Village Community Grant Scheme

The Hampshire Village Community Grant Scheme was launched in 2008. It was developed with the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), Community Action Hampshire and the Hampshire Association of Local Councils and is intended to provide better services locally for rural people and to improve access to essential services not available locally. It focuses on helping increase the use of Village Shops, particularly those that are losing their Post Offices, and/or support the creation of new community-led village stores.

SEEDA will provide around £300,000 from their Rural Access to Services programme for this scheme and Hampshire County Council is providing £100,000 from the Local Authorities Business Growth Initiative (LABGI) fund to supplement this. East Hampshire District Council is also offering support and funding of £70,000 for six of their village shops and Test Valley Borough Council is providing £20,000 for shops in Test Valley, so Hampshire County Council is working with them to try to join up our support.

So far, sixteen village shops have been awarded grants under this scheme. They are: Pilley; Minstead; Headley; Passfield; West Meon, Woodgreen, Sherfield English, Grayshott, Goodworth Clatford, South Warnborough, Froxfield, Sparsholt , East Tisted, C hilbolton, St Mary Bourne and Abbotts Ann.

Application form for the Village Community Grant scheme

Guidance notes for the scheme

Case Studies