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Funding for local voluntary and community organisations

  1. 1. Council grants and subsidies
  2. 2. Creating Healthy Communities grants
  3. 3. Rental grant subsidy
  4. 4. In-kind support
  5. 5. Banstead Neighbourhood Fund
  6. 6. Banstead Neighbourhood Winter Pressure Fund 24/25
  7. 7. Community Transport Grants
  8. 8. Thriving Communities Match Fund
  9. 9. Other funding sources
  10. 10. Decarbonisation grant for community groups
  11. 11. Strategic Grants 2025 - 2026
  12. 12. Strategic Grants 2026 – 2028

12. Strategic Grants 2026 – 2028

2026 - 2028 Strategic Grants for the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sectors 

The Reigate & Banstead Strategic Grant Fund has now closed for new applications for 2026 -2028.

The purpose of the Strategic Grants Fund 2026 - 2028 is to provide a contribution towards core costs for VCFS organisations working to support  residents  and whose work supports delivery of the Council's Corporate Plan.

The Strategic Grants Fund will underpin the themes within the 2025 - 2030 Corporate Plan, that ‘enables its communities to thrive’ and provides ‘support for those in need’. Please note the following:

  • The total amount of funding available is £184,000 with a minimum grant award of £5000
  • Funding will be allocated in line with the assessment of the evidence provided in your application 
  • Funding will be awarded for two years, from April 2026. 

Timeline and key dates

  • Applications open 22 September 2025
  • Closing date for applications is 9 November 2025
  • Decision notices will be sent out in January 2026, subject to final agreement at full council in February 2026
  • Funding agreements will be issued in March 2026
  • First payments will be made in April 2026
  • Ongoing monitoring and evaluation will continue through 2026/27

Eligibility criteria

Assessment of applications will include consideration of the evidence provided in your application, including showing the breadth of coverage across the borough, the depth of service provision and the support provided to people in need.

Summary Criteria:

  • Organisations provide support to residents of Reigate & Banstead Borough
  • Organisations provide services in support of the Council’s statutory duties
  • Organisations provide services and support that are central to the RBBC Corporate Plan 2025 – 2030 priorities
  • Organisations actively work in partnership with the Council and wider public sector partners
  • Organisations gather and use data & insight to inform decisions, monitor and evaluate impact, actively sharing knowledge across partners
  • Organisations can demonstrate how it is both financially and environmentally sustainable

Full criteria, evidence and assessment approach

Strategic grants will be awarded based on the extent to which an organisation meets the criteria set out below.  

Weighting will be applied to scoring for:

  • Supporting the Council to deliver the corporate plan priorities. By demonstrating significant support that, if it was no longer available, would have significant impact on council services.
  • Depth and breadth of services.  Demonstrating the depth of intervention / case working  as significant and life changing with demonstratable key outcomes. The breadth of service across the borough and specifically in the priority areas of Hooley, Merstham, Netherne, Tattenham Corner and Preston, Horley Central and South, Redhill West and Wray Common.

The assessment will be completed by council officers, to include relevant Heads of Service, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Community Partnerships (Cllr Baker).

Strategic grants will be awarded based on the extent to which an organisation meets the criteria set out below:

Criteria  Evidence requested  Assessment approach 

1. Provide services in support of the Council's work and in particular the Council's statutory and equality duties

Confirm RBBC services currently worked with and any plans for working with RBBC services in the future.

Evidence that the organisations strategic values and objectives are aligned with the Council’s equality objectives, specifically with regard to using data and local intelligence to inform future service planning and formal decision making, provide accessible information and services, support social inclusion

Review with relevant Heads of Service to understand the nature and importance of the relationship

2. Provide services and support that are central to the RBBC Corporate Plan 2025 – 2030 priorities, specifically in support of the theme ‘Support those in need’ and the priorities and objectives that sit beneath it.

  1. Evidence of need
  2. Breadth of service
  3. Depth of service
  4. Demonstrate innovation in service delivery
  5. Provide volunteering opportunities, enabling residents to participate in initiatives and activities in their communities

Provide evidence that demonstrates the organisation is providing support to those in need through:

  • Data and insight to demonstrate the level of need in the borough.
  • Top 3 indicators that demonstrate the breadth of your service across the Borough (e.g., no. of clients; geographical coverage)
  • Top 3 indicators that demonstrate the depth of service (no. of hours per client, key outcomes of clients  e.g., income maximisation, support to live independently)
  • Existing service/business plans – these may include plans to expand/develop service in the Borough in 2026/27 reflecting data or service feedback and examples of innovation (new or changes to ways of working).
  • Evidence of recruiting and supporting volunteering

Comparative analysis against key data sources the Council hold re needs.

Qualitative assessment of extent to which services address key needs and gaps in provision

3. Actively work in partnership with the Council and wider public sector partners.

  1. Can demonstrate how they seek to use their roles on partnership groups to improve the lives of residents of RBBC.
  2. Can evidence their work with other partners on prevention (e.g., prevention of ill health). 
  3. Work at neighbourhood level where appropriate, to identify gaps in service and to avoid duplication of provision.
  • List of max 5 partnerships the organisation is part of or lead – with their purpose and a short description of the organisation’s role and what they have already achieved/are seeking to achieve through the partnership.
  • Evidence of working at neighbourhood level to identify gaps in service and to avoid duplication of provision.

Review response with relevant Heads of Service and public sector partners to make a qualitative assessment of the value of the organisation within partnerships.

4. Gather data and actively share knowledge.

  1. Collate knowledge and data, using participative approaches, to inform the bigger picture and increase understanding of the needs and desires of residents. 
  2. Gather and share client insight to inform change.
  • Links to any key reports or impact assessments the organisation have recently produced that evidence how data and knowledge was used to inform strategy.
  • Evidence of need assessments conducted and/or insight gained from participatory approaches to understand and deliver against needs of residents.
  • Evidence of change programmes/projects implemented or planned in response to the above
  • Evidence of how success is or will be monitored and measured.
 Officer review - to include Data and Insight Team where appropriate.

5. RBBC financial contribution supports a thriving and financially and environmentally sustainable organisation:

  1. Evidence of fundraising/other income streams.
  2. Evidence of how the organisation achieves good value from funds received. 
  3. Evidence of how they are working towards environmental sustainability.
  4. Appropriate levels of reserves 
  5. Evidence of risk management and mitigation.
  • % of income that RBBC strategic grant represented across last 2 years
  • Other funding provided by the Council
  • % of income that RBBC grants represented across last 2 years and anticipated % for 2026/27(including Rate Relief, Rental Grant Subsidy and other grants towards running costs).  Also, the potential impact that a reduction in funding could have. 
  • Evidence of fundraising and any in kind support this year and plans for coming year (this might include unsuccessful applications)
  • Evidence of how they achieve a financially efficient service and any plans for this going forward.
  • Evidence of environmental sustainability, this could include demonstrating a reduction in fuel use, purchases, water consumption and / or waste generated and / or an improvement in nature, recycling rates or renewable energy or consideration of climate change adaptation
  • Evidence of reserves policy that is reviewed and linked to a fundraising strategy and budget setting.
  • Evidence of plans to mitigate risk that are kept under review.

Officer review – to include Finance and Environmental Sustainability Officers, as appropriate.

To request an application form or more information, please email communitypartnerships@reigate-banstead.gov.uk.

Previous Strategic Grants 2025 - 2026

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