Farnham Town Council has opened a £500,000 fund for charities, clubs and community groups, paid for by developers' CIL. Bids over £10,000 close on 3 January.
Farnham’s charities, community groups and sports clubs can now bid for a share of £500,000. Farnham Town Council opened the fund on 2 November.
The money comes from the Community Infrastructure Levy, or CIL, a charge on qualifying new developments. The town council gets 25% of the CIL collected in its area, and says it wants more of that money to reach groups that can deliver projects themselves (Farnham Town Council, 2 November 2026).
The closing date for bids over £10,000 is 3 January 2027. Councillors decide them at Full Council on 11 March. Bids of £10,000 or less can go in at any time of year.
The three sizes of award
| Award | Amount | Your contribution | Who decides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro | £500 to £10,000 | Not required, though welcome | Town Clerk, consulting the Mayor and Leader |
| Small | £10,001 to £25,000 | 25% match funding | Full Council, on a working group's recommendation |
| Standard | £25,001 and above | CIL should not usually exceed 50% of the total cost | Full Council |
Volunteer time and donated materials count towards your share, at a reasonable value. The council asks groups planning a larger project to talk to it before applying (Farnham Town Council guidance notes).
The test every bid has to pass
This is not a general grant. Every bid has to show how the project helps Farnham cope with growth: more people using a hall, a pitch or a path, new needs from new homes, or extra pressure on something the town already has.
The council calls that link “the most important part of any application”. A good project without it cannot be paid for from CIL, though it may suit the council’s other grant schemes (Farnham Town Council: Neighbourhood CIL funding).
Bids are scored on five criteria:
- addressing the demands of development, 25%
- community benefit and reach, 25%
- deliverability and sustainability, 20%
- value for money and funding, 20%
- fit with local priorities, 10%
What the money can pay for
The council’s examples include:
- play areas, outdoor gyms and youth facilities
- sports pitches, pavilions and changing rooms
- bigger or more accessible community halls, such as ramps, accessible toilets, extensions and hearing loops
- footpaths, cycle routes, cycle parking, signposts and public seating
- green space, tree planting and wildlife habitat
- local flood and drainage work
- public defibrillators and community safety measures
- heritage, cultural and learning facilities open to the public
What it cannot pay for
- projects that have already started or finished
- running costs, salaries, or routine maintenance and repair
- firework displays, carnivals, Christmas lights, grass cutting and hedge cutting
- improvements to existing allotment sites, such as lockers or toilets
- anything that mainly benefits one person or a profit-making business
- stand-alone feasibility studies
Who can apply
Charities, constituted community groups, residents’ associations, sports clubs, community interest companies, schools and faith groups can all apply. Schools and faith groups qualify for facilities the wider community can use. The bid must come from the organisation that will run the project, not an individual.
A small group with no constitution can apply through an established organisation that agrees to hold the money for it.
Councillor George Murray, the town council’s leader, said: “We want to encourage organisations of all sizes to explore this opportunity, particularly those who may not have applied for Council funding before.”
What happens after an award
The guidance notes set out the conditions:
- money is normally paid against invoices, though a small group can get up to 50% in advance
- planning permission and any other consents must be in place before money is released
- the project must start within 12 months and finish within 24
- a short completion report, with photographs, is due within three months of finishing
An organisation that wins an award cannot apply again for 12 months.
What it means for you
If you run a club, hall, group or charity in Farnham with a building, pitch, path or play area that is under strain, this is a fund built for you. Read the guidance notes first, because the link to new development decides most bids.
Bids for Small and Standard awards go by email to cil@farnham.gov.uk by 3 January 2027, with quotes and recent accounts. The application form and guidance are on the town council’s CIL page.
Groups thinking of bidding may also want to read about the Farnham Voice proposal, which invites residents’ associations and community groups to share their plans and coordinate where their priorities overlap, with Neighbourhood CIL as the starting point.
For the housing growth that pays into the pot, see Farnham planning news.
Sources
- Farnham Town Council, “Farnham community organisations invited to apply for £500,000 of funding”, 2 November 2026, for the fund, the three award sizes, the 25% CIL share, the 3 January and 11 March dates, and Cllr Murray’s quote.
- Farnham Town Council, Neighbourhood CIL funding, for the eligibility test, examples, exclusions and who can apply. Read 3 November 2026.
- Farnham Town Council, Neighbourhood CIL guidance notes 2026, for match funding, decision makers, scoring weights, payment terms and the email address.
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