Charities and community groups have until Sunday 27 September to apply for grants supporting Oxford residents facing financial hardship.
Oxford City Council has opened a £121,305 community funding pot as part of the new three-year Crisis and Resilience Fund.
Organisations can seek up to £2,000 for a one-year project or apply under a three-year strand offering up to £6,000.
Projects must operate within Oxford or provide services to people living within the city boundary.
At a glance
| Total community funding | £121,305 over three years |
| Annual amount available | £40,435 |
| One-year grant | Up to £2,000 |
| Three-year strand | Up to £6,000 |
| Who can apply? | Charities and community groups delivering, or planning to deliver, cost-of-living support in Oxford |
| Area covered | Projects operating from, or providing a service within, the Oxford city boundary |
| Deadline | Sunday 27 September 2026 |
| Closing time | No exact time is currently published, so applicants should submit before the final day |
| Application system | Online through Plinth; applicants need to create an account or log in |
| Apply | Open the Crisis and Resilience Fund application form |
What projects can the Oxford fund support?
The grants are intended for activities that provide immediate help to people in financial crisis or strengthen the ability of residents and communities to cope with future financial pressures.
Oxford City Council gives examples including:
- food support;
- warm spaces;
- free community activities;
- money, benefits or debt advice; and
- other services that help people build financial resilience.
The application form asks projects to meet at least one of three wider Crisis and Resilience Fund objectives:
- Provide effective crisis support
- Improve individuals’ financial resilience
- Strengthen the local network of support
A project does not necessarily need to meet all three objectives, but applicants should explain clearly how their proposed work responds to at least one of them.
Two grant options are available
| Funding strand | Maximum award | Likely use |
|---|---|---|
| One-year funding | Up to £2,000 | A shorter project, pilot activity, one-year service or defined period of cost-of-living support |
| Three-year funding | Up to £6,000 | A longer-running service or activity continuing across the Crisis and Resilience Fund programme |
The council announcement presents £6,000 as the maximum award under the three-year strand. It does not describe the offer as £6,000 in each of the three years.
Groups should confirm the payment schedule, permitted spending period and any annual conditions through the application form or with the council before building a project budget.
Who is eligible to apply?
The council says the funding is open to charities and community groups which are already delivering, or are planning to deliver, relevant support.
An organisation does not necessarily need to have its main office inside Oxford, provided the funded service operates within the city boundary and supports Oxford residents.
The public announcement does not provide a complete list of eligible legal structures, permitted expenditure or excluded costs.
Applicants should therefore read the full online form and contact the council before submission if they are unsure whether their organisation, partnership or proposed costs qualify.
Before starting an application
Applicants should be ready to explain:
- which Oxford residents or communities the project will support;
- what financial hardship or local need it is responding to;
- which Crisis and Resilience Fund objective it meets;
- what activities will be delivered;
- how many residents are expected to benefit;
- what change or outcome the project is intended to achieve; and
- how the organisation will collect evidence and report its results.
These are practical preparation points based on the fund’s stated objectives and reporting requirements. Applicants should follow the wording and questions in the live form.
How to apply
Applications must be completed online through the Plinth funding platform.
New users will need to create an account, while existing users can log in and begin the application.
The deadline is Sunday 27 September. The council has not published a specific closing time, making it safer to submit before the final day rather than leaving an application until Sunday evening.
Apply to the Oxford Crisis and Resilience Fund.
Questions about the application can be directed to:
| Contact | Nikki Latham, Community Coordinator, Oxford City Council |
| nlatham@oxford.gov.uk | |
| Telephone | 07889 178113 |
No decision date or timetable for notifying successful organisations is currently stated in the public announcement.
Successful groups will need to report their results
Funded organisations will be required to provide regular monitoring information through Microsoft Forms, Excel spreadsheets or both.
The application form says reporting will include:
- the number of Oxford residents supported;
- the types of support provided;
- progress against agreed outcomes;
- case studies;
- feedback from people using the service; and
- narrative updates explaining the difference the project has made.
The published schedule currently lists the following reporting periods:
| Reporting period | Due date | Reports listed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 October 2026–31 March 2027 | 13 April 2027 | Quantitative and narrative |
| 1 April–30 September 2027 | 8 October 2027 | Quantitative |
| 1 October 2027–31 March 2028 | 11 April 2028 | Quantitative and narrative |
| 1 April–30 September 2028 | 6 October 2028 | Quantitative |
| 1 October 2028–31 March 2029 | 10 April 2029 | Quantitative and narrative |
The application form warns that late reporting could affect continued funding.
Groups considering the three-year strand should therefore make sure they have sufficient staff or volunteer capacity to collect and submit monitoring information throughout the programme.
The community grants form part of a wider Oxford allocation
The £121,305 community pot is one part of a broader package of Crisis and Resilience Fund support delegated to Oxford City Council.
Oxfordshire County Council has awarded the city council £198,435 in each of the three financial years from 2026 to 2029, giving a total allocation of £595,305.
The county council said district and city councils were well placed to use local knowledge and data to target support at vulnerable households and communities.
The remainder of Oxford’s allocation can be used for other targeted cost-of-living interventions rather than being distributed through this particular community-grant round.
The wider Oxfordshire programme receives about £5.12 million a year through the Government’s Crisis and Resilience Fund.
The national scheme replaced the Household Support Fund in April 2026 and will continue until 31 March 2029.
How previous Oxford cost-of-living funding was used
Oxford City Council says its 2025–26 cost-of-living work included:
| Support | Amount |
|---|---|
| Advice centres | £40,000 |
| Crisis support for 502 households | £48,000 |
| Community-group support | £31,500 |
| Eight local food larders | £8,000 |
| Oxford Food Hub | £8,000 |
| Administration | £5,500 |
| Work identifying and supporting low-income households | £2,000 |
The new multi-year fund is intended to give councils and local organisations greater certainty than previous short-term annual funding rounds.
Councillor Linda Smith, Oxford City Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, said:
“With the cost of living continuing to affect households across the country, it is vital that local people can access the support they need.
“This funding will help community organisations deliver essential services, from food support and warm spaces to advice and activities that help people build resilience.”
How Oxford residents can get help now
This grant round is for organisations, not for residents making an individual application.
People facing immediate financial difficulty can use several separate services.
Cost-of-living help for residents
Oxford City Council cost-of-living pages: Information about food, energy, housing, rent, mortgage difficulties, warm spaces, mental health support and free or low-cost activities.
Visit the Oxford cost-of-living hub.
Oxford City Council customer services: Call 01865 249811 from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays.
Face-to-face customer service is available at Oxford Westgate Library from 10am to 3pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Independent advice centres: Oxford’s advice directory includes Citizens Advice, neighbourhood advice centres, Age UK Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire Mind, Refugee Resource and other specialist organisations.
Oxfordshire Crisis Support Scheme: Emergency support may be available for food, prepayment energy, heating oil and essential household items where a resident has no other source of help.
Read the Crisis Support Scheme guidance and apply or call 01865 804171, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.
Council tenants: Oxford City Council tenants can also speak to their housing officer about available support.
Frequently asked questions
How much funding is available?
The community funding pot contains £121,305 over three years, with £40,435 available in each year.
How much can one organisation apply for?
Groups can apply for up to £2,000 under the one-year strand or up to £6,000 under the three-year strand.
Is the three-year grant £6,000 every year?
The council announcement states that the three-year strand offers “up to £6,000”. It does not say that £6,000 is available in each year. Applicants should confirm the payment schedule before finalising their budget.
Who can apply?
The council says charities and community groups delivering, or planning to deliver, relevant services can apply. The funded work must operate from or provide a service within the Oxford city boundary.
Does an organisation need to be based in Oxford?
Not necessarily. The council’s wording allows organisations providing a service within the Oxford city boundary to apply, even where their main office is elsewhere.
Can individuals apply?
No. This particular funding round is for community groups and organisations. Residents seeking personal financial support should use the council’s cost-of-living services or the Oxfordshire Crisis Support Scheme.
What activities can be funded?
Examples include food support, warm spaces, free activities and advice services. The project must provide effective crisis support, improve financial resilience or strengthen the local support network.
When is the deadline?
Applications close on Sunday 27 September 2026. No exact closing time is currently published, so organisations should submit early.
How are applications made?
Applications must be completed through the online Plinth form. Users need to create an account or log in before beginning.
When will applicants hear the result?
No public decision or notification date has been announced.
What reporting will successful groups have to complete?
Funded organisations will need to provide data about residents supported, activities delivered and progress against outcomes, alongside case studies, feedback and narrative updates at specified points during the programme.
Who can answer questions about the application?
Contact Oxford City Council Community Coordinator Nikki Latham at nlatham@oxford.gov.uk or on 07889 178113.
Where is the application form?
Apply through the Crisis and Resilience Fund form.
