Step-by-step guide

  1. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Frequently asked questions we receive about the City Living, Local Life grant.

  2. What the grant can be used for

    How to use the grant.

  3. Grant terms

    The terms of the City Living, Local Life grant.

  4. Step-by-step guide

    A step-by-step guide to the application process

  5. Apply now

    Guidance on how to complete the City Living, Local Life application form and how we make decisions.

Before you apply

Get advice and guidance

You can get advice and guidance on our proposal from relevant council teams.

Talk to your councillors

You can contact all ward councillors in your chosen ward and tell them about your proposal. Find details of your local councillors.

The application process

The process is as follows:

  1. Apply using the online application form

    You don't need to upload policies and insurance documents at this stage, but you may need to provide these later.
  2. Wait for a council officer to contact you

    They'll support you through the due diligence process, ask you further questions about your proposal and send your application to our councillors.
  3. Get a decision on funding

    Our councillors will contact you with the outcome of your application. We don't disclose individual councillor decisions.

Applications can take up to 12 weeks to process. Any money spent before receiving approval from councillors will be at your own risk.

If you get funding

You must:

  • use City Living, Local Life branding when you promote your project
  • keep details of any money you spend, such as receipts and who you've paid
  • fill in a monitoring form within 20 days of the project ending – we may not offer future funding if we don't receive this
  • contact the VCS Partnerships team if you make significant changes in the delivery of your project

We may ask you to repay the grant if you don't use the grant as agreed or fail to complete the project within 12 months of receiving funding.

Last updated: 7 November 2025