A £3 million fund to improve village halls and better connect rural communities across the country was launched on the 5th April by the government. With more than 10,000 village halls across the country, ‘these spaces provide vital hubs for communities to connect, collaborate and celebrate’.
The fund will be administered by Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) on behalf of DEFRA with support from the ACRE Network.
The scheme will fund up to 20% of eligible costs towards refurbishment and alteration of buildings, from improvement works on existing facilities through to new meeting rooms. There is a minimum grant of £10,000 and a maximum grant of £75,000 payable.
Listed places of worship can already apply to the government LPS scheme for a guaranteed 20% grant (to give them VAT relief), and this scheme may provide an opportunity for unlisted places of worship which meet the criteria to apply to the government for a similar amount.