The Empty Homes Grants Programme - Introduction

The Department of Communities & Local Government ( DCLG) is currently providing funding to bring empty homes back into use between April 2012 and March 2015. The Programme is divided into two funding streams:

  • The Main Programme: isavailable to registered providers/housing associations and is administered by the Homes & Communities Agency and the GLA in London &
  • The Community Grants Programme: is available to community led housing organisations and is administered for DCLG by Tribal Education & Learning (an organisation which specialises in running grant programme).

The First Round Of Empty Homes Funding2012-2015

Thisamounted to £100m and was allocated between April and August 2012. The HCA allocated £70m to registered providers/housing associations and Tribal allocated £30m to 95 community led housing organisations across England ( but not Scotland or Wales).

Details of the 95 organisations receiving grant can be found in the ‘resources’ section of the HACT website.

The Second Round Of Empty Homes Funding 2013-2015

This was announced in November 2012 and once again there will be aprogramme of grants via the HCA ( & the GLA in London) for registered providers/housing associations and a community grants programme for community led housing organisations via Tribal. The total amount of money is likely to be c£75m, but on this occasion the split between the two Programmes will depend on the level of demand within each programme.

  • THE HCA Programme:

Bidding for the main HCAprogramme is now open and closes on 25th March 2103. Details can be found here:

Unregistered organisations can’t bid directly for funding under this programme, but can partner with a registered provider ( eg a housing association) in order to to make a bid. If you want to go down this route, then you must find a registered housing association, or other eligible organisation, with whom to bid.

  • The Community Grants Programme:

Bidding for The Community Grants is once again open to any organisation that fulfils the basic eligibility criteria set out in the Bidding Guidance ( eg a registered charity or company) and it’s not necessary to be registered with the HCA. This means that you can submit a bid on your own behalf . Details can be found here

Bidding is now open from and closes on 25th March 2013. See The Community Grants Programme: Introduction for more details

JNF 15/1/13

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