The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced the second round of the Common Ground Award will open for applications on 14 September 2026.
The Common Ground Award aims to:
- Identify and reward good practice in building social connections across and between different communities and people from different backgrounds.
- Invest in the shared physical facilities, spaces and equipment that builds cohesion and resilience through enabling people from different backgrounds to come together.
- Build a community of practice, for knowledge sharing across the voluntary and community sector and with government
Applicants must be directly working on at least one of the following core themes:
- Encouraging and enabling social mixing, promoting understanding and reducing divisions between different communities and people from different backgrounds.
- Reducing prejudice, discrimination and hatred directed toward individuals and communities because of their background.
- Resolving conflict and addressing tensions across and between communities.
The maximum budget for the 2026 to 2027 financial year is up to £2.5 million.
Grant payments of between:
- £20,000 and £50,000 for an individual organisation.
- £100,000 and £250,000 for a consortium.
Individual applicants can set out how capital investment could be scaled up to a maximum of £100,000, which may be considered in exceptional cases.
The application window opens 14 September 2026 and closes 12 October 2026 with notification of decisions in December 2026. Payment to successful applicants is likely to be January 2027.
The prospectus for round two is available now on GOV.UK website. A link to the application form will be provided on 14 September 2026.
A webinar will be held on 10 September 2026 (12:30 to 13:15). Registration via the GOV.UK website. For those who cannot join the webinar, a link to a recording of the webinar and an updated FAQs document will be sent to all who register.