Working together to improve the Community Grants programme

We would like to say a big thank you to all our residents who gave their time to judge the 2026 Community Grants applications.

This year, we received an unprecedented number of applications, which is a testament to the passion and commitment of residents wanting to improve their communities across the country.

We’re pleased to share that we’ve been able to successfully support 15 projects, awarding a total of £24,030 to help bring these ideas to life.

This year’s process wasn’t without challenges and the resident judging panel did a great job navigating those. Following this latest round of judging, we’ve worked closely with the panel to review the process. Through resident feedback and lived experience, we’ve identified ways we can further improve how we support the process.

Here are the key areas we are focusing on:

• Giving clearer guidance and support before judging sessions, for example, a pre session briefing, simple scoring guidance and a clear point of contact for questions
• Making sure the process is simple, accessible and easy to follow for everyone. This might include clearer application packs, ensuring documents are always in the same order and a choice of digital or paper formats
• Allowing more time for open discussion and shared decision‑making. This might be building in time for panel discussions after scoring, so residents can share views and agree outcomes together
• Providing ongoing support for residents who generously volunteer their time regularly such as check-ins and a simple question and answer process to provide reassurance and support.

We are committed to making future judging sessions more rewarding and inclusive. By working together, we can:

• Improve the overall experience for resident volunteers
• Make the process more efficient and easier to take part in
• Ensure every resident voice is heard, valued and helps shape how we work in the future.

We look forward to continuing this work together and building on these improvements in the next round of the Community Grants Programme.

You can read more about Community Grants, joining the judging panel and how you can leave a gift in your will, here: https://www.anchor.org.uk/existing-residents/resident-guidance/anchors-community-grants