Community events fund
Community event themes 2025
Barnet’s Community Events Programme supports a number of events to celebrate our borough’s rich diversity and promote social cohesion. Community organisations can apply for a grant between £500 - £1,000 to host an event at any time during the year.
The Council publicly marks major faith and awareness dates throughout the year, see list below. We particularly encourage events that link to these occasions. Please ensure you check the funding closing dates before you apply.
|
Month and Theme |
Description |
Funding dates |
|---|---|---|
|
June 2025 Pride Month |
Pride is a celebration of people coming together in love and friendship, to show how far LGBTQ+ rights have come, and how in some places there's still work to be done. |
Apply by 1 May |
|
June 2025 Windrush Day
|
Windrush Day (22 June) marks the anniversary of the HMT Empire Windrush arriving in Britain and is an opportunity to celebrate British Caribbean communities, and acknowledge the service and sacrifice of the Windrush Generation. |
Apply by 1 May |
|
July-August 2025 South Asian Heritage Month |
South Asian Heritage Month runs every year from 18th July – 17th August, ending on the anniversary of Partition. Along with providing learning opportunities for others, the month enables people of South Asian heritage to reclaim their history and identity by sharing their own stories and experiences. |
For July events, apply by 19 May and get application outcome by 30 May
For August events, apply by 16 June and get application outcome by 30 June |
|
October 2025 Black History Month |
Black History Month is a national awareness campaign which recognises and celebrates the contributions of Black people to the economic, cultural and political life in the UK. |
Apply by 18 August |
|
November – December 2025 Winter Festivals |
Winter Festivals events aim to increase inter-faith and cultural understanding by highlighting religious and cultural festivals and traditions through events that are open to all. Key celebrations include Diwali, Christmas & Chanukah |
For November events, apply by 15 September and get application outcome by 30 September |
|
January – February 2026 Winter Festivals |
Winter Festivals events aim to increase inter-faith and cultural understanding by highlighting religious and cultural festivals and traditions through events that are open to all. |
Apply by 9 January |
|
March 2026 International Women’s Day |
Marked annually on March 8th, International Women's Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements or rally for women's equality. |
Apply by 6 February |
Please note, no applications outside the deadlines will be considered.
Grants for community events
Barnet's community events grant supports a number of events to celebrate our borough’s rich diversity, promote social cohesion and currently align with the community events programme themes.
Community organisations can apply for a grant between £500 - £1,000 to host an event that can include talks, food and cooking events, film showings, performances, art projects and exhibitions. Joint applications are encouraged.
Eligibility
Event proposals must meet at least one of the following:
- Community: To promote community cohesion
- Cultural: To celebrate a cultural occasion or event
- Faith: To celebrate a faith festival or religious event.
Criteria
Funding decisions are made by a review panel made up of Barnet Council officers and voluntary sector representatives. As part of our due diligence process, we will assess proposals against the following criteria:
- has a relevant link to a recognised faith festival or cultural community in Barnet
- demonstrates inclusivity and clear benefits to Barnet residents
- demonstrates assurances in planning and organisation
- has a viable budget, offering value for money.
Please read the community funding guidelines for further details, you can then complete the application form and return it to culture@barnet.gov.uk.
If you have any questions, please get in touch
How to plan a community event
This ‘how to’ guide has been developed to support community groups wishing to plan and deliver events. It covers topics such as bookings, permissions, licencing and advice on safety, access issues, and insurance. Guidance is also given for writing risk assessments, creating a realistic budget, fundraising and how to publicise an event.
