Ageing Well Community Fund
At a glance
- Grants: £250–£1,000
- Who can apply: Community groups and organisations, including informal groups affiliated with an organisation that can hold and manage the funding
- Where: Activities must benefit older people in Bath & North East Somerset
- Applications: Open now. Close at 12 noon on Monday 16 November 2026.
Do you have an idea that could make life better for older people in your community?
The Ageing Well Community Fund offers grants of £250–£1,000 to help community groups and organisations test or develop ideas that could make life better for older people in Bath and North East Somerset.
We are especially keen to hear from groups that have not applied for funding before.
Ideas should respond to something older people want or need in their community. You can tell us about your idea through a short form, in writing or by talking it through with us.
To ask a question, email ageingwell@ageukbanes.co.uk or call 01225 466135.
The Ageing Well Community Fund is managed by Age UK Bath & North East Somerset with funding from St John’s Foundation.
Can I apply?
You can apply if:
• You are applying on behalf of a community group or organisation.
• Your group has an appropriate bank account, or is affiliated with an organisation that has agreed to hold and manage the grant.
• The person applying on behalf of the group is aged 18 or over.
• Your idea will benefit older people in Bath and North East Somerset.
• You can explain how you know the activity is wanted or needed.
• Your activity can take place between January and June 2027.
Individuals cannot apply in a personal capacity. If you are unsure whether your group is eligible, please contact us before applying.
The funding can be used to start something new, test an idea or develop an existing community activity.
The grant could help pay for room hire, materials, refreshments, transport, a tutor or facilitator, essential small equipment, or costs that make an activity more accessible.
It cannot pay for costs that have already been incurred or something that is mainly for personal or commercial benefit.
Expressions of interest close at 12 noon on Monday 16 November 2026.
Tell us about your idea online
The first step is simply to tell us a little about your group’s idea. You do not need to complete a long application or use formal funding language. Every idea will be considered against the same criteria, whichever way you apply. Expressions of interest close at 12 noon on Monday 16 November 2026.
Tell us about your idea another way
- Download and print the form: [Download the printable form]
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Ask us to post you a form: Call 01225 466135 or email ageingwell@ageukbanes.co.uk.
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Send a short video or voice note: Contact us and we will help you.
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Talk your idea through with us: Arrange a telephone or face-to-face conversation by calling or emailing us.
How we will look at the ideas
We will look at the idea itself, not how confidently it is written or presented.
We will consider:
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Community need: Is there a clear local need, interest or gap? How does the applicant know?
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Benefit for older people: What difference could the idea make for older people in Bath and North East Somerset?
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Older people’s involvement: Have older people helped shape the idea, or will they have a real say in how it develops?
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Reach and inclusion: Could the idea reach people or communities that are not well served by existing opportunities?
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A realistic plan: Is the idea achievable with the time and money available?
We will also consider the overall balance of the grants, including different communities, locations and types of activity.
What happens next?
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Send us your group’s idea by 12 noon on Monday 16 November 2026.
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We will review all expressions of interest.
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We may invite you to a friendly conversation in late November to understand your idea and proposed costs.
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A small panel will decide which ideas to support.
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We aim to contact everyone with the outcome by Friday 11 December 2026.
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Successful groups will complete some simple checks and agree how the funding will be held, managed and used before payment is made.
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Funded activities are expected to take place between January and June 2027.
If you receive a grant?
We will keep reporting light and make it fit your activity. We will agree what useful information to collect before you start. This is likely to include:
• what you did and roughly how many older people took part;
• what difference the activity made;
• what worked well and what did not go as expected;
• what you would do differently next time;
• whether the activity is continuing; and
• a simple record of how the grant was spent.
You can share this through a short form or a friendly conversation. We may also ask for a short story or case study, but photographs and personal quotes will only be used with permission.