Local communities across England are set to benefit from a new £11.59 million government fund designed to strengthen collaboration between civil society organisations and local authorities. The funding, invested over three years, aims to improve support in areas such as mental health, adult social care, women’s refuges, and child poverty. By fostering partnerships between local councils and community organisations, the fund will promote more joined-up and preventative care services, helping people access vital support closer to home.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has launched a competition to appoint a grant recipient to deliver the Local Covenant Partnerships (LCP) Fund. This initiative will invest in local networks of charities and community organisations, particularly in areas most affected by the cost of living, ensuring more coordinated delivery of self-directed and preventative care. The fund also supports the government’s Civil Society Covenant, launched in July 2025, which aims to reset the relationship between the UK Government and civil society through principles-based collaboration.
The programme will initially target 15 areas across England to implement new local covenant partnership agreements, strengthening relationships between local authorities and civil society organisations to drive better outcomes for communities. The initiative draws on successful models of collective action, such as the Synergy VCSE Alliance for Mental Health in Sheffield, which established peer support workers across 15 primary care networks, and the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit, which provides mentoring for 8–11-year-olds to help build self-esteem, healthy relationships, and emotional resilience while supporting parents and carers.
Civil society organisations with proven experience in multi-stakeholder collaboration and driving investment in the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector are invited to apply for the fund. Civil Society Minister Stephanie Peacock emphasised that this investment goes beyond funding, aiming to provide seamless and compassionate support that transforms lives. By bridging the gap between local councils and community organisations, the LCP Fund will turn the principles of the Civil Society Covenant into practical, life-changing support for vulnerable individuals and families.
