The UK Government has announced that £2.1 million in funding will be awarded to seven Welsh projects through the fourth round of the UK Community Ownership Fund (COF), and that the fund is now closed with no further funding rounds planned.

Since 2021, the Community Ownership Fund has awarded over £135 million to 409 projects across the UK, including £8.8 million awarded to Welsh communities to save and secure 30 community assets.

The Welsh projects with successful bids in this final round represent a diverse range of community initiatives creating positive, lasting impacts for local people.

Congratulations to:

• Caerphilly Rugby Limited – For the Caerphilly RFC Roof Replacement, Photovoltaic (PV) Installation, and Refurbishment Project.
• GISDA CYF – Supporting the redevelopment of Caxton House, Pwllheli.
• Menter y Plu – Preserving and enhancing the iconic Tafarn y Plu.
• Music Venue Properties Limited – Securing ownership of The Bunkhouse in Swansea as part of the “Own Our Venues” campaign.
• Pentre Comrades Club Ltd – Growing their community in RCT through “The Next Chapter” project.
• Toc H – Redeveloping Eveswell Community Centre in Newport to better serve local residents.
• Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway Preservation Co. Ltd – Safeguarding Llanfair Connections and Cloverlands.

Our Chief Executive, Adam Kennerley, states,

“Our heartfelt congratulations to all the successful applicants in Wales. Seven new award winners take our total in Wales to thirty, all having worked hard to save and develop the assets their communities most value. DTA Wales remains committed to supporting community organisations in their mission to build thriving, resilient communities through assets and enterprise and we look forward to continuing our relationship with these successful communities.”

DTA Wales leads the UK COF Support Programme for community ownership here in Wales, shepherding in this £8.8 million and working cooperatively with other support agencies such as Architectural Heritage Fund, Cwmpas and Plunkett.

The Community Ownership Fund has helped communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to take ownership of assets at risk of closure. Although the UK Community Ownership Fund is now closed to new applicants, DTA Wales is actively applying the insights and ongoing learnings from the programme to the Welsh Government’s current commission on Community Assets.

Whilst the UK COF fund has closed, and there are limited capital grants currently available, communities with their sights on their community assets can still make progress and get support. For groups exploring alternative funding options, the development tools and resources on the MyCommunity website offer valuable support. Additionally, DTA Wales provides small grants to help our members support one another. If you’re a member of DTA Wales and have been inspired by another organisation’s asset ownership journey, we encourage you to reach out to us.