Civil society organisations (CSOs) are often best placed to reach the people and places national campaigns miss. The Democratic Engagement Fund gives CSOs funding to run politically neutral, place-based projects that help people understand, engage with, and participate in democratic life in England.
Grants are around £25,000 (up to £50,000 in exceptional cases) for organisations rooted in their communities. The fund prioritises groups less likely to engage in democratic processes, including young people, ethnic minority communities, disabled people, people experiencing homelessness, frequent movers, and people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Use the funding to test an idea or scale what already works. Projects might remove practical barriers, build knowledge and confidence, strengthen trust, or create new ways for people to have a voice in local decision-making, using approaches that feel relevant to everyday life.
The fund backs delivery and learning. Your project will add to the evidence base on what works in democratic engagement, helping inform future policy and investment. You’ll also get support on accessibility, political impartiality, and evaluation.
If you have strong community reach, understand local barriers, and are committed to inclusion, this is a chance to deliver impact locally, and strengthen learning nationally.
Define who you’ll reach, the barrier you’ll address (knowledge, opportunity, motivation or trust), and how you’ll deliver impartial, accessible activity in community settings. Pull together your delivery plan, budget, and approach to monitoring and evaluation so you’re ready to apply when the window opens.
Prospectus: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/democratic-engagement-fund-prospectus
How to apply: https://find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/grants/the-democratic-engagement-fund-1
For further enquiries please contact: democraticengagement@communities.gov.uk
