Cumberland Council

Charity Number: CUSTOM_98582BD3

Annual Expenditure: £1.7M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £930,000 (UKSPF 2025-26) + £750,000 (Community Panels) = £1.68m+ annually
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Varies by program; funding typically available from June following April deadline
  • Grant Range: £3,000 - £50,000 (varies by program)
  • Geographic Focus: Cumberland area (former Allerdale, Carlisle, and Copeland districts)

Contact Details

Website: https://www.cumberland.gov.uk

General Enquiries: 0300 373 3730

Community Funding Team: community.funding@cumberland.gov.uk

Business Grants: Cumbria Business Growth Hub or Enterprising Cumbria

Shop Front Grants: highstreetgrants@cumberland.gov.uk

Overview

Cumberland Council is a unitary authority formed on 1 April 2023 through local government restructuring, combining the former districts of Allerdale, Carlisle, and Copeland. Under Labour majority control and led by Leader Mark Fryer, the council operates with a gross revenue budget of over £800 million. The council distributes community grants primarily through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Community Panels, investing approximately £1.68 million annually in community projects. The council's strategic approach emphasizes health and wellbeing, community cohesion, supporting the visitor economy, and growing the local social economy. In its first year, 149 organizations received Community Panel funding, with additional UKSPF grants supporting 17 projects totaling £389,994. The council takes a supportive approach, encouraging pre-application conversations to ensure project eligibility and maximize success.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

UKSPF Healthy and Inclusive Communities (Revenue):

  • Impactful volunteering or social action: £10,000 - £30,000
  • Sports facilities, tournaments, teams, and leagues: £10,000 - £50,000
  • Cultural, heritage, and arts events and activities: £10,000 - £50,000
  • Applications must be received by 12 Noon on Friday 25 April 2025
  • Funding expected to be available from June 2025

UKSPF Thriving Places (Capital):

  • Enhancing existing cultural, historic, and heritage institutions: £20,000 - £50,000
  • Applications must be received by 12 Noon on Friday 25 April 2025

Social Enterprise Support (Revenue):

  • Supporting new and existing social enterprises: £10,000 - £25,000
  • Applications must be received by 12 Noon on Friday 25 April 2025

Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF):

  • Improving green spaces: £10,000 - £50,000
  • Growing the local social economy: £10,000 - £50,000
  • Applications must be received by 12 Noon on Friday 25 April 2025

Community Panels - Neighbourhood Investment Fund:

  • Total of £750,000 across eight Community Panels
  • Smaller grants with flexible criteria determined locally
  • Rolling deadlines (varies by panel - check individual panel websites)
  • Examples from first year: £3,000 - £52,262

Shop Front Improvement Grants:

  • Up to £5,000 (50% of eligible costs)
  • For landlords and businesses in 15 town centers including Carlisle, Whitehaven, Workington, Keswick, Cockermouth, Maryport, and others
  • Application deadline: 1 August 2025
  • Project completion: 31 December 2025

Business Capital Grants:

  • £10,000 - £35,000 (up to 50% of project costs)
  • Equipment/machinery, premises improvements, tourism heritage assets, farm diversification
  • Delivered through Cumbria Business Growth Hub

Business Revenue Grants and Advice:

  • Revenue grants up to £7,500 (50% match funding)
  • Advice vouchers of £500 or £1,000
  • Delivered through Cumbria Business Growth Hub and Enterprising Cumbria

Priority Areas

  • Improvements to city and town centers
  • Arts, cultural, creative, and heritage activities
  • Sports and leisure activities supporting health and wellbeing
  • Promotion of visitor economy and tourism
  • Business support driving employment growth
  • Volunteering activities promoting wellbeing and social action
  • Addressing local skills needs
  • Growing the local social economy
  • Community cohesion and bringing communities together

What They Don't Fund

  • Retrospective grants (work already completed or resources already purchased)
  • Projects outside the Cumberland area
  • Projects not aligned with UKSPF investment priorities or Community Panel local priorities
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Governance and Leadership

Council Leader: Mark Fryer (Labour), former leader of Allerdale Borough Council

Portfolio Holder for Public Health and Communities: Councillor Justin McDermott, with responsibilities for community grants and Community Panels

Council Structure: Cumberland Council operates with eight Community Panels across the region, each led by local councillors and supported by a team including a chief officer, community development officer, community development assistant, area planning manager, and democratic services officer.

Leadership Perspective: Mark Fryer has emphasized that despite financial pressures, the council's aim remains “to deliver excellent public services that put health and wellbeing at the heart of everything.” In setting the first budget reflecting the Council Plan priorities, he noted: “This is our first opportunity to shape a budget which reflects the priorities in our Council Plan. Unfortunately, that budget will be set in an unprecedented financial climate for local government, with councils struggling up and down the country.”

The council's Community Panels approach demonstrates a commitment to localized decision-making, with Councillor McDermott noting that panels “support stronger, more connected communities by listening to local voices and acting on what matters most to them.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

UKSPF Grants (Community Funding Team):

  1. Email community.funding@cumberland.gov.uk with contact details
  2. Arrange an informal chat to discuss project eligibility
  3. Request and complete application form
  4. Submit by 12 Noon on Friday 25 April 2025
  5. Provide minimum of two estimates/quotes from independent suppliers
  6. Include detailed breakdown of all costs

Community Panels:

  1. Review guidance documents available on Cumberland Council website
  2. Check individual Community Panel webpage for specific deadlines
  3. Download and complete CI1 Community Investment Application Form
  4. Use Community Project Budget Planner tool
  5. Submit according to panel-specific process (deadlines vary by panel)

Shop Front Grants:

  1. Review guidance and terms & conditions
  2. Verify property location using boundary maps
  3. Complete grant application form
  4. Submit to highstreetgrants@cumberland.gov.uk by 1 August 2025
  5. Complete project by 31 December 2025

Business Grants:

Contact Cumbria Business Growth Hub or Enterprising Cumbria for application details and processes.

Decision Timeline

  • UKSPF 2025-26: Applications by 25 April 2025; funding available from June 2025 (pending government confirmation)
  • Community Panels: Four meetings per municipal year; timeline varies by individual panel
  • Shop Front Grants: Applications by 1 August 2025; projects must complete by 31 December 2025

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly disclosed. However, in the first year of Community Panels operation, 149 organizations received funding, indicating broad accessibility to smaller community grants.

For UKSPF 2024, 17 projects received funding totaling £389,994 from £400,000 available, suggesting a high success rate for well-aligned applications.

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly disclosed. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Community Funding Team for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Funder's Direct Advice

Cumberland Council strongly encourages pre-application contact. The Community Funding Team explicitly states: "Email community.funding@cumberland.gov.uk with your contact details so we can arrange an informal chat to discuss your project's eligibility and request an application form. The team will be happy to provide advice and answer any queries you have regarding the application process."

Alignment Requirements

Applications must demonstrate:

  • Alignment with UKSPF investment priorities or Community Panel local priorities
  • Contribution to health and wellbeing, community cohesion, visitor economy, or local social economy
  • Clear benefit to Cumberland communities
  • Realistic and well-costed project plans (minimum two quotes required)

Recently Funded Projects

Examples of successful 2024 UKSPF applications demonstrate the breadth of eligible activities:

  • Growing Well (£23,036): Minibus service for mental health support organization at new Egremont site
  • The Rebuild Site CIC (£39,940): Expansion of construction surplus materials social enterprise into West Cumbria
  • Charge My Street (£33,800): Electric vehicle charge points and community engagement in St Bees
  • Proud and Diverse Cumbria (£52,262): Refurbishment of Choose Life cafe and community hub in Whitehaven
  • Centre for Leadership Performance (£19,500): Transition to retirement workshops
  • Whitehaven District Amateur Boxing Club (£3,000): Competition boxing ring
  • Time to Change West Cumbria (£8,810): Mental health and financial management pilot project

Language and Terminology

Successful applications emphasize:

  • Community benefit and local impact
  • Health and wellbeing outcomes
  • Social value and community cohesion
  • Economic growth and job creation (for business grants)
  • Heritage preservation and cultural enrichment
  • Visitor economy development

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Applying for retrospective funding (work already completed)
  • Insufficient detail in project budgets
  • Lacking multiple quotes from independent suppliers
  • Not demonstrating alignment with stated priorities
  • Failing to make pre-application contact with the team

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Pre-application engagement is essential: The council actively encourages informal conversations before submission. Use this to test alignment and refine your proposal.
  • Local alignment matters: For Community Panels, understand the specific priorities of your local panel. For UKSPF, clearly demonstrate how your project delivers on investment priorities.
  • Budget detail is critical: Applications require minimum two quotes from independent suppliers and detailed cost breakdowns. Under-costed or vague budgets will weaken applications.
  • Timeline planning: UKSPF funding becomes available from June 2025 following April deadline. Projects cannot retrospectively claim for work already completed.
  • Broad sector support: Cumberland Council funds a diverse range of projects from grassroots community groups to established organizations, social enterprises, sports clubs, and cultural institutions.
  • Match funding demonstrates commitment: Business grants typically require 50% match funding, showing the council values partnership and shared investment.
  • Community Panels offer accessible entry point: With 149 organizations funded in year one and flexible criteria, Community Panels provide an accessible route for smaller community projects with locally determined priorities.

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