Funding Advice Bureau 


SYFAB guide to... 
Funding for 
community buildings 
– getting started 



 Funding for community buildings


Fundraising for the purchase, major refurbishment or 
construction of a community building is a big challenge. 
It can take 2 – 5 years from the initial plans through to 
getting the money and starting the work. 

You may need to invest a lot of time, energy and some cash 
in the project before you know whether you can raise the 
money needed. So you need to be clear that the building is 
going to be used and that there is demand for community 
facilities. Funders will want to know that the building will be 
well used and that the community has access to it. 

Your management committee may need training to develop 
the new skills and knowledge needed to manage a 
building. If your organisation is going to take responsibility 
for a building and staff, it should become incorporated. 
This will limit the liability of members, so that, if legal 
action were ever taken against your organisation, the 
assets of the individual members would not be at risk. 
The company limited by guarantee is the most common 
incorporated form taken by organisations in the voluntary 
and community sector, although it is not the only 
one available. 

Step 1 – Preparing your organisation 

If you are buying a building, you need to consider the many 
responsibilities involved in owning a building and establish 
strong arguments for why you need to own, rather than 
rent, your premises. 

If you are refurbishing a rented property, funders will want 
to know that if they give a grant it will be your group that 
benefits from the improvements to the building. They will 
expect you to hold a lease over a certain period of time, 
usually for a minimum of five years, depending on the 
amount of money you have asked for. 

In both cases, funders will want to be reassured that the 
management committee can comply with all the legal 
requirements of managing a building open to the public, 
and employing staff. 



Step 2 – Develop a funding strategy 

You need to consider a strategy and action plan, for a 2-5 
year period that identifies different stages of the project. 
This may include producing a community audit, organising 
surveys and feasibility studies and a scheme of work for the 
construction phase. 

You may need to approach several different funders in order 
to secure large funds and you will need to reassure them 
that you have enough resources to complete the building 
work. Not many funders are big enough to be a major 
funder for a building project. 

If you are approaching the larger European or 
regeneration funds, you will need to have links with 
training, employment, childcare, education or community 
enterprises. 

Approaching funders at the right time is very important. 
If you make an application too early, funders may feel that 
you will not start building for a long time and reject your 
application. If you make your application too late they may 
not have time to consider your application before building 
work starts. 

Your strategy should also include a business plan showing 
how you will raise the income to keep the building open in 
the next few years. 

Step 3 – Gather information 

After you have worked on your funding strategy for the 
building scheme, you need to think about the documents 
and plans you will need to submit. Each funder will require 
different information on your building plans and you may 
need to spend time researching the different documents 
that you have to send to funders. 

Remember, always tailor your applications to each funder 
and never send out general appeal letters. 


Step 4 – Start local 

Some groups start by approaching members and groups 
within their community. Do-it-yourself fundraising can 
encourage your local community to get involved and 
provide much-needed publicity for your project. You will 
also be able to demonstrate to funders that you have the 
support of the local community. 

You may know local funders and companies who you can 
approach. They may be happier to start making smaller 
grants in the first stages of your project and this will 
encourage larger funders to give grants at a later stage. 

Step 5 – Make use of free professional help 


A capital project will need input from professionals such 
as architects, solicitors, as well as specialist reports like 
feasibility studies. You may be able to access professional 
support for free, which can minimise the amount of money 
you need to raise. 

Useful Resources 

You will need a range of support when fundraising for 
a community building. Talk to other groups that have just 
been through the process about what they found 
most useful. 


Community Matters runs national training courses and 
publishes ‘Occupying Community Premises’ edited by 
Jonathan Dawson. A book about the legal basis on which 
community organisations occupy buildings where they are 
owned by local authorities or other bodies. 
Tel: 0845 847 4253 
Website: www.communitymatters.org.uk 


South Yorkshire Pro-help consists of architects, solicitors, 
surveyors and others who may do free assignments for 
local groups. 
Tel: 0114 201 3307 
Website: www.bitc.org.uk/yorkshire_and_humber/ 
programmes/community_investment/prohelp/south_ 
yorkshire.html 


LawWorks for Community Groups provides free legal advice 
through a network of volunteer lawyers. 
Tel 0207 929 5601 
Website: www.lawworks.org.uk 

The Glass-House Community-Led Design service offers 
advice and free training for groups who are involved in, 
or want to get involved in, the regeneration of their area. 
The service offers specific professional support that can 
help the group to develop their ideas further or put the 
theory into practice. 
Tel: 020 7490 4583 
email: info@theglasshouse.org.uk 
Website: www.theglasshouse.org.uk 

The Royal Institute for British Architects (RIBA) gives advice 
related to architecture and design. They have a directory 
of architects in the region and can help with choosing and 
working with an architect. 

RIBA Yorkshire 

Tel: 0113 389 9870 
email: riba.yorkshire@inst.riba.org 
Website: www.architecture.com 

Planning Aid is a free service offering independent 
professional advice and help on town planning, organised 
by the Royal Town Planning Institute. Planning Aid gives 
information and advice on planning law, publications and 
procedures, and can help groups to: object to, or support, 
other people’s applications; draw up community plans; 
apply for planning permission; appear at a public enquiry; 
appeal against a refusal of permission. 

Yorkshire Planning Aid 

Tel: 0113 204 2460/0113 204 2461 
Website: www.planningaid.rtpi.org.uk 

Finance Hub information sheets on Community Buildings, 
Managing Buildings and Shared Buildings, available online. 
Website: www.fi nancehub.org.uk/managing_money_and_ 
resources/default.aspa 



South Yorkshire Funding 
Advice Bureau 
The Workstation 
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Tel: 0114 249 4343 
Email: enquiries@syfab.org.uk 
Website: www.syfab.org.uk 

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