Community radio stations across the UK are set to benefit from a significant increase to the Community Radio Fund, following an uplift in funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
The Community Radio Fund is a grant program established to support the core operating costs of Ofcom-licensed community radio stations. These stations are not-for-profit and aim to serve specific communities with local programming and social benefits. It is allocated by DCMS and managed by Ofcom.
This year, the fund will receive a boost of £600,000 bringing the total amount to £1 million. £900,000 will be available as grants, with the further £100,000 used to develop new initiatives that support community radio – managed by DCMS.
The increase is a welcome boost to the community radio sector, following demand for funding being oversubscribed in recent years due to the level of interest from community stations.
Mark Jones, Community Radio Fund Chair, said: "With the fund more than doubling for this year, we'll be able to support new roles at even more stations. This will help community radio stations operate sustainably and continue to serve their local areas with creative and distinctive programming.”
Media Minister Stephanie Peacock said: “Community radio plays an important role in the lives of many people across the UK, helping to keep them informed, entertained and connected to the world around them. We are committed to ensuring the growth and sustainability of the sector, which is why we have boosted funding to help stations create more jobs, build their businesses and reach even more listeners.”
All FM, a community radio station in Manchester, was successfully awarded a grant for a project to train 11 refugees in radio production skills, leading to live shows.
Ed Connole, All FM’s Director, said: “The support from the Community Radio Fund helped us engage and train those in our community who were at risk of exclusion. Via this funding we were able to train and then help them produce a radio show. Improving their skills and giving them a voice is something that we could as a result of this funding.”
Voice FM, a community radio station in Southampton, used their grant to employ a freelance Marketer and Fundraiser to assist the station in becoming more sustainable.
Xan Phillips, Voice FM’s Station Manager, said: "The Community Radio Fund was a brilliant breathing space, where we could engage outside help, to gather our thoughts and assess where we could be utilising our resources better. We employed the services of Carline Day from Wellbeing Dynamics who was able to clear a path through the forest of thoughts and old practices, and the result was more focused networking, with a clearer, tighter message, using marketing resources sourced from the local community."
Due to the significant increase in funding, Ofcom will now administer one round of funding rather than the usual two. This is to allow applicants more time to prepare, and to ensure efficiency in the process.
The scope of the fund will remain unchanged, meaning funding will be used to support the sustainability of Ofcom-licensed community radio stations as set out in the guidance notes.
The application window for the 2025-26 round is expected to open in early September.