In this newsletter

What we've been doing!

Another busy month for the community engagement team with Grants Officers Serretta Morris and Claire Betts holding well-received grant surgeries in Ullesthorpe, Thurnby and Market Harborough. The wider team met with Market Harborough Building Society to discuss how we can support one another in terms of funding and grants and to hear about their upcoming project for 16–25-year-olds. 

The new member of our team, Gemma, will be joining us in August to focus specifically on building the capacity of organisations to support people in the district who are most in need due to issues of disadvantage, poverty, poor health or wellbeing, mobility issues, isolation etc. We are really excited about this new area of work, and would love parishes and community groups to get involved to make it a success.  Home-Start South Leicestershire are also delivering a UKSPF project to increase volunteering in the district, and we met with them to hear more about it.

About the August newsletter

We will be sending a newsletter in August, but it will be a shorter edition focusing on some key items. Our full newsletter will be back in September.

New project to help us all to tackle unmet need in towns and parishes: get involved!

The communities engagement team will soon be starting a new district-wide project to support vulnerable people in our communities thanks to funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). We know that many parishes and community groups are already doing great work to support residents, but you also tell us that you don’t always have the resources, relationships or capacity to respond to everything.

This includes supporting residents around issues such as:

We’ll be working with parish councils, community groups and other local organisations to:

• Map areas of greatest need across the district, helping to focus resources where they’re most needed and providing evidence for groups to apply to external funders.

• Link up parish councils and meetings with community groups who are looking to reach more people in rural and hard-to-access areas.

• Develop funding opportunities to bring more resources into the district to grow and sustain community-led projects.

• Share good practice and ideas, helping groups to learn from each other, avoid reinventing the wheel, and help people feel less alone in the issues that you face.

• Improve connections with district council services, identifying where we can do more to support you locally.

We’ve recruited a community development officer to lead this work, who will be out and about across the district later in the summer and autumn. 

How can you be involved?

If you’re part of a parish or town council or parish meeting, local charity, voluntary group, other local service, or anyone else who wants to know more, we’d love to hear from you, for example:

• What are you already doing that other areas could learn from?

• What are some of the unmet needs that you’d like to address and what support or resources do you need to better be able to help residents?

• What relationships and networks would help you to better achieve your aims?

Send us an email and we’ll arrange a call and/or visit once the project is up and running.

In the meantime, if you would like some support around volunteering and getting residents more involved in your activities you can contact Emma at Home-Start now - she introduced her project in the last newsletter, and has an article below about some of the work that she's doing.

Harborough District Community Awards 2025 - nominate now!

Plus two new awards:

• NEW! Stronger Together: Workplace Impact Award

• NEW! Business-Community Impact of the Year, supported by The Market Harborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce.

We would love nominations from all parts of the district.  We'll be holding the event in Lutterworth this year.  We would also like to make sure that we're recognising younger volunteers, whether that's in the 11-18 category or 19-59 year old adults.

See the website for more information about the categories and terms and conditions.

This is a great opportunity to showcase the work people in our community are doing, so if you know of someone who you think deserves to be nominated for an award please fill out the nomination form below.

Display a poster in your area to spread the word!

We would love nominations from all ages and all parts of the district!

We have some A4 posters to distribute - if you would like to display one in your community, please get in touch - we can send a hard copy or email a digital version.

From the volunteering support casebook!

The Home-Start South Leicestershire volunteering development project, run in collaboration with HDC, funded by UKSPF and led by Emma Pickering, is now well underway, with organisations already being supported in Lutterworth, Kibworth and Market Harborough.

After our conversation a follow up email is sent with links to the discussion points. We don’t offer a volunteer-to-opportunity matching service as such, but will share your volunteering opportunities on our social media and at public events attended by Emma.

Examples of recent conversations

As a result of a recent phone call to a group, the manager found that just talking through the issues they faced was enough to regain their focus and tackle things from a slightly different perspective. 

Groups have also been reminded that they can submit their opportunities to Voluntary Action LeicesterShire to be more widely publicised.

Get in touch for support or to get involved in volunteering projects!

It is worth remembering that this is a short-term project only running until March 2026, and with promotional events in the planning stages, it’s best to book in your support session with Emma quickly to benefit from any support!

You can also let her know if you are interested in employer-supported volunteering or volunteering for young people.

Contact Emma at emma@home-startsouthleics.org.uk

Community Grant Updates

***Community Grant final round***

A reminder that the fourth and final round of the first £1m Community Grant is now open and closes on 11 August 2025.

Some of the area allocations are spent, but please still tell us about your project ideas, as we may have other suggestions for you or we can feed your needs into future developments, including for the next HDC £1m grant which we're planning to announce in the autumn. 

Download the guidance for full information about how to apply and contact Claire and Serretta at communitygrants@harborough.gov.uk to talk through your project.

Councillors' Ward Improvement Grant

The new Councillors' Ward Improvement Grant Scheme is available to groups and organisations in the Harborough district. Each ward councillor has been allocated £5,000 to support initiatives of their choice within their ward which will benefit residents and/or improve the environment. The funding can be for capital or revenue projects.

Grants must be for values between £1k to £5k and grants must be paid to the organisation by 31 March 2026. Organisations must be constituted and have a bank account in the name of the organisation. 

Organisations must contact their ward councillor directly to discuss their project proposal.

See our website for an overview of the grant and some of the things that might be funded.

UKSPF Grants 

Harborough District Council has grants that are available for organisations funded through the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The details can be viewed on the Invest in Harborough website. They are open to businesses and community organisations, with a closing date of 12 noon on 11 August 2025.

Celebrating local history, heritage and identity grant

This grant scheme is for applications to provide heritage events and activities for public participation in Harborough District. The scope of the grant is to enhance existing and new heritage event activities by investment in revenue projects. 

Visitor event grant

This grant scheme is to provide visitor events and activities for public participation in Harborough District. The scope of the grant is to support new and existing visitor event organisations to develop and improve visitor activities and visitor event services. Investment must be for revenue projects that will increase participation and benefit the local economy and community. 

Examples of projects submitted by applicants that have been successful in receiving funding include summer or seasonal festivals and celebrations. Applicants have requested funding to have music or artist performances and to help towards the cost of marketing and promotional materials. Local museums and heritage venues are being supported to develop and run heritage open days between 12 - 21 September and have been making applications to receive funding towards display and marketing materials. 

Both of these grants are for a minimum of £500 up to £2,000 maximum, with no match funding required.

Section 106 

Youth Council activities 

Becca Powell hosted a final Youth Council meeting to round off the academic year on Tuesday 1 July at Lutterworth College. It has been a brilliant first seven months of the Harborough District Youth Council with a core group of young people consistently attending and we are looking forward to continuing in September. 

What the Youth Council has been working on

The young people worked on promotional videos that they will film over the summer and share to encourage new members to join ready for September where we will begin to appoint roles. In our last meeting, we also discussed the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and the £10,000 allocated to the Youth Council to spend on a project or several projects that align with the fund’s spending criteria.

In their own words: a Youth Council member’s experience

One of the Youth Council members joined our team for two days of work experience this month and they kindly shared their experience of being part of the Youth Council:

"We have had guest speakers ranging from councillors to people who work closely in the community with environmental or economic development. We have learnt about the different structures of government and explored how we want to shape the future of the council. We have given our input on regional and national strategies and plans which have been fed back to the relevant decision-makers in creative and engaging ways, ranging from making posters to small group work.

"Some of the highlights have been making new friends, discussing the use of roles and subgroups, and, of course, the food. It has given us as young people the opportunity to give our opinion and ideas on issues that directly affect us and will influence our area for years to come. I think one of the most significant things we’ve done so far is filling in the National Youth Strategy to ensure that issues that matter to us are heard at a national level.

"I would recommend joining the Youth Council to everyone as we have people from a variety of ages and from a wide range of schools and colleges, so this is a brilliant way of meeting and making new friends while making lasting change in your community.” 

Design a logo for the Youth Council!

We are excited that The Speak Out project run by HCYC is running a logo design competition for the Harborough District Youth Council.  Anyone 11-18 from the Harborough District can enter. The logo can be hand drawn, painted or designed on a computer and the closing date is 14 November 2025.

See the brief for guidance and how to enter, including a word cloud designed from Youth Council members' thoughts.

Join the Youth Council!

We are really keen to welcome new members in the new academic year and will be working on promoting our Youth Council over the summer holidays. Monthly meetings will start again in September with the first meeting being held on Thursday 18 September at Lutterworth College 5.30pm-7.30pm. The meetings will then alternate between Lutterworth and Market Harborough on Thursdays each month. We provide transport through Lutterworth Community Transport and Market Harborough Community Transport to make the meetings as accessible as possible.

Although we have participants from across the district, we would also like to make sure young people from all secondary schools and colleges in the area are equitably represented, particularly in areas around Kibworth Mead Academy and Thomas Estley Community College. So get in touch with Becca if you can help with this or know young people in those areas who would like to get involved.

Running health and wellbeing activities in your area: Escape Pain courses

Harborough District Council’s Health and Wellbeing team, in collaboration with Active Together run a series of activities in the district, often in partnership with parish councils and other community groups.

If this is a course you would like to run in your area, you can get in touch with HDC's Health and Wellbeing team for more information.  Other activities that they run are outlined on the Active Together Harborough website.

If you know of residents that might benefit from these sessions, individuals can express their interest by filling out the following contact form: Active Together Harborough — Contact Us

Community spotlight: sharing your stories and inspiration

This section shares successes and good practice across the district to inspire others. 

Houghton Parish Council: coordinating Community Grant applications

Houghton on the Hill Parish Council successfully supported three capital projects through HDC's Community Grant fund during its first year:

• Houghton Bowling Club improvements: Although primarily serving adults, the Bowling Club (see picture below, left) was recognised for its inclusive potential and community value. The grant is to purchase two new short mat bowls sets, plus two bowling arms, which will help people with reduced mobility to participate.

Selecting Community Grant projects in Houghton on the Hill

Serretta Morris, Grants Officer, heard from Parish Councillor Ann Sleath about the factors they considered in making a decision.

Understanding community needs and aligning with District Council values

The parish council maintained close relationships with local groups and relied on long-standing knowledge of community priorities. Many of the issues requiring funding were already well known to councillors.

Insights from the Neighbourhood Plan questionnaire also helped guide decisions.

Managing competition and fairness and evidencing community support

Faced with multiple potential projects, the parish council made a strategic decision to distribute funds across several groups rather than allowing one organisation to dominate. This approach promoted fairness and inclusivity.

Community feedback played a role, particularly in the footpath project, which followed a village-wide questionnaire. This demonstrated clear public support and need.

By sharing the fund among different groups, the council ensured a diverse range of needs were met, contributing to greater equality, accessibility, and inclusion.

Designing a process to collaborate with local groups

After learning about the grant opportunity, the parish council convened a meeting of their “Community Buildings Group” to explain the scheme and invite project ideas. This proactive engagement helped generate strong applications.

Streamlining the application process

To reduce the burden on community groups and in response to suggestions by the Community Buildings Group, the parish council introduced a two-step application process:

1. Groups submitted a brief outline and estimated costs.
2. If the parish council approved the concept, the full HDC application form was completed.

This simplified approach was well received and helped avoid unnecessary work for groups whose projects might not be supported.

Advice for other parishes around Community Grant development and prioritisation

With the second year of the Community Grant due to be announced in the autumn, based on Houghton Parish Council's experience, HDC staff have compiled some practical tips for running a successful project selection process:

1. Start with strong foundations

Before inviting full applications, ask potential applicants to:

• Consult the community – gather input from users or residents.
• Provide evidence – use surveys, meetings, or letters of support.
• Set clear goals – such as inclusion, participation, or affordability.
• Plan for sustainability – consider long-term financial, social, and environmental impact.

2. Consider a two-step application process

Streamline internal procedures but ensure projects still meet funding criteria and offer genuine community value. For example use a simple expression-of-interest stage (e.g. a short form or outline) to assess initial ideas. This saves time and avoids unnecessary work if a project isn’t likely to be supported. 

3. Engage key groups early

Hold an initial meeting with local organisations such as village halls, sports clubs, community services and groups when a funding opportunity arises. Explain the criteria and encourage collaborative planning.

4. Use evidence about community needs

Refer to existing consultation data like neighbourhood plans, surveys, or public meetings to guide decisions and reinforce legitimacy.

5. Ensure fairness and inclusion

Consider distributing funds across a range of groups and demographics to meet diverse needs and avoid letting one project dominate unless there’s a collaborative process and/or strong consensus about a particular need.

6. Align projects with wider goals and think long-term

Ask how each proposal supports broader community outcomes (including meeting funders' objectives). Prioritise projects that offer lasting benefits, whether through infrastructure, inclusion, skills development, or social impact.

7. Build relationships and communicate clearly

Maintain open communication with local groups year-round. Be transparent about timelines, decision-making criteria, and how applications will be assessed.

If you would like to talk through your ideas or want some advice, you can contact grants officers Claire and Serretta at communitygrants@harborough.gov.uk

Funding and resources from other organisations

This section contains a selection of grants outside HDC that community groups can apply for.

While HDC provides grants for communities, groups often need to find further funding to complete projects. Here are some suggestions of other funders that have come across our radar that groups may be able to apply to. Inclusion does not imply that we endorse the funder, but we have spotted it and it seems applicable to the types of projects that we get enquiries about.

With all grants, check the small print for exclusions such as types of organisations and annual turnover to ensure that you're eligible.

Grant fundraising is challenging at the moment, with many funders closing programmes early or completely, reviewing or narrowing programmes, and some moving to invitation only because of the volume of applications they're receiving, so make sure you sign up for email or social media alerts from the funder if applicable if you're making an application, and/or regularly check their website for changes.

It may also be worth searching for the funder on the Charity Commission website and downloading its annual report to see if you can find out more, or some funders report on 360Giving.

We would love to know if you have been successful applying to any of these to build up our knowledge of what funders are prioritising.

See our previous newsletters for other funding suggestions, while some are included in response to specific funding rounds, others are ongoing or will be reopening in the future.

Getting further support

The following organisations also provide free funding resources that may be useful to groups:

• Leicestershire County Council

• Rural Services Network

• Active Together

• East Midlands Funding Forum

• Charity Excellence Framework

Previous newsletters

See previous editions of our newsletter for good practice resources and funding suggestions.

Get in touch

Let us know what you're doing! We welcome information that is relevant to community action and voluntary and community groups

communities@harborough.gov.uk | communitygrants@harborough.uk youthvoice@harborough.gov.uk

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