Tesco Local Community Scheme

New funding for community green spaces – applications open 19 October 2015.

Do you know of a local community green space project that would benefit from funding? If so, then get ready a new community grant programme!

The first funding round of the programme opens for applications across England, Wales and Scotland on the 19 October and will close on 30 November 2015.* This will be your first chance to submit an application for a grant of up to £12,000 to create better and happier places where you live, although there will be two funding rounds per year over the next three years.

The grants programme is managed by Groundwork and funded by Tesco customers from the proceeds of the 5p charge for plastic carrier bags as a result of a government carrier bag levy.

Tesco has 428 store regions and we will award six grants in each region per year to make sure the funding is spread widely across the countries. You’ll easily be able to find details on our website on which Tesco region your project falls under when the scheme opens for applications.  In total the programme will support around 2,500 projects each year.

* Funding round 1: The deadline has been extended to 12 noon on 11 December 2015.

How to apply

You’ll need to make your application online – so be sure to check the Tesco website www.tesco.com after 19 October 2015 for details on how to do so.

Because we’re expecting there to be a major demand for grants, Groundwork will first assess all of the applications received and then provide a shortlist of the applications received for a Tesco regional panel to agree three successful projects to go forward to a public vote. Local Tesco customers will then be able to vote for a local project over two weekends. Applicants at this stage will be awarded grants as follows:

• 1st place in Tesco customer vote: £12,000 grant
• 2nd place in Tesco customer vote: £10,000 grant
• 3rd place in Tesco customer vote: £8,000 grant

Checking your project is eligible

The grants programme will be open to voluntary/community organisations, registered charities, health bodies, Parish/Town councils, local authorities and housing organisations. It will fund capital projects that provide community benefit and have free and open access to all members of the community for a minimum of six days a week, during daylight hours.

Projects that would typically receive funding include:

• Parks, pocket parks and urban green spaces
• Green corridors – river and canals, cycle ways
• Formal and informal play areas
• Open access sports facilities within public parks and recreation grounds – eg football pitches, tennis courts and cricket pitches
• Informal outdoor recreation facilities; eg gym equipment, trim trails and woodland walks
• Nature reserves, community woodland, ponds and village greens
• Churchyards
• Seafronts
• Community allotments, community gardens, orchards and city farms

Full eligibility criteria and detailed application guidance will also be available online.

There’s no match funding requirement to access this grant, but the grant should be the majority of the funding required for your project, which should be a stand-alone project or a discrete, self-contained part of a larger project or part of a phased project and will need to be delivered within six months of receipt of the grant. You will also need the landowner’s permission and, if required, planning permission.

It’s time to apply

Let’s create thousands of better and happier places together.

For Durham contact:  Joanne Ashworth on 0191 5273333 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.