The Community Chest gives small grants to not-for-profit groups across Cornwall.
Each Cornwall Councillor has a small grants budget to support projects in their area.
Grants can cover a wide range of activities.
Here are some examples:
- Helping vulnerable children or adults
- Improvements to a community building
- Community environmental projects
- Physical activity including community health projects
- Projects involving the wellbeing of older or younger people
- Planning and promoting village walks
- Purchase of play and exercise equipment
- Local training schemes e.g. first aid course for the group
- New community hub / safe space development or activity
- Projects that help tackle unemployment and its impacts
- Healthy eating projects and community celebrations of local food
- Public events, festivals and exhibitions
- Projects to improve awareness / distribution of community information.
To find out more, please read our guidance.
Guidance for applicantsOur guidance is also available in easy read format.
If you would like to apply for a Cornwall Councillor Community Chest grant please contact your local Councillor to discuss your project and possible funding.
The closing date for completed applications this year is 13 February 2026.
Details of past grants can be found on the individual Community Area Partnership pages.
Further support
If you have any queries, please contact localism@cornwall.gov.uk
We can also talk to you about the option to promote your project through crowdfunding.
We do this on the Crowdfund Cornwall website.
Crowdfunding can help some projects attract wider support and increase their funding.