Good morning. This week: a £210m package for high streets, new funding for local nature recovery, and a way to put public-space projects forward for Community Payback. Plus council-ready grants, approaching deadlines and an open-access flood-plan checklist.
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£210m for high streets and community assets: where councils can help. The government announced a £125m Derelict Buildings Fund for local authorities, £65m to help communities rescue valued buildings and businesses, and £20m for rental auctions and co-operative development. This is a national package, not an open parish-council grant application yet. Clerks can identify vacant sites and at-risk assets, gather local evidence and ask the principal council how community proposals will feed into its plans. Read the announcement.
£79m for trees and local nature recovery. Defra's 30 September announcement includes £53m for planting outside woodlands from April 2027 to March 2030 and £26m for the authorities leading Local Nature Recovery Strategies. Details of the tree fund are still to come; this is not yet an open parish-council grant. Clerks can identify parks, verges and other suitable sites where planting or habitat work would help, then make sure their council's priorities reach the authority preparing the local strategy. Read the announcement.
Locally nominated Community Payback projects to get greater priority. The Ministry of Justice says it will prioritise visible projects put forward by local people, including graffiti removal, litter picking and improvements to public spaces. Nominations are already open, though a proposal must be assessed before work can begin. Clerks can identify a suitable project, agree the scope and permissions with their council, and use the free official nomination route. See criteria and nominate a project.
National Lottery Awards for All England – Environment, £300 to £20,000. This open programme supports community-led projects that help people care for nature or improve the environment. Parish and town councils are expressly eligible as statutory bodies. Check the environmental priorities and whether your council already holds an Awards for All grant before applying; the fund says decisions take around 16 weeks, so plan ahead. Check the programme.
Gloucestershire Thriving Communities Grant, £500 to £7,500 — closes 16 October. Town and parish councils in Gloucestershire can apply for projects that help adults stay well and independent, strengthen connections and support community wellbeing. The published closing time is 11.59pm. This is geographically limited; check the criteria and required budget documents before taking a proposal to council. Check eligibility and apply.
FCC Community Action Fund, £10,000 to £100,000 — closes 18 November at 5pm. Parish and town councils can seek support for eligible community amenity projects, but the site must be within ten miles of an eligible FCC Environment facility. Use the funder's pre-application location and project checks first. It is competitive and restricted in what it will pay for, so read the current applicant guide before starting. Check the fund.
Environment Agency community flood plan — free and open to everyone. Its online checklist helps a community record warning triggers, emergency contacts, places at risk, people who may need help and volunteers who can respond. It also prompts a practice exercise with the local council and Environment Agency. No membership, subscription or login is needed to read it. Keep personal contact details secure and follow the guidance's data-protection reminder. Open the free checklist.
Before a grant application reaches the agenda, check its real cost. Put the funder's eligibility, project deadline, match funding, permissions, ongoing maintenance and a named lead on one page. Ask members to approve both the bid and any commitments the council would carry if it succeeds. A grant for a new asset can still leave the council with years of upkeep; this quick check makes the decision clearer and the minutes more useful.
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