The next deadline for applications is 14 October 2026.
The Community Radio Fund is managed by Ofcom with funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
Community Radio is a tier of very local, not-for-profit (or not profit distributing) radio, run by local people, for local people about local issues.
The Community Radio Fund was set up in 2005 to provide help for the essential core work involved in running a station.
This funding aims to support core and equipment costs of running Ofcom-licensed community radio stations.
In addition, Community Digital Sound Programme (“C-DSP”) stations will be eligible for grants, alongside existing analogue community radio stations, if the station is broadcasting on a digital radio multiplex at the date of their application.
A total of £904,644 is available over the 2026-27 financial year across one funding round.
The following grant streams are available:
- One-off equipment stream grants of up to £2,000 are available.
- Sustainability stream grants of up to £100,000 are available (multi-year grants of up to three years may be considered in this funding round).
Who Can Apply
Community radio stations licensed by Ofcom can apply.
For equipment stream grants, analogue community radio services who have been on air for 10 or more years, and are on air at date of application, can apply.
For sustainability grants, analogue community radio stations and C-DSP stations who are on air at the date of application can apply.
For analogue community radio stations, there should be a minimum of fifteen months remaining on the licence from the closing date for applications. If there are less than fifteen months remaining on the licence, the licensee must have submitted an extension application to Ofcom by the closing date. C-DSP licences do not have an end date.
Eligible Expenditure
Equipment stream grants can be used for studio and transmission equipment costs, including costs to improve accessibility, such as:
- Mixing desks.
- Video/audio recording equipment.
- Antenna equipment.
- Feeder cables.
- Playout software.
- Microphones and headphones.
- Server capacity to store music/recording/audio content.
- Compression/recording equipment (either physical or software).
- Technical or other equipment that support accessibility needs of stations.
- Any other technical equipment Ofcom considers appropriate.
Sustainability stream grants can be used for job roles or projects that support the sustainability of the station. Eligible costs include:
- Management of station costs.
- Fundraising to support the station (such as grants and commercial funding).
- Administration.
- Financial management and reporting.
- Community outreach.
- Volunteer organisation and support.
How To Apply
The next deadline for applications is 14 October 2026.
Guidance notes and an application form are available from the Ofcom website.
Completed applications should be submitted by email.