Community Building Grants 2026: Readiness Checklist and Free Planner

A new roof, accessible entrance or community hub can be a clear need. A funder will still need to understand who will use the space, who controls it and how it will keep operating after the work is finished.

Use this checklist to find the gaps before commissioning a full application. It is a preparation guide, not property, construction or financial advice.

Separate the building from the activity

Describe what the building will make possible: a service that cannot currently run, access that residents lack, or an existing use at risk. Record who helped decide the priorities.

Then split the plan into works, equipment, community activity and ongoing running costs. A building budget is not the same as a service budget. Some funds support one but not the other.

Investigate a route before preparing its form

For an England community project, start with the current Reaching Communities guidance and ask the funder which land-and-building requirements apply to your proposal. Do not infer capital eligibility from a programme's headline grant range.

For a building with a heritage purpose, consider the Heritage Fund application process. A property's age alone is not the whole heritage case: explain its significance and the intended public benefit.

These are routes to investigate, not a recommendation that either will fund your project. Nation, ownership, applicant type, project stage and current rules all matter. Links checked 25 October 2026.

Use a readiness table

| Area | Ready means | If not ready | | --- | --- | --- | | Community case | Intended users have influenced the proposal | Record the next conversation and decision needed | | Control of the site | Ownership or lease terms are understood | Ask your legal adviser what evidence is required | | Condition and scope | Relevant specialists have assessed the works | Commission or obtain the appropriate assessment | | Permissions | Required consents are identified and scheduled | Confirm the process with the responsible authority | | Cost and procurement | Costs have a stated basis and date | Identify which quotes or estimates are still missing | | Operation | Someone owns the running and maintenance plan | Cost staffing, utilities, insurance and upkeep |

“Applied for permission” is not “permission granted.” Keep those states separate in both the timetable and application.

Test the whole funding package

Fictional example: works £80,000, professional fees £8,000, equipment £7,000 and contingency £10,000 give a £105,000 capital plan. If £25,000 is confirmed, the remaining gap is £80,000. An £80,000 pending grant request is not secured income.

Check that the chosen fund permits each proposed cost, including contingency. Those figures are an illustration, not a recommended percentage or construction estimate. VAT, surveys and inflation may change the real total.

Prepare a separate operating plan. If annual running costs are £24,000 and reasonably evidenced income is £18,000, the £6,000 annual gap needs a plan of its own. A grant for the works does not automatically solve it.

Download the community building planner

Download editable text · Open printable worksheet

The worksheet separates confirmed information, assumptions and decisions. It is not an official application or a replacement for professional advice.

What to send for writing or review help

A short project outline, the selected fund and stage, current cost plan, funding status and list of unresolved permissions are enough for an initial scope conversation. Share only documents you have permission to share.

Read the Reaching Communities budget guide for multi-year activity costs, or Matt's restoration and historic-buildings support for a heritage brief. For a non-heritage community building, send Matt the project outline so the service can be scoped correctly.