£11.59 Million Local Partnerships Fund Moves Forward with Delivery Organisations Appointed

Investment in local collaboration

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has confirmed the outcome of its competition to appoint organisations responsible for delivering the Local Covenant Partnerships Fund.

The fund provides up to £11.59 million over the 2026–2029 period and is intended to support the development of stronger relationships between civil society and local public-sector partners.

The initiative forms part of the government's wider Civil Society Covenant programme.

Who will deliver the programme?

According to the government's September 2026 update, Locality UK has been awarded up to £11.59 million to deliver the programme in consortium with Collaborate CIC, Renaisi-TSIP and Demos.

A separate independent evaluation contract has been awarded to IFF Research, working with Social Finance and Alma Economics.

The programme is intended to support 15 local authority district areas across England in developing and implementing local covenant partnership agreements.

The government's stated objectives include strengthening local partnership infrastructure, increasing investment in civil society and improving understanding of effective collaboration.

Why the fund matters

Community organisations frequently play an important role in supporting people who face loneliness, disadvantage or difficulties accessing local opportunities.

Yet effective collaboration can be challenging when organisations operate with limited resources or disconnected systems.

Investment in partnership development may help participating areas build more sustainable relationships and identify ways to respond to local priorities.

The independent evaluation element is also significant, reflecting an interest in understanding what works and the value created by partnership activity.

Opportunities for the wider sector

Although the original national grant competition has closed, the programme remains relevant to charities, community organisations, local authorities and organisations involved in volunteering.

It demonstrates a policy emphasis on partnership infrastructure rather than relying solely on individual projects.

As local arrangements develop, organisations may wish to follow official announcements about participating areas and opportunities for involvement.

No organisation should assume that funding is available to it simply because it operates within the voluntary or community sector.

The Care to Volunteer perspective

Care to Volunteer believes that coordinated volunteering can form part of a stronger local community infrastructure.

By helping organisations connect with volunteering opportunities and maintain clearer records of participation, our approach aims to support more organised and accountable community engagement.

We welcome policy developments that recognise the importance of sustainable relationships between public services, community organisations and the people they support.

Long-term community benefit depends not only on individual initiatives, but also on the relationships and infrastructure that allow good work to continue.