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The Democratic Engagement Fund
Funding
£1,000 – £50,000
Deadline
1 September 2026
Location
England
Applications
Applications closed
Overview
The Democratic Engagement Fund gives grants to civil society organisations in England. You can apply for between £1,000 and £50,000. The money funds projects that help people understand and take part in democracy. Your project must be politically neutral and based in a specific place. It should focus on communities that are less likely to engage with democracy, such as young people, ethnic minority communities, disabled people, people experiencing homelessness, or people from low-income backgrounds. Projects must also share learning about what works to increase democratic engagement. The deadline to apply is 1 September 2026.
Requirements to check
Who can apply:
Key requirements:
- Projects must be politically neutral
- Projects must be place-based and delivered in England
- Must focus on communities with lower democratic engagement
- Must contribute learning on what works to increase democratic engagement
This summary may not include every exclusion. Check the full eligibility rules, including who and what the funder will not support.
This fund is for civil society organisations in England, such as charities, community groups, and voluntary organisations. Your project must focus on helping underrepresented groups engage with democracy, including young people, ethnic minorities, disabled people, or people on low incomes. It is not for political organisations or projects that are not based in England.
Sectors
Regions
Awards published
25,986
Typical award
£84,655
Most awards
£25,000 to £300,000
Most funded region
North West
4,486 awards in 2025, down from 10,180 the year before.
Recent awards include SWINDON BOROUGH COUNCIL (£150,000, 2025), MCCARTHY & STONE (SHARED OWNERSHIP) LIMITED (£4,300,000, 2025) and MID DEVON DISTRICT COUNCIL (£312,390, 2025).
Contains data from 360Giving publishers, used under open licence.
Full details from Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government
The Democratic Engagement Fund provides grants to civil society organisations (CSOs) to deliver politically neutral, place-based projects that support people to understand, engage with, and participate in democracy in England. The Fund focuses on communities that are currently less democratically engaged, including young people, ethnic minority communities, disabled people, people experiencing homelessness, regular movers, and people from low socio-economic backgrounds. Projects should help overcome barriers to democratic participation related to knowledge, opportunity, motivation or trust, and must contribute learning on what works to increase democratic engagement. Projects must be delivered in England.
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Last updated: 1 September 2026