How to apply for The Community Catalyst Fund 2025 to 2027

The fund and application form

You will need to complete the online form to apply to the Community Catalyst Fund.

You can save your application as you go along. Once you have saved your email address in the application portal you will be emailed a link that will help you return to your application in progress for the round you are bidding into.  

Who can apply

Your organisation must be set up as non-profit making with no ability to distribute profits to shareholders or members.

All organisations must be formally constituted or have a set of rules which detail how the organisation is managed.  

All organisations must hold a bank account in the name of the organisation with at least two authorised signatories from the management group/committee. 

All applications must address any one of the 3 key outcomes:

• a fair and inclusive city
• a healthy city where people thrive
• a city to be proud of

Your bid will need to include information about how your project will contribute towards one of these outcomes, and how you will measure this contribution.

You will need to provide an evaluation at the end of the first year of the funded project. We are not looking for anything too complicated.

You may be able to get help from local support organisations (such as Community Works and The Resource Centre) to develop ways of measuring your work that are suitable for your group. 

Download a summary of the questions we will ask you before you apply.

Read The Community Catalyst Fund guidance notes.

Who can't apply

We don't fund:

• activities or projects that are not for the wider benefit of residents of Brighton & Hove
• activities or projects which are party political or religious in nature
• building works or capital costs
• individuals
• national organisations
• organisations which hold substantial general free reserves, including local branches of national or regional organisations which hold free reserves that could be utilised
• organisations with members or shareholders who may receive profits
• organisations that form part of the statutory sector, for example, schools and public bodies
• activities that are the responsibility of the statutory sector for example school enrichment activities delivered in class time
• activities that have already taken place - if you're applying, let us know any key activity dates

Evidence 

If you are requesting funding towards the purchase of equipment, commissioning a consultant or training you should provide 2 quotations or other evidence of costs with your application. 

If you are applying for funding for a specific project, attach a project budget to your application in addition to sharing your expected income and expenditure for the financial year (1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027).

We don’t expect The Community Catalyst Fund to be the only funding your group will receive. You should be able to show where else you expect to receive monies to support your costs.  

You must submit a balanced budget as part of your application, so your predicted income and expenditure should be the same. The application form will automatically calculate any predicted surplus or loss. You should explain any significant predicted surplus or loss. Section 14 of the application will allow you to upload this as part of your evidence information. 

You must submit a signed and dated copy of your governing documents and accounts. 

Evaluation 

If you are awarded a grant you will need to provide an evaluation report at the end of the financial year to show how the grant was spent and how you achieved the outcomes outlined in your application. 

If you have previously received a grant and we have not received a satisfactory evaluation your application will not be considered. 

When you'll receive the result of your application

The outcome of your application will be communicated in January 2025.

Get more help

The Resource Centre provide support and information that help small groups to run themselves.

Community Works is a local organisation that supports groups in the city. 

If you have any questions after you've read the guidance notes and application information, we can arrange a phone call.

Send an email to donna.edmead@brighton-hove.gov.uk or communitiesteam@brighton-hove.gov.uk.