DCF would like to thank BCP Council for working with us to deliver this grant programme, by making funds available from the Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant (HRSDAG) awarded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Grants of up to £30,000 are available but applications for smaller amounts are welcome.

 

Eligibility

We will prioritise organisations that are local to Dorset and based in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

We can consider regional or national charities if they can demonstrate strong local connections and that proposed activities are locally rooted, delivered by local teams and responding to local needs.

Applying organisations do not need to work with people who are homeless. Indeed, some organisations who may be appropriate for this fund may not view themselves as a ‘homelessness organisation’.

This is a prevention focussed funding programme – we are actively looking to support organisations that work with people who are at risk of homelessness, or with a cohort of people who are known to have higher risks of becoming homeless due to socio-economic factors. We can also consider interventions to shorten stays in temporary accommodation (see Fund Priorities) or for people living in non-supported housing who might be at risk of becoming homeless. This funding programme cannot support work taking place with people who are already experiencing longer term homelessness.

Organisations that can apply:

• Registered Charities
• Constituted Community and Voluntary Organisations
• Community Benefit Societies
• Community Interest Companies limited by guarantee
• Companies limited by guarantee that have a clear not-for-profit clause in their governing document and clear charitable or social objectives

To be eligible the organisation must have:

• At least three unrelated people responsible for running the organisation (for registered charities these are your Trustees, for CICs/Social Enterprises these are your Directors)
• A written constitution or set of rules that sets out the purpose and management of the organisation
• A bank account in the name of the organisation with at least two unrelated signatories required for payments
• An appropriate Safeguarding Policy and EDI policy

Exclusions:

• Schools are not eligible but we can fund PTA groups if they meet our eligibility guidelines
• We cannot fund the promotion of religion or political causes – faith based organisations should advise whether funded activities are designed to, or include elements that are designed to influence people’s religious choices
• We cannot fund public bodies to carry out their statutory obligations
• We cannot fund animal welfare organisations
• We cannot offer retrospective funding for items already purchased or work completed
• Organisations with more than 12 months’ unrestricted reserves are usually not funded

Partnership applications

• Partnership applications are defined as applications where two or more organisations are co-delivering the proposed activities and will each receive a proportion of the grant funds, to cover their costs
• Please call the DCF Grants Manager if you are considering a Partnership application

Priorities

This fund is NOT designed for organisations or activities targeting people who are currently experiencing longer term homelessness. Other DCF funding programmes may be more suitable for this work.

We want to support organisations that intervene before homelessness takes root and tackle some of the common root causes of homelessness. We want people to access services before they sleep rough or need temporary housing. We want to reduce the likelihood of people sleeping rough or using temporary accommodation, and fewer experiencing hidden homelessness such as sofa surfing.

Priority may be given to groups that work with young people, who work in partnership with other providers, and who involve people with lived experience in the design of services.

The fund will award grants to organisations that work under one of three headings:

Preventing homelessness (upstream, early prevention)

Reducing homelessness (shortening length of stays in temporary accommodation or hidden homelessness)

Preventing returns to homelessness (for those in unsupported accommodation).

• 1) Preventing homelessness

A preventative approach can include supporting people within our communities that are at higher risk of experiencing homelessness in their future – but not necessarily at current acute risk. This includes activities that support wellbeing, personal aspirations, employment, healthy lifestyles, improving awareness of housing services, and specialist work for people with complex needs. Examples of people at higher risk of homelessness include: vulnerable young people, young people who are NEET (age 16 – 25 and not in education, employment or training), non-UK nationals, survivors of domestic abuse, single people not legally classed as a priority for housing, households in highly deprived areas, overcrowded households, families with relationship or child protection issues, people in financial crisis, people with poor health or disabilities, adults with no qualifications, people in recovery from addictions, ethnically diverse communities and LGBTQ+ communities.

A preventative approach can include supporting community groups that are ‘asking and acting’ on housing risks in community settings. Those at risk of homelessness might be seeking support or attending community activities within community hubs, support groups or services for people with connected issues such as finance or health. Grants might involve additional capacity, training or support for teams to ask appropriate questions, and support access to relevant services – to help intervene at an earlier point, before risks become crisis.

A preventative approach can also include supporting people who have been identified as at more immediate risk, and in need of a timely intervention to avoid this route. This includes services for people transitioning from asylum accommodations, leaving care or other institutions (e.g. hospital or the criminal justice system), people who are struggling to pay rent or households experiencing relationship break downs. Interventions might prevent a need for temporary accommodation by developing a trusted relationship, providing advocacy advice and support, or facilitating onward housing solutions.

• 2) Reducing homelessness

Supporting people identified as at risk of homelessness won’t prevent homelessness in all cases – we also want to support services that prevent longer term homelessness or long stays in supported accommodation.

Work to reduce homelessness includes services that reduce the length of stay in temporary accommodation or hidden homeness situations such as sofa surfing – with people moving back into non-supported accommodation in a more timely, supported way. This might involve providing advocacy advice and support, facilitating onward housing solutions, and supporting transitions into stable, independent living.

• 3) Preventing returns to homelessness

People who have transitioned from homelessness into independent, non-supported accommodation, are often at risk of returning to homelessness due to multiple factors. We want to support these individuals so that returns to homelessness are less likely – by supporting services that maximise people’s chances of long term success in their new accommodation and maintaining tenancies.

Services could be offering targeted tenancy sustainment support through activities such as employment advice, mental health support, addictions recovery, money management skills, household management skills, connectivity with other residents and community services, parenting support, volunteering opportunities and other relevant help.

Funded activities might also involve supporting people with experience of homelessness, to help shape new services or to participate as volunteers in order to support others.

What can I apply for?

Grants of up to £30,000 are available (applications for smaller amounts are welcome) – please note the below.

The grant period should be from a minimum of six months to a maximum of 24 months – however, if you are requesting more than £15,000 we would expect the grant period to be a minimum of 12 months.

You will be notified of the outcome of your application by the end of November 2026, so the earliest start date for your activities is December 1, 2026.

The activities funded must start within two months of the award.

Applications do not need to be for new services. We can fund the continuation of existing services that are delivering evidenced outcomes, the expansion or adaption of these services in line with local needs or increased demand, piloting new ways of working or launch of new services.

We will fund any costs relating to the work you deliver including core costs, service delivery costs and reasonable capital costs (e.g. office equipment, activity equipment, tools etc). Contributions towards large capital appeals are a low priority for funding.

Monitoring and reporting

You should have tools in place to measure and record the intended outcomes of the grant – examples may include feedback forms/questionnaires, interviews or discussion groups, recording observations, attendance logs or other relevant data.

Completion of an online End of Grant report is a requirement of funding, including how funds were spent, the outcomes achieved (for beneficiaries and/or your organisation), learning during the grant period and individual case studies where relevant.

For organisation with a grant period more than 12 months, an interim report will also be required at the mid-point of your grant period.

We intend to arrange a visit with each funded group during their grant period, to your premises or the venue for funded activities. This can be arranged at a mutually agreeable time.

Pre-application support

We are holding Information Events to help local organisations understand the remit of this funding programme, and as an opportunity to ask questions. BCP Council representatives will talk more about Homelessness Prevention and DCF can answer questions about the application process.

• CLICK HERE to book on our In Person event on Wednesday 2nd September from 10.30am to 12pm at Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus, Fusion Building
• CLICK HERE to join on our Online event on Thursday 3rd September from 10.30am to 12pm (if you would like the event to be sent to your calendar, please email grants@dorsetcf.org)

Please attend an Information Event if you can but, if necessary, you may also seek advice from DCF Grants Manager, Ellie Maguire. Please email Ellie to arrange a 20 minute phone call.

Our application forms are compatible with screen readers. Please contact us if you need the application form in an alternative format.

• Grants Manager, Ellie Maguire: 01202 138690 / grants@dorsetcf.org

Timeframe

This fund opens for applications on 1st September 2026

The deadline to apply is midday, 1st October 2026

You will be notified of the outcome of your application by the end of November 2026, so the earliest start date for your activities is December 1, 2026.

How to apply

This Fund will open on 1st September 2026 – the link to apply will be added on this date.

You will need to attach the following supporting documents to your online application, or send them via email to grants@dorsetcf.org

• A copy of your constitution/governing document, if you are not registered at Companies House or the Charities Commission
• A copy of a recent bank statement no more than three months old. This can be a scanned/photo of paper statement, or a copy downloaded from an online account – we need to see the bank name and the account name, number and sort code
• A copy of your latest annual accounts (if they more than a year old, please send draft accounts for the current year if you can) – in the case of new groups, please send a financial forecast or budget for your first year if you have one
• Your Safeguarding policy and Equality & Diversity policy *our guidance notes may be helpful
• (CICs operating more than 1 year should also provide their CIC 34 report, and those with micro accounts only should provide their trading profit and loss accounts)

Apart from the bank statement, you do not have to send these if you have already sent these documents in the last six months.

NB We have added any ‘any other information’ box to all our application forms, requested via our last survey with applicants. This is after the main questions and can be used to clarify anything you need to.

*For support with policy development or reviews we recommend you contact one of the local support agencies for voluntary sector groups – Community Action Network offers support to groups in the BCP area. Volunteer Centre Dorset and Dorset Community Action  provides support to groups in the Dorset Council area.

Safeguarding policy – there are helpful online resources such as the Charity Commission’s guidance on Safeguarding and the NSPCC website. New groups or those without any current policy may find it helpful to watch this short video ‘Safeguarding adults in the voluntary sector’  introducing what Safeguarding is and why it is relevant for all voluntary sector groups, no matter how small or who you are working with.

Equality & Diversity policy – we recommend this should include as a minimum: reference to the Equality Act 2010 and explicitly covering all protected characteristics, equal access to services & employment and ways you achieve this, preventing harassment or discrimination and how complaints are dealt with fairly.

In order for us to follow our decision-making process, the information given in your application will be shared with our independent panel members and/or donors as appropriate. Panel members are subject to a confidentiality agreement. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information on data sharing and storage.