Empowerment Fund

Cornwall Pride’s Empowerment Fund is here for the groups that rarely get seen in traditional funding spaces. The reality is, some of the most meaningful LGBTQ+ work in Cornwall happens in small rooms, village halls, cafés, WhatsApp groups, and quiet corners of rural towns. These groups hold people together, often on zero budget, and yet they’re the ones who fall straight through the gaps of big grant systems. This fund exists to change that. We’ve created a £10,000 pot for 2026, offering grants of up to £1,000 for grassroots LGBTQ+ groups and un-constituted community projects across Cornwall. If you’re bringing people together, building connection, supporting wellbeing, or creating a space where LGBTQ+ people can show up as themselves, then this fund is for you.

The approach is simple. No complex forms. No hoops to jump through. No expectation that you need to be a formal organisation. All we ask is that your project aligns with our values around inclusion, anti-discrimination, and safeguarding (and everything in the Empowerment Fund Policy). You can apply online, or, if forms aren’t your thing you can even send us a video telling us who you are, what you want to do, and why it matters in your community.

How the process works

1. You apply through our short online form.
2. We do a quick values and eligibility check.
3. A small panel look at each application using a simple scoring matrix focused on purpose, local relevance, lived experience, and potential impact.
4. We let you know the outcome.
5. Successful groups receive their grant, up to £1,000, once the policy, agreement and basic safety steps are in place.
6. At the end, you reflect back through stories, photos, or learning prompts. No long reports, just honest reflection and what you learned along the way.

Why the grants matter
For some groups, £150 pays for several months of room hire. For others, £500 covers the materials for creative wellbeing sessions. For a rural group with no local LGBTQ+ spaces, £1,000 might be the difference between existing and not. Small pots create real movement when they land in the right hands. This fund is about unlocking your potential, not creating admin.

2026 Funding Rounds
Round One
Applications open: 1 January
Applications close: 16 January
Decisions: 30 January
Grants awarded: 6 February
Projects to be completed by 30th July 2026.

How to apply
You can apply through our online form, be it through a leaflet, report, video, or even a voice note. Videos can be filmed on a phone, and you don’t need to edit them. Just tell us, in your own words, what you want to do and why it matters.

Apply here
https://wkf.ms/49mFML0

1. Purpose — what you want to do and why
2. Local relevance — why your community needs this
3. Lived experience — how your lived experience shapes the project
4. Impact — what difference this will make

Application Guidance
The Empowerment Fund exists to support LGBTQ+ community groups across Cornwall — especially those who don’t usually have access to funding.

This guidance will help you understand what we’re looking for and how to make your application as clear and simple as possible.

Who can apply?
• Any LGBTQ+ community group in Cornwall
 • Un-constituted or informal groups
 • Groups with lived experience at the centre
 • Projects that build connection, belonging, or wellbeing

What we fund
We support projects that strengthen LGBTQ+ community life. Examples include:
 • Peer support groups
 • Trans and nonbinary meet-ups
 • Rural LGBTQ+ gatherings
 • Creative wellbeing projects
 • Youth-led initiatives
 • Community events and workshops
 • Accessibility needs
 • Transport for isolated communities
 • Space hire or equipment costs

What we don’t fund
• Projects not connected to LGBTQ+ communities
 • Activities that exclude people based on identity
 • Political campaigning for specific candidates or parties
 • Expenses already covered by other grants

How much you can apply for
Up to £1,000 per project.
There is £10,000 available in total for 2026.