Community Voice Fund
Bridge Creative and Inclusion North are pleased to announce the launch of the Community Voice Fund, offering small community-led grants to individuals and organisations in County Durham. Projects should link to the 7 Keys to Citizenship: Freedom, Direction, Money, Home, Help, Life and Love. Projects must also:
- Be delivered by people with lived experience (individuals), or;
- Support people with lived experience (organisations)
What is the Community Voice Fund?
The Community Voice Fund offers money to run projects that make life better for:
- autistic adults
- adults with a learning disability
- their families and carers
Projects must benefit people who live in County Durham.
Fund opens: noon, Friday 3rd October 2025
Deadline for applications: midnight, Sunday 2nd November 2025
What kinds of projects are we looking for?
We’re open to lots of ideas. Your project should clearly support one or more of the groups above and help people feel more included, connected, safe, confident, or independent.
How much can you apply for?
- People applying on their own: there are three awards available of £1,500, £2,000 and £2,500.
- Organisations or groups: there are three awards available of £4,000, £5,000 and £6,000.
You should plan your idea based on the lowest amount of funding available. If you are awarded a higher amount of funding, we’ll work with you on your budget. This ensures your project can still go ahead if you are awarded the lowest amount of funding.
Who can apply?
- Autistic adults
- Adults with a learning disability
- Family members and unpaid carers
- Community groups, charities and other organisations working in County Durham (including CICs limited by guarantee) who have a track record of delivering work with autistic adults and adults with a learning disability.
- Must have a properly constituted bank account and at least three unrelated trustees or directors.
Full details can be found in the easy-read information pack at the bottom of this page.
How the application process works
- Download the easy-read application pack located at the bottom of this page. This is the same form for individuals and organisations.
- Tell us about your idea – tell us what you will do, who it helps in County Durham, when it will happen and what the money will pay for.
- Shortlisting – six projects will be invited to share their idea at our Pitch Event on 20th November 2026 at Lanchester Community Centre, Durham.
- Pitch Event & voting – people present their idea and the audience votes to decide which projects should receive which funding award.
- Decisions & payments – successful projects receive funding in December and can get started.
Pitch Event Date: Thursday 20th November
Time: 1.00pm – 4.00pm
Venue: Lanchester Community Centre, Newbiggen Lane, Lanchester, Durham, DH7 0PB
Cost: The event is free to attend and refreshments will be provided.
At the event, project ideas will be presented by the shortlisted applicants and the audience will vote for the projects they want to fund. There will be three shortlisted individuals and three shortlisted organisations – everyone who pitches will receive funding based on the number of votes they receive.
To book a place at the Pitch Event, please contact Lisa at Inclusion North.
Email: lisa.tallant@inclusionnorth.org
Phone: 07946 026371
Support to apply
Bridge Creative can support individuals to apply and help you can complete the application form of record your video. If you need help to fill in the form or record your video/audio application, please contact Deepak on 01388 449410 or by email at hello@bridgecreative.org. For organisations, if you have any questions about the grant application, please use the contact details below at Inclusion North.
Lisa Tallant, Inclusion North 07946 026371 or lisa.tallant@inclusionnorth.org