Fairness Fund 2025 to 2026

Learn about the Fairness Fund for People and the Fairness Fund for Place.

Fairness Fund applications for 2025 to 2026 are now open.

The Fairness Fund reflects the outcomes of the council's plan for a fair and inclusive city.

Grant funding is available to community groups and voluntary organisations that:

  • support residents to combat poverty and the cost-of-living crisis
  • help them feel included and valued

Online information session questions and answers

We'll be holding an online information session on Thursday 20 November from 5:20pm to 6:20pm.

To book your place send an email to communitiesteam@brighton-hove.gov.uk

The Fairness Fund for People

The Fairness Fund for People supports grassroots community action led by and supporting marginalised communities and:

  • disabled people
  • Black and racially minoritised people
  • lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual+ (LGBTQIA+) people

A total fund of £70,000 is available for activities taking place up to 4 September 2026. We anticipate that the funding will be divided equally between projects supporting these 3 communities. Around £23,000 will be available for each strand.

The Fairness Fund for Place

The Fairness Fund for Place supports grassroots community action led by and supporting communities experiencing poverty.

A total fund of £105,000 is available for activities taking place up to 4 September 2026. This will be divided equally across 4 areas of the city (East, West, North and Central) 

Example activities or costs

A maximum grant award will be £2000.

Example of activities or costs that could be supported by either Fund include:

  • activities that support those in difficulty to improve their health and wellbeing
  • intersectional responses to support older people aged 50+ experiencing hardship
  • intersectional responses to support families with children experiencing hardship
  • social support activities around employment and skills development
  • information and advice activities
  • small items up to a maximum of £500
  • storage rental costs
  • utility costs
  • volunteer costs

Eligibility

Eligible applicants must:

be set up as a not-for-profit community group, voluntary organisation, or social enterprise

have a constitution or set of rules explaining how the group is run and organised

have a project named bank account or be in the process of setting one up (grassroots groups who wish to apply but do not yet meet these application criteria are encouraged to get in touch early for further advice)

have a maximum annual income of £35,000 for the year ending 31 March 2025

Community Buildings that have an annual income up to a maximum of  £100,000 for the year ending 31 March 2025 are also eligible to apply for the Fairness Fund for Place

You cannot apply to this fund:

as an individual

if you're an organisation set up with the ability to distribute profits to members or shareholders

with requests for capital costs or the purchase of large items

for food crisis support (this will be covered by another funding stream)

for projects not taking place in Brighton & Hove

Applying for the Fairness Fund

Apply for the Fairness Fund

The deadline for applications is 5pm on 2 January 2026.