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Working in partnership to support local communities across Oxfordshire.
The Community Partnership Fund (CPF) supports collaborative projects between the University of Oxford and local organisations across Oxfordshire.
Formerly known as the Community Grants Scheme, the fund has evolved to reflect a broader ambition, not just to provide financial support, but to enable meaningful, long-term partnerships.
Through CPF, the University works alongside community organisations to share knowledge, facilities, and expertise. This might include student and staff involvement, access to spaces, research collaboration, or co-delivered activities that respond to local priorities.
At its core, CPF is about partnership. Projects are jointly shaped and delivered, ensuring that activity is grounded in community need while drawing on the University’s resources in a practical and relevant way.
The Fund supports projects that:
• are co-developed between the University and a local organisation
• respond to clearly identified community needs
• create opportunities for mutual benefit and shared learning
• demonstrate potential for meaningful local impact
Projects can take many forms, from community events and education programmes to sport, culture, and social initiatives.
From grassroots organisations to city-wide initiatives, partnerships take many forms, but at their core, they are built on shared purpose and trust.
Working in partnership with the University, Emmaus Oxford is developing opportunities that support people with experience of homelessness through meaningful activity, skills development, and community integration. The collaboration explores how student engagement, volunteering, and shared expertise can contribute to longer-term pathways for individuals rebuilding their lives.
This partnership focuses on creating inclusive play opportunities for children and young people across Oxfordshire. Through community-based activity, the project supports wellbeing, development, and social connection, while exploring how the University can contribute through research, engagement, and shared resources.
The Fund is open to:
All proposals must demonstrate a clear partnership approach, with both parties actively involved in shaping and delivering the project.
Applications are reviewed on a termly basis.
Projects are assessed on:
Applications are reviewed once per academic term, with deadlines set at the end of Week 4.
Upcoming Expression of Interest (EOI) deadlines are:
Applicants are typically notified within a few weeks of the review date.
If you’re interested in developing a project through the Community Partnership Fund, we’d welcome a conversation. Contact the team.
Projects vary widely and may include education initiatives, community events, cultural programmes, sport and wellbeing activities, or research-informed collaborations.
Yes. All projects must be co-developed and delivered in partnership with the University of Oxford.
No. In addition to financial support, projects may benefit from access to University expertise, facilities, networks, and student or staff involvement.
Projects are typically short to medium-term, but may form part of longer-term partnerships.
Yes, particularly where projects demonstrate strong impact or ongoing collaboration.
A long-standing partnership that opens Oxford’s buildings and spaces to the public, including many University sites. Supported through CPF, the programme creates opportunities for local communities to explore the city’s heritage and engage with the University in new and accessible ways.
A grassroots basketball organisation delivering inclusive sports programmes for young people. The partnership supports opportunities for participation, confidence-building, and community connection through accessible sport.
A student-led initiative working in Blackbird Leys, connecting University students with local communities through collaborative projects that respond to local priorities and build long-term relationships.
A volunteer-led organisation supporting people experiencing homelessness and hardship. CPF supports collaborative activity that strengthens community response and connects University resources with local need.
Working with local communities through sport, this collaboration with supports engagement activities that bring people together and create accessible pathways into participation, wellbeing, and community identity.
Focused on accessible learning opportunities, this partnership supports inclusive education pathways and community-based learning for individuals who may face barriers to traditional routes.
The Community Partnership Fund builds on the legacy of the University’s Community Grants Scheme, which has supported local organisations for over a decade.
Since its early years, the programme has worked with a wide range of partners across Oxfordshire, including charities, schools, cultural organisations, and grassroots community groups.
These partnerships span areas such as:
Together, they reflect the breadth of activity taking place across Oxfordshire and the University’s ongoing commitment to working in partnership with local communities.
