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Creative, Confident Communities is sponsored by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. This funding priority aims to strengthen bonds in communities, helping local people build vibrant, confident places where they can fulfil their creative, human, and economic potential.
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Read our guidance on applying for support in Creative, Confident Communities. For work towards the priorities in this area, we mean communities connected by a **place**. ### Applying for support in Creative, Confident Communities * **Puts the place first:** by this, we mean reflects the unique character and needs of the local area and its people.
* **Is community-led and collaborative**: by this, we mean local people are at the heart of the change and have decision-making power. For us, the process is just as important as the outcomes. * **Leaves a positive** **legacy:** by this, we mean developing long-term community capacity and resilience.
* **Prioritises** **equity:** by this, we mean the principles of fairness and equity are embedded in the approach, and the work engages and represents the diverse communities in a place. * **Creates long-term, sustainable change:** by this, we mean aims to disrupt and change what does not work and to push things forward in a new way.
* **Has scope to spread:** by this, we mean work that can expand its influence beyond the initial impact and our funding.
#### Our funding priorities We have three priorities: * [Communities working together for change](#Communities working together for change) * [Community driven enterprise and regeneration](#Community driven enterprise and regeneration) * [Community-led art and creativity](#Community-led art and creativity) In each priority, we have identified a number of long-term outcomes. We want to know how your work contributes to these.
**In addition to this guidance, we recommend watching our** [**pre-application Q&A webinar for Creative, Confident Communities**](https://esmeefairbairn. org. uk/latest-news/pre-application-qa-ccc-14-november-2024/).
! [Civic square](https://esmeefairbairn. ams3.
cdn. digitaloceanspaces. com/media/images/Civic_square.
width-1000. png) See an explanation of key terms we use in relation to our work in Creative, Confident Communities [Find out more](/our-aims/creative-confident-communities/glossary/) Communities working together for change --------------------------------------- Communities working together for change --------------------------------------- ! [Communities working together for change](https://esmeefairbairn.
ams3. cdn. digitaloceanspaces.
com/media/images/38. width-136. png) : We have three long-term outcomes in this priority: 1.
Local people come together to determine equitable and aspirational visions of what they want their community to be. 2. Communities and their local corporate, cultural, public, voluntary and community sectors, work better together to achieve collective change.
3. Local people are able to exert more influence over the decisions that affect their lives and are the drivers of change. **Please note:** applications under this priority will need to demonstrate how the work meets all three long-term outcomes.
This is an update to the previous guidance to more accurately reflect the type of work we are supporting. [Explore recent grants in Communities working together for change](/our-aims/creative-confident-communities/communities-working-together-change-grants/). ###### 1.
Local people come together to determine equitable and aspirational visions of what they want their community to be. **We want to support work that:** * Provides the opportunity for communities to safely connect, convene and organise themselves to identify what their local priorities for change are.
* Provides space for local people to create and share positive and hopeful narratives about what their community is and what they want it to be. * Is representative of the diversity of the communities in the local area. ###### 2.
Communities and their local corporate, cultural, public, voluntary and community sectors, work better together to achieve collective change. **We want to support work that:** * Takes a partnership approach where the corporate, cultural, public, voluntary, and community sectors work together with local people to deliver collective change.
* Strengthens and sustains collective decision making between local people and local public agencies and civil society organisations. ###### 3. Local people are able to exert more influence over the decisions that affect their lives and are the drivers of change.
**We want to support work that:** * Aims to foster and build leadership skills, knowledge, and capacity within communities. * Identifies and dismantles barriers that prevent marginalised local people from participating in community-led decision making. * Explores alternative models of local governance and sharing power that leads to greater depth and breadth of involvement by local people in decision making.
! [People's Voice Media 3](https://esmeefairbairn. ams3.
cdn. digitaloceanspaces. com/media/images/Peoples_Voice_Media_3.
width-1000. jpg) People's Voice Media is a charity that works with communities across the UK to support and enable them to tell and share their stories and influence services and issues in their local areas. [Find out more](/our-aims/creative-confident-communities/peoples-voice-media/) !
[We're Right Here-Group of community champions stand outside the Houses of Parliament holding the 'We're Right Here' manifesto-Group-photo-1-1024x683](https://esmeefairbairn. ams3. cdn.
digitaloceanspaces. com/media/images/Were_Right_Here-Group_of_community_champions_. width-1000.
jpg) We're Right Here is a national campaign for community power calling for legislation, which would devolve power to communities – over how money is spent locally, the design, commissioning and delivery of public services, and ownership of local assets. [Find out more](/our-aims/creative-confident-communities/were-right-here/) ! [Community Organisers-Diverse group of people on a march near Tower Bridge.
One person is holding a big sign.] (https://esmeefairbairn. ams3.
cdn. digitaloceanspaces. com/media/images/Community_Organisers-Diverse_group_of_people_.
width-1000. jpg) Community Organisers is a national charity that supports grassroots community organising across England. They developed, grown and supported the field of community organising practice by working with local, regional and national organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors.
[Find out more](/our-aims/creative-confident-communities/community-organisers/) Community driven enterprise and regeneration -------------------------------------------- Community driven enterprise and regeneration -------------------------------------------- ! [CCC-Community-led regeneration](https://esmeefairbairn. ams3.
cdn. digitaloceanspaces. com/media/images/CCC-Community-led_regeneration.
width-136. png) : We have three long-term outcomes in this priority: 1. An increase in community owned assets and community wealth-building models drives greater reinvestment in local economies, reducing economic inequality.
2. Community-led enterprises are a proven and widely adopted model that underpin fairer local economies. 3.
Community-led approaches to the local economy positively contribute to nature and climate [Explore recent grants in Community driven enterprise and regeneration](/our-aims/creative-confident-communities/community-driven-enterprise-regeneration-grants/). ###### 1.
An increase in community owned assets and community wealth-building models drives greater reinvestment in local economies, reducing economic inequality **We want to support work that:** * Demonstrates models of asset ownership or re-investment in local economies that respond to local context and are community-led. We are particularly interested in work that is safeguarding social infrastructure for communities.
* Builds the capacity of communities to manage or own assets themselves through training, advice, access to finance and/or by creating local support infrastructure organisations and networks. We are particularly interested in work that is supporting communities that have been historically marginalised.
* Builds new partnerships and ways of working between the public, private and community stakeholders in a place to enable community asset ownership. ! [Community Land Scotland 3 (1)](https://esmeefairbairn.
ams3. cdn. digitaloceanspaces.
com/media/images/Community_Land_Scotland_3_1. width-1000. jpg) Community Land Scotland’s vision is for the community ownership of land and buildings to be a significant driver of sustainable development across the whole of Scotland.
[Find out more](/our-aims/creative-confident-communities/community-land-scotland/) ###### 2. Community-led enterprises are a proven and widely adopted model that underpins fairer local economies **We want to support work that:** * Builds resilience in the community-led enterprise sector and helps it to scale – either at a national or local level.
This could be through capacity building, advice, network building, funding etc. * Is testing and building understanding of how community-led enterprises can access alternative models of finance. * Addresses the systemic barriers that can prevent minority-led community enterprises from accessing advice and finance.
* Supports the community-led enterprise sector to become more established and helps to demonstrate its economic, social and environmental value to a wider audience It is unlikely that we would fund a sole community-led enterprise under this long-term outcome unless they can demonstrate how they are delivering against the criteria above *and* can offer learning for the wider sector. ! [Participate Projects](https://esmeefairbairn.
ams3. cdn. digitaloceanspaces.
com/media/images/Participate_Projects. width-1000. jpg) Participate Projects supports people and organisations across West Yorkshire to develop and grow their ideas into sustainable projects and enterprises.
[Find out more](/our-aims/creative-confident-communities/participate-projects/) ###### 3. Community-led approaches to the local economy positively contribute to nature and climate. **We want to support work that:** * Demonstrates alternative models or approaches to economic development which drive positive impacts for nature and climate (e.g. circular economy or Donut Economics principles).
* Builds community knowledge, trust and consensus around climate change and puts local people at the heart of decision-making and action. Community-led art and creativity -------------------------------- Community-led art and creativity -------------------------------- ! [CCC-Community festival with dancing and music](https://esmeefairbairn.
ams3. cdn. digitaloceanspaces.
com/media/images/CCC-Community_festival_with_dancing_and_music. width-136. png) : We have three long-term outcomes in this priority: 1.
Local people and local artists lead creative and cultural activity in their communities. 2. A collaborative approach to creativity and culture enables people to work together to strengthen their community.
3. Local and regional cultural strategies are shaped by citizens and impact wider decision making and agendas for change. We will consider proposals that include activity in schools *only* where this approach is part of a wider engagement plan (e.g. a programme with multiple routes for community co-creation, one of which takes place in schools).
We would *not* support work that is only taking place in schools or work that is part of the curriculum. **Please note:** all applications in this priority will need to contribute to *both* the first *and* second long-term outcomes. If your work is a good fit to the third long-term outcome, your application will need to contribute to *all three* long-term outcomes.
[Explore recent grants in Community-led art and creativity](/our-aims/creative-confident-communities/community-led-art-creativity-grants/). ###### 1. Local people and local artists lead creative and cultural activity in their communities.
**We want to support work that:** * Demonstrates the impact of community-led creativity and culture making change in neighbourhoods. * Is representative of the diversity of the communities in the local area. * Is managed using co-leadership models between local people and organisations.
! [Back to Ours-Bus tour-A large group of people cheer with raised hands on top of a open top bus with Back to Ours on it](https://esmeefairbairn. ams3.
cdn. digitaloceanspaces. com/media/images/Back_to_Ours-Bus_tour-A_large_group_of_people.
width-1000. jpg) Back to Ours is a community-led creative arts organisation, producing outstanding arts and cultural experiences with and for the people of Hull. [Find out more](/our-aims/creative-confident-communities/back-to-ours/) !
[Restoke,TheLotusEaters,February2023-75](https://esmeefairbairn. ams3. cdn.
digitaloceanspaces. com/media/images/RestokeTheLotusEatersFebruary2023-75. width-1000.
jpg) Restoke is an arts organisation based in Stoke on Trent which addresses social issues through creative co-production, participation, and interdisciplinary practice. [Find out more](/our-aims/creative-confident-communities/restoke/) ###### 2. A collaborative approach to creativity and culture enables people to work together to strengthen their community.
**We want to support work that:** * Involves collaboration between local people and organisations from the arts and other sectors. * Strengthens and sustains collaborations between local people and organisations to create change. * Is part of local, regional or national alliances or networks that share learning and demonstrate the benefits of community-led creativity.
! [Create Gloucestershire 2](https://esmeefairbairn. ams3.
cdn. digitaloceanspaces. com/media/images/Create_Gloucestershire_2.
width-1000. jpg) Create Gloucestershire is a network of people and organisations from across the arts and cultural sector. They connects artists, arts organisations, funders and audiences/participants together in new ways, encouraging dialogue and incubating the ideas that emerge.
[Find out more](/our-aims/creative-confident-communities/create-gloucestershire/) ###### 3. Local and regional cultural strategies are shaped by citizens and impact wider decision making and agendas for change. **We want to support work that:** * Uses creativity to create routes for people to set local agendas and take part in decision-making in their neighbourhoods.
* Aims to build support from policy-makers and funders for involving local people in designing strategies for culture and creativity and other local decision-making. ! [Voice Assembly New Art Exchange - Photo Credit for Tom Morley](https://esmeefairbairn.
ams3. cdn. digitaloceanspaces.
com/media/images/Voice_Assembly_New_Art_Exchange_-_Photo_Credi. width-1000. jpg) Citizens in Power works with communities, local authorities, and third-sector organisations to co-design ways for communities to lead decision-making and shape the future.
It uses the citizen assembly model to support local people to lead in decision-making. [Find out more](/our-aims/creative-confident-communities/citizens-in-power/) ! [Person on laptop](https://esmeefairbairn.
ams3. cdn. digitaloceanspaces.
com/media/images/Laptop_notebook_and_coffee. width-1000. png) If you think your work is a good fit to our strategy, you can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI).
Click the button below to learn more about each stage of the application process and a link to submit an EOI. [How to apply](/apply-for-a-grant/submit-an-application/) ! [People's Voice Media 4 (1)](https://esmeefairbairn.
ams3. cdn. digitaloceanspaces.
com/media/images/Peoples_Voice_Media_4_1. width-1000. jpg) We get far more applications than we can fund.
To help us make a decision about what applications to take forward, we look at a range of factors based on how strong a fit the work is to our strategy and how well-placed the organisation is to do the work. [Find out more](/apply-for-a-grant/how-we-make-decisions/)
Scoring criteria used to review proposals for this grant.
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Charitable organisations in the UK working in community-led change, community enterprise/regeneration, or community-led art and creativity, where work is genuinely led by local communities. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows unrestricted grants over £30,000 for up to three years (grants rarely below £5,000). Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Creative, Confident Communities is funded by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
This listing is flagged as international in scope. Check the official notice for country-specific restrictions before applying.
Applications go through the funder's official portal — the Apply Now link on this page goes there directly.
Farm to School Implementation Grant is sponsored by USDA Food and Nutrition Service. This program aims to increase the availability of local foods in schools and connect students to the sources of their food through education, taste tests, school gardens, field trips, and local food sourcing for school meals. Projects should incorporate both local sourcing and agricultural education efforts.
The Homeless Youth Program is a grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services that funds services for homeless and at-risk youth across Illinois. Administered through the Office of Community and Positive Youth Development, it supports nonprofit organizations delivering shelter, outreach, and support services to young people experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Eligible applicants are Illinois-based nonprofits with demonstrated capacity to serve youth. Awards range from $100,000 to $800,000 per year under CSFA number 444-80-0711. This is a FY 2026 funding opportunity with an application deadline of May 21, 2025.
Community Investment Tax Credit Program (CITC) is a grant from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development that provides state tax credit allocations to 501(c)(3) nonprofits, enabling them to attract private donations from individuals and businesses. Donors contributing $500 or more to approved projects receive tax credits equal to 50% of their contribution. The program has leveraged nearly $27 million in charitable contributions to approximately 700 projects statewide. Eligible project areas include education, housing, job training, arts and culture, economic development, and services for at-risk populations. Projects must be located in or serve residents of Maryland's Priority Funding Areas. The application period is typically held annually.