Press release

Community Development Foundation to deliver the £80m Community First programme

Community Development Foundation (CDF) chosen to deliver an £80m programme to help strengthen communities.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Following a competitive bid process the Community Development Foundation (CDF) has been chosen by the Government to deliver the Community First programme.

Community First programme will help communities come together through new and existing community groups, to identify their strengths and local priorities, plan for their future and become more resilient.  Community First includes a £30m small grant programme for some of the most deprived areas in the country and a national £50m endowment match challenge. 

Minister for Civil Society, Nick Hurd, said:

I’m pleased to announce that the Community Development Foundation will be our national partner to deliver the Community First programme.

Community first has introduced a new approach by providing grants to neighbourhoods on a matched basis, primarily to encourage the giving of time. The programme offers support to communities to enable them to build more self-reliance and capability to make the changes they want to see in their area. We have committed to making  £30m available to targeted neighbourhoods around England to provide financial support for community-led projects and a  £50m Endowment fund to create a sustainable source of grants for neighbourhood projects in the longterm.

On top of this the Community Development Foundation will bring together a range of partners who will bring up to £10m to the fund between now and 2015.

Published 22 June 2011