helped bring their idea to life and create something meaningful for the community.
  • Planning ahead made things easier — managing the funding was straightforward with a clear plan and good communication.
  • Applying is worth it — they encouraged others to go for it, especially if you have a strong idea and a clear sense of how it will benefit others.

“If you’re thinking of applying, go for it — just be clear about what you want to achieve.”



  • Citizen Local Fund: Application Process Feedback Survey 📝

    This survey is being carried out by Citizen, in line with the UK GDPR Data Protection Act 2018. The data controller is Citizen. The information collected in this survey will be used to help inform the development of our call response times. All information produced will be anonymised. An external data processor stores your personal data on servers on servers in the United Kingdom and they give an undertaking never to disclose the survey questions or your responses to others without permission. By completing this survey you are agreeing to our privacy terms and conditions. More information on how we handle personal information and your rights under the Data Protection legislation can be found in our privacy notice Citizen | Privacy (citizenhousing.org.uk) Please click on "How we use your information and the Housing Customers Privacy Notice' to find out more. 

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