Community Hot-Spot Fund

This fund is now closed.

Each year, we support Norfolk community groups and charities to provide vital services for people living in our county, combatting isolation and improving people’s wellbeing during the colder months.

Grants of up to £2,000 are available to contribute towards the cost of running or establishing a Community Hot-Spot that gives a warm welcome to your community, in particular reaching those who are vulnerable or have been impacted by the cost-of-living crisis.

In your application, please tell us about your idea for a Community Hot-Spot. As well providing warmth, this space should bring the community together. This can be anything from providing a cup of tea and a warm welcome, to enabling access to wider support services.

Ongoing fundraising is taking place whilst this fund is open for applications. The current grant-making pot sits at £120,000.

Laura, Head of Programmes, explains the Community Hot-Spot Fund

The following applicants will be prioritised:

Volunteer-led groups that are engaged in their communities.
Groups that can support particularly vulnerable or isolated people in their community to access their warm space.
Groups that will provide a distinct weekly offer to their community.
Previously grant recipients that have demonstrated the impact of their Community Hot-Spot by completing End of Grant monitoring.
Offers should be broadly inclusive, however groups who wish to solely support a particular demographic should use the application to explain why this particular group is disproportionately affected by the Winter.
If you can start spending your grant immediately. Funds should be spent by 31st March 2025.

This funding is not right for you if:

You are not a constituted group
You are a private sector organisation
Your project is a capital (building) project, including boiler replacement/ repair and new windows
You are looking for funding to support the costs associated in heating an organisation’s office space

Please click below to see our full guidance on ‘Community Hot-Spots’.

Find out more

When to apply

This fund is now open and will close on Friday 1st November at 12pm. Decisions will be made by the end of November 2024 and funding should be spent by the 31st March 2025.

How to apply

Please use the ‘Apply online’ link below to begin an online application. If you have any questions or would like to discuss an application, please get in touch.

We require groups to submit the following documents alongside their application:

A copy of a recent bank statement (dated within the last year)
A copy of your Safeguarding Policy- this should include the name of your group’s Designated Safeguarding Lead

Before making an application, please ensure that your organisation meets our eligibility requirements.

This map shows all of the Community Hot-Spots that were funded in last year’s appeal. Please take a look at our 2023/24 Community Hot-Spot map to see if any Community Hot-Spots were established near you.

Last year, we were able to deliver this programme thanks to contributions from Norfolk County Council, the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, Breckland District Council and Equitix.

We are also able to offer this support thanks to our partners and generous donations from the public into our Surviving Winter Fund.

Donate to this year’s appeal