Community Grants
Need the information in another format, or support to apply? Email hello@ukel.co.uk
Grants of £300 to £1,000 for clubs and groups across the Liverpool City Region to open up sport and culture to more disabled people.
About the grants
In 2027, Liverpool hosts two major Para sport events: The Inclusive Sport and Culture Festival (2 to 8 May) and the IWBF Wheelchair Basketball European Championships (11 to 19 September).
The Festival is a first off its kind event in the UK, bringing together elite Paralympic athletes and a world-class disabled-led arts and culture programme. At the European Championships, nations will battle it out on court for a place at the LA 2028 Paralympic Games.
Both events share a social impact programme that aims to create more opportunities for disabled people across the Liverpool City Region to take part in sport and culture. As part of it, we're offering grants to clubs, groups and organisations that:
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Use sport or arts and culture to support the wellbeing of disabled people, or
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Want to create or expand an inclusive offer within their existing programme.
At a glance
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Amount: £300 to £1,000
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Where: Projects delivered in the Liverpool City Region
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Deadlines: 5pm on Monday 30 November 2026 (wave one) and 5pm on Friday 4 June 2027 (wave two)
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Decision: Within 8 weeks (excluding Christmas and bank holidays)
What your project should do
We can fund projects that do at least one of these things:
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Purchase additional equipment that will enable you to widen your offer to more people with a disability or accessibility needs
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Create an additional offer to your existing programme which will allow people with a disability to participate
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Conduct an accessibility audit of your facilities
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Embed new accessibility requirements into your facilities or processes to allow more people to participate in your offer
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Provide training for staff and/or volunteers to be able to support capacity building to deliver sessions for people with a disability or accessibility needs
Funding needs to be spent within 6 months of receiving the grant and will need to be reported on.
Who can apply
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Sports clubs
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Community groups
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Registered charities
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Not-for-profit organisations
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Community Interest Companies (CICs)
To be eligible, your organisation must:
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Have a formal governing document
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Be managed responsibly
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Have safeguarding processes in place if you work with children, young people or vulnerable adults
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Deliver the project within the Liverpool City Region.
Which costs can be funded
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Equipment
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New or extended programme delivery
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Accessibility audits
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Accessibility upgrades to existing facilities
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Training and development
If you want to develop or improve facilities, your application must show that you own the land or building, have a long-term lease for the facility, or have the landlord's consent for the work.
How to apply
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Read the application guidance, which covers what we can and can't fund and how applications are scored.
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Fill in the application form.
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You're welcome to use our budget template.
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Email your application and supporting documents to hello@ukel.co.uk by 5pm on Monday 30 November 2026.
We don't send acknowledgements, but you're welcome to email to check your application has arrived.
If you're awarded a grant
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You'll need to start your project within 2 months of your offer letter, and spend the grant within 6 months of receiving it.
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At the end, you'll tell us how it went: what you spent, how many people took part, and the difference it made, in your own words or theirs.
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You'll credit the Inclusive Sport and Culture Festival and the IWBF Wheelchair Basketball European Championships on your publicity, using the logos we provide.
The full terms and conditions are in the downloads below.
Downloads
Who decides
Applications are reviewed by a panel of representatives from UKEL, Liverpool City Council and people with lived experience of disability or accessibility needs. Funding is awarded by UKEL on behalf of the Inclusive Sport and Culture Festival and the IWBF Wheelchair Basketball European Championships 2027.
FAQs
Our organisation is less than 15 months old and doesn’t have annual accounts yet. Can we apply?
Can individuals or schools apply?
Can we apply on behalf of another organisation?
Do we have to use the budget template?
When will we hear back?
Need support?
If you need any of this information in another format, or support to apply, email hello@ukel.co.uk.