Community Levelling Up Programme

The Community Levelling Up Programme (CLUP) supports community-level investment plans for Good Growth across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The primary goals of the programme are to put communities at the heart of delivery, to tackle deprivation and strengthen communities.

Key information

Applications for the Community Levelling Up Programme are open for Year 4 and will close at 5pm on Friday 28th February 2025.

All projects must be completed by 31st December 2025.

• Minimum grant amount £25,000
• Maximum grant amount £200,000 (subject to funds being available in each Community Area Partnership (CAP) – see below)
• Average project grant is expected to be around £80,000
• Eligible applicants include charities, Community Interest Companies, Charitable Incorporated Organisations, public sector (town/parish councils).
• The fund is expected to be very competitive (in the previous round, less than 30% of applications were funded)
• Staff costs will only be considered in exceptional circumstances
• Cross CAP projects could be considered if they cover a significant area of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. They will apply to the performance reserve budget.
• Applicants who have previously received CLUP funding can re-apply for a different project, but may not be given priority, especially if competition is high in a CAP area.

Priorities

1. Sustainable and accessible infrastructure

This includes capital improvements to increase an organisation’s sustainability, limit impact on energy bills, make local infrastructure resilient to change, improve accessibility to create inclusive community buildings.

For example, improving accessibility in a Community Hall (such as a ramp, accessible toilets or hearing loop), installation of new green energy systems in a Village Hall (such as heat pump or solar panels), refurbishment of local community infrastructure.

Please note that these improvements need to demonstrate additionality and lead to outputs such as more events, more sessions, more engagement with local communities, etc.

2. Green spaces and well-being

This includes investment in public parks, paths, playgrounds, green gyms, and other projects that deliver a social programme engaging the local community.

3. Events and culture 

This includes support for projects offering an event or a programme of events to rejuvenate town centres or villages and create opportunities to come together and celebrate local places, boost the economy and increase footfall. For example, new local celebrations or events such as markets, festivals.

CLUP will not fund one-off events, but projects that will create/kickstart/launch a new programme/service which will continue beyond the lifetime of the funding.