The Comic Relief Community Fund 2026/27 is offering grants of up to £5,000 to grassroots and community-led organisations working to improve lives across England.
Delivered by Groundwork in partnership with Comic Relief, the programme is returning for its seventh year and will provide just over £600,000 in funding to around 120 organisations.
The 2026/27 funding round focuses on organisations addressing important community challenges including homelessness, the cost-of-living crisis, early childhood development, violence against women and girls, and the safety of refugees, asylum seekers and people experiencing forced migration.
Applications open on Tuesday, 1 September 2026 and close at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, 30 September 2026.
Funding can support either project costs, core organisational costs, or a combination of both, giving successful applicants greater flexibility in how they use their grant.
Comic Relief Community Fund 2026/27: Key Details
Fund: Comic Relief Community Fund (England)
Delivered By: Groundwork
Funding Partner: Comic Relief
Country: England
Maximum Grant: £5,000
Total Available Funding: Just over £600,000
Expected Number of Grants: Around 120 organisations
Applications Open: September 1, 2026
Deadline: September 30, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
Funding Period: All funded projects must be completed by September 30, 2027
Eligible Costs: Project costs, core organisational costs, or a combination of both
Main Target Group: Grassroots and community-led organisations in England
The programme is specifically intended to support organisations that are rooted in local communities and draw on the lived experience of the people they serve.
About the Comic Relief Community Fund
The Comic Relief Community Fund supports small organisations that are delivering meaningful change at community level.
Groundwork has worked with Comic Relief since 2019 as an intermediary funder in England.
The partnership focuses on grassroots organisations that may not have access to large-scale funding but are often closely connected to local residents and the issues affecting them.
According to Groundwork, the partnership has already distributed around £6.3 million in grant funding, supported 1,462 grants, reached approximately 156,000 beneficiaries and helped create around 3,000 volunteering opportunities.
The 2026/27 funding round continues this approach by providing smaller grants directly to community-led organisations.
How Much Funding Is Available?
Eligible organisations can apply for a grant of up to:
£5,000.
The overall programme has a total allocation of just over:
£600,000.
Groundwork expects this funding to support approximately:
120 organisations.
The relatively small individual grant size reflects the fund’s focus on grassroots groups rather than large national charities.
For many small community organisations, £5,000 can provide valuable support for essential activities, staffing, venue hire, outreach, equipment or operational costs.
What Can the Funding Be Used For?
One of the strongest features of the programme is the flexibility of the funding.
Successful organisations may use their grant for:
Project costs
Core organisational costs
or:
A combination of both.
This means applicants are not restricted to creating an entirely new project.
Funding may potentially support the organisation’s wider ability to continue providing community services, depending on the detailed eligibility conditions in the programme guidance.
Applicants should carefully review the official application guidance before deciding how to structure their proposed budget.
Homelessness and Cost-of-Living Support
A major priority for the 2026/27 programme is tackling:
Homelessness
and:
Cost-of-living concerns.
Grassroots organisations working directly with people experiencing financial hardship may therefore find this funding particularly relevant.
Projects could involve community support initiatives aimed at helping vulnerable individuals and families cope with economic pressures.
However, applicants should ensure that any proposed activity aligns directly with the formal programme criteria rather than assuming that every poverty-related project will automatically qualify.
Early Childhood Development
The fund also supports initiatives related to:
Early childhood development.
This creates potential opportunities for community organisations working with young children and families.
Relevant projects may focus on creating stronger foundations for children’s development, particularly in communities where families face additional social or economic challenges.
Applicants should clearly explain the needs their community faces and how their proposed work will create measurable benefits.
Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls
Another major funding priority is:
Prevention of violence against women and girls.
Grassroots organisations working to improve safety, awareness, prevention and community support may therefore be able to apply.
The programme’s emphasis on lived experience is particularly significant for organisations working directly with communities affected by violence or abuse.
Applicants should ensure that safeguarding and appropriate support procedures are incorporated into relevant projects.
Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Forced Migration
The 2026/27 programme also prioritises projects supporting the safety of:
Refugees
Asylum seekers
and:
People experiencing forced migration.
Community-based organisations working with these groups may be well positioned because local organisations often provide practical support, community connections and trusted services.
Projects should clearly demonstrate how they respond to local needs and how beneficiaries are involved in shaping the support being provided.
Focus on Lived Experience
Groundwork states that the programme aims to support organisations that drive local change while drawing on the:
Lived experience of beneficiaries.
This is an important part of the funding approach.
Applicants should be able to show that people affected by the issues being addressed are involved in identifying needs, shaping services or influencing how projects are delivered.
This can strengthen the connection between the organisation and the community it serves.
Who Can Apply?
The programme is aimed at:
Grassroots, community-led organisations in England.
Groundwork’s wider partnership with Comic Relief has historically focused on grassroots organisations with an annual turnover of less than:
£250,000.
Applicants should verify the current 2026/27 eligibility rules in the official guidance before applying.
Being a small organisation alone does not automatically guarantee eligibility.
Other requirements may apply regarding organisational structure, location, financial arrangements and safeguarding.
England-Only Funding
This particular programme is specifically called:
Comic Relief Community Fund (England).
Organisations must therefore be based in England.
Groundwork also states that organisations must be located within the same region where their funded project will be delivered.
Applicants should not assume the fund is available across the whole United Kingdom.
Organisations based in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland should look for funding programmes specifically covering those locations.
Regional Requirement
Another important condition is that an organisation must be located in the:
Same region where the project will be delivered.
This reinforces the programme’s focus on local, community-led organisations.
The requirement helps ensure that funding reaches organisations with a genuine connection to the communities benefiting from their activities.
Applicants should therefore clearly explain their local presence and community relationships.
Previous Comic Relief Community Fund Recipients
Organisations that received funding through the 2025/26 programme may still apply for the 2026/27 round.
However, there is an important condition.
Their existing funded project must be completed and the required:
End-of-grant report
must be submitted by:
Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
Organisations with ongoing previous grants should therefore make sure they complete their reporting obligations in time.
Project Completion Deadline
All projects funded through the new programme must be completed by:
September 30, 2027.
Applicants should design projects that can realistically be delivered within this period.
A strong application should have a practical timeline showing how activities will be completed before the programme deadline.
Organisations should avoid proposing activities that are too ambitious for the grant amount or available implementation period.
Application Opening Date
Applications open on:
Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
Organisations should use the period before opening to prepare key information about their project, budget, beneficiaries and expected impact.
Preparing early can help applicants avoid rushing their submission shortly before the deadline.
Application Deadline
The deadline is:
Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
Applicants should aim to submit before the final day where possible.
Leaving an application until the final hours can create problems if technical difficulties occur or if additional information is required.
How to Strengthen an Application
Successful community-grant applications usually explain a clear local problem and a practical response.
Applicants should clearly communicate:
What problem exists
Who is affected
Why their organisation is well placed to respond
What activities they will deliver
How beneficiaries will be involved
and:
What change the funding will create.
Because the programme focuses strongly on community leadership and lived experience, applicants should avoid writing applications that feel disconnected from local beneficiaries.
Explain the Community Need
A strong application should demonstrate that there is a genuine local need for the proposed work.
Organisations can explain:
- Who is experiencing the problem
- How the issue affects the community
- Why existing services are not enough
- How beneficiaries helped identify the need
Applications should remain specific rather than using broad statements about national problems.
Create a Realistic Budget
With a maximum grant of £5,000, applicants should design a budget that is proportionate to the proposed activities.
The programme allows funding for project and core organisational costs, giving organisations flexibility.
Applicants should explain why each major cost is necessary and how it contributes to the intended outcomes.
Budgets should be realistic and consistent with the scale of the project.
Show Community Involvement
Because the programme values lived experience, applicants should explain how beneficiaries participate in the organisation’s work.
This could include involvement in:
Project design
Decision-making
Volunteering
Service delivery
or:
Feedback and evaluation.
Meaningful participation can show that the project is genuinely community-led rather than designed without beneficiary input.
Expected Impact
Applicants should clearly explain what difference they expect the grant to make.
Rather than only describing activities, they should also describe expected outcomes.
For example, an organisation should distinguish between:
What it will do
and:
What will change as a result.
This can help funders understand the practical value of the proposed project.
Why This Grant Is Important for Small Organisations
Grassroots organisations often struggle to access large grant programmes because of complex requirements, minimum turnover levels or extensive administrative processes.
The Comic Relief Community Fund is particularly significant because it focuses on smaller community-led groups.
The ability to use funding for both projects and core costs can also help organisations strengthen their overall capacity while continuing to provide services.
Comic Relief and Groundwork Partnership
Groundwork has administered the Comic Relief Community Fund in England since 2019.
Over that period, the partnership reports:
£6.3 million in grants awarded
1,462 grants distributed
156,000 beneficiaries supported
and:
3,000 volunteering opportunities created.
These figures demonstrate the scale of the programme’s previous community reach.
Final Thoughts
The Comic Relief Community Fund 2026/27 provides an important funding opportunity for grassroots organisations working across England.
Grants of up to £5,000 are available, with a total funding allocation of just over £600,000 expected to support approximately 120 organisations.
The 2026/27 programme prioritises work addressing:
Homelessness and cost-of-living pressures
Early childhood development
Prevention of violence against women and girls
and:
Support for the safety of refugees, asylum seekers and people experiencing forced migration.
Funding can be used for project costs, organisational core costs or a combination of both.
Applications open on September 1, 2026 and must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on September 30, 2026.
All funded projects must be completed by September 30, 2027.
Organisations must also operate in the same region where their project will be delivered, reflecting the programme’s emphasis on genuinely local, community-led solutions.
Previous 2025/26 grant recipients can apply again where their earlier project has been completed, and their end-of-grant report has been submitted by September 30, 2026.
Small organisations considering an application should carefully review the full application guidance, demonstrate strong community involvement and create a realistic proposal that clearly addresses one or more of the programme’s priority areas.
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