• Please note: the bidding process for major and housing grants for the period 2019 to 2022 has now ended. 

Major and Housing Grants are awarded for spending in a three year period.

The Council has allocated £203,000 a year for each of the three years from 1st April 2019 to 31st March 2022 to be distributed as Major Grants of £10,000 or more and a further £56,500 to be distributed as Housing Grants to deliver the following priority services:

• Advice and Financial Inclusion services
  
• Youth engagement services and activities
  
• Services to homeless people, those at risk of homelessness and vulnerable people with a history of homelessness
  
• Services which promote voluntary and community activities and organisations through the provision of comprehensive information, advice, training and other support services to the full range of not-for profit organisations. 

The council will not fund:

• Major capital works or projects
  
• Any project that duplicates services already provided and funded elsewhere.

Given the challenging financial situation being experienced by the council as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and resultant economic downturn, it has been decided to delay the start of this year’s small grants to voluntary organisations programme. 

The uncertainty of the financial climate means that the council has decided to take time to review its position before any grant applications are requested.

During this pause, the council will continue to provide its ongoing grant support to key organisations in the town such as CAB, Age Concern, Brighton Housing Trust, but will not be requesting any new applications.

Further information will be issued in due course.

The Eastbourne Local Lottery is raising funds that will be given out annually as small grants to local charities and community organisations, from 2019. Visit our Eastbourne Local Lottery page to find out more.

Eastbourne borough council has 35 properties which are currently in community use. The Council’s policy is to assess and charge the full market rent for any property it leases. Not-for profit organisations, who are leasing one of these properties, may be invited to apply for Rent Support Grant in recognition of their social value. 

Rent Support Grant will only be awarded where it is clear that the property is being used to support the Council’s Corporate and Service priorities and being used to its full potential and there is a clear need for grant to support rent payments.

The Disability Inclusion Fund is now closed for 2020/21 and no longer accepting applications. We hope to renew the fund for 2021/22.

The Eastbourne Disability Inclusion Fund will provide money for interventions that improve access to facilities, events or services for people with disabilities, including those with a hidden disability, in Eastbourne. The fund will support and kick-start interventions to help tackle the barriers experienced by disabled children and adults in actively participating in all aspects of life.

A new Disability Inclusion Task Group comprising three Eastbourne councillors and a council officer will decide on applications that can be made by voluntary and community groups in Eastbourne, as well as by the council itself.

Awards of up to £1,000 will generally be made to any single organisation, although higher awards may be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Criteria for the allocation of funds are;

• Interventions which aim to improve the experience of people with disabilities in the borough
• Interventions which enable children with disabilities to be more fully included in mainstream activities, events or services
• Interventions which, in particular, aid the inclusion of those with a hidden disability