The Milton Keynes Community Foundation has launched a new look grant programme in its support of local organisations.

The non-profit organisation launched its new range of grant programmes that it said have been designed to better support the city’s voluntary, community, and cultural sector (VCCS).

Changes being implemented by the foundation come directly in response to community feedback gathered through independent research carried out by The Open University in 2023 and a series of workshops in 2024–25.

The research into the changes engaged more than 140 local organisations, from small community groups and charities to cultural organisations and social enterprises, to understand the challenges they face and how the MK Community Foundation could strengthen the ways they support the organisations.

Key issues raised by local groups included the need to simplify applications for smaller grants, provide faster, more transparent decision-making, arrange multi-year and core funding to give organisations stability, and clearer communication about grant options.

In response, the foundation announced that they are launching four new programmes:

• Seed Grants – micro grants up to £750 with a simple, rapid process
• Sapling Grants – grants up to £5,000 with monthly deadlines
• Oak Grants – larger community grants up to £15,000, available quarterly
• Strategic Partnership Grants – over £15,000, offering multi-year and core funding, aligned with MK Community Foundation’s strategic goals and Vital Signs report

Sapling and Oak Grants can also sit within the Cost-of-Living programme, which offers extra flexibility and helps groups respond to emerging needs.

In a statement, Ian Revell, Chief Executive of MK Community Foundation, said, “We are proud that these programmes have been shaped by the people they are here to serve. The Open University research gave us a clear picture of the pressures our local voluntary sector is under, from rising demand to the need for sustainable, long-term funding. By listening carefully and responding, we’ve built a grant structure that is timelier, simpler, fairer and more flexible. It means we can back the vital work of our local groups in a way that really fits their needs.”

The new programmes launched last week, alongside an updated application portal on the MK Community Foundation’s website that will make the application process easier, quicker, and more transparent.