Not-for-profit groups in Waverley can apply for one-off grants of £3,000 to £35,000 for projects in 2027-28. The deadline is 5pm on Monday 21 December.

Charities and community groups working in Waverley can apply for one-off grants of between £3,000 and £35,000. The money pays for projects running from April 2027 to March 2028, and applications close at 5pm on Monday 21 December.

Waverley Borough Council opened the round on 30 October. It is an extra, one-off round of its Thriving Communities Commissioning Fund, which already gives three-year funding to some local organisations from April 2025 to March 2028.

What the money is for

Projects have to meet at least one of the fund’s four priorities, according to the council’s scheme page:

  • improving people’s health and wellbeing
  • helping people get information, advice and guidance
  • reducing social isolation and loneliness
  • building stronger, connected communities

The work has to be for people with higher needs, people who are vulnerable or people who experience disadvantage. It has to be delivered in Waverley, which covers Farnham, Godalming, Haslemere, Cranleigh and the villages around them.

What it will not pay for

The fund does not give core funding for an organisation’s general running costs. Groups must ask for money towards a specific project or activity.

That project budget can still include the running costs needed to deliver it. The council lists salaries, utilities, telephones and rent as examples.

The council has not said how much money is in the round in total.

How to apply

The application form must be sent in Word format, not as a PDF. Each application needs two documents with it:

  • a full set of accounts or an annual report for the organisation’s most recent full year
  • a budget for the project, if there is one

Everything goes by email to communities@waverley.gov.uk. The council says late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Key dates

Stage Date
Round opened 30 October 2026
Applications close 5pm, Monday 21 December 2026
Panel meets January 2027
Groups told the outcome February 2027
Funded projects run 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2028

Councillor Kika Mirylees, the council’s portfolio holder for community services, said local organisations “provide invaluable support every day, often reaching people who may otherwise struggle to get the help they need”.

What it means for you

If you run or volunteer with a Farnham charity, club or community group, this is a short window. The deadline falls in the week before Christmas, so treat it as a mid-December job rather than a holiday one. Read the application guidance on the scheme page first, and have your latest accounts ready.

Groups funded in this round will be among the last to receive Waverley money. Waverley is abolished on 1 April 2027, the day these projects are due to start. West Surrey Council takes over that day, so the projects will run in the new council’s first year.

Questions go to communities@waverley.gov.uk or 01483 523067.