Grant Applications 2026/27

Grant Applications for 2026/27 are now open.

Before you apply

If you wish to apply for a Community Grant from Portland Town Council, please read the Guidance Notes below. If you require any advice or guidance, please contact Portland Town Council on 01305 821638, or email office@portlandtowncouncil.gov.uk.

Grant applications will be considered up to £1000 except in exceptional circumstances. Priority will be given to those that have not applied in the previous round.

We will be happy to help with any additional questions about the application process.

Submitting your form

You can download this form to your computer or request a copy from the office and either:

- Complete it electronically, save a copy and email it back as an attachment, OR

- Clearly write in the text boxes, scan or photograph your completed copy and:

- Email it back as an attachment, OR

- Post it or drop it into:

Portland Town Council
Portland Community Venue
Three Yards Close
Portland
Dorset DT5 1JN

Email: finance@portlandtowncouncil.gov.uk
Post: Portland Town Council, Portland Community Venue, Three Yards Close, Portland, Dorset, DT5 IJN

Please note that applications will only be accepted on Portland Town Council's official application form.

Grant Application Form - PDF document
Grant Application Form - Word document

Portland Town Council Grants Policy

Guidance notes

Eligibility

Portland Town Council are keen to receive requests for grant awards from the following applicants:

New start up groups that have not previously applied for a Portland Town Council Grant in the past.
A community group, organisation or charity that is Portland-based OR delivers benefit to Portland residents.
An organised group requesting grant funding for a project, activity or event, which will be for the benefit of Portland residents.
A Portland-based club, association or organisation serving a specific section of the community OR the Portland community as a whole.

Please note - Portland Town Council does NOT fund the following:

Individuals.
Groups/ organisations that do not service the Portland community.
General appeals.
Statutory organisations or the direct replacement of statutory funding.
Any party-political activity.
Religious groups: however, applications from faith-based groups and organisations that demonstrate a clear community benefit will be considered.

Applicants will need to explain how their project/activity/ event will benefit the residents of Portland by demonstrating the:

Demand for the project, activity and/ or event – does the grant application clearly show what the demand for the item(s) requiring funding is from the residents of Portland?
Direct and commensurate benefit to Portland residents – does the grant application clearly explain the direct benefit to all or some of the residents of Portland? And is the size of grant requested appropriate/ proportional to the benefit(s) to be delivered?
Value for money from the grant funding – does the grant application clearly show how the item requiring funding will maximise the impact of any funding received to achieve the intended beneficial outcomes?
Future sustainable plans – If a Portland Town Council grant is awarded, we would expect groups to provide details on your plans to financially support further years.

Criteria

In relation to how a grant application will be assessed, Portland Town Council will give priority to projects/ activities/events which progress one or more of these three sustainability objectives:

Wellbeing: supporting a flourishing and active community of people and organisations working together.
Prosperity: supporting a thriving business community, connected with each other and with the town, providing employment and prosperity.
Environment: covering the attractiveness, variety and accessibility of the town's green spaces with a focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste reduction, and community transport.

Applicants will be required to state the:

Total cost of the project/ activity/ event to be funded.
The sources of other funding including details of other grants or awards applied for or gained in relation to stated project/ activity/ event.
Amount of grant funding / contribution sought from the Council.
Safeguarding Policies details of safeguarding policy and DBS checks where applicable.

Submission

Applications will only be considered on the Portland Town Council Grant Award application form with all relevant and required sections completed.

Step 1. The completed applications will be submitted to Portland Town Council

Step 2. Applications will be submitted to Grants Working Group for review and preparation.

Step 3. Applications will be submitted to next available Finance & Governance Committee who will review the application.

Step 4. The funding application will be either approved, deferred, or declined.

 Step 5. The applicants will be notified of Portland Town Council's decision.

Applications for Portland Town Council Grant Awards close on 31^st January 2026 or sooner if grant funds have already been allocated. Grant awards approved must be spent within 1 year of the grant award date.

Successful grant applications

Please note these conditions if a Portland Town Council Grant Award is made:

The applicant(s) will acknowledge the contribution made by Portland Town Council when arranging promotional activity or literature, including press releases relating to the application.
Payment terms of the Grant Award will be agreed once the Grant Award has been formally approved by the Council. Payments for tangible products or services will normally only be made against a formal receipt or invoice. Staged payments may be put in place for larger projects.
The Council may, where it appears to be a more cost effective or efficient use of resources, prefer to act in partnership with another organisation, or provide support 'in kind', rather than provide grant funding.
Any grant awarded must only be used for the approved purpose.
Financial evidence of the use of the full grant amount for the agreed purpose must be provided to the Town Council within six months of the funding being transferred. Should the evidence not be received, the Town Council will request the return of the funds. Where requested by the Town Council, grants will only be paid following receipt of appropriate invoices.
Any unspent funds will be required to be paid back to the town council.

Please note: the Town Council receives many applications that meet all of the eligibility and grant criteria. We regret that we may not be able to award grants to all of the fantastic events and organisations that it would wish to fund. Grant funding from public funds is discretionary. No organisation or event is entitled to receive funds, and applications which do not meet the grant criteria will not be funded.

Portland Town Council looks forward to receiving your application!