Community Led Transport Grant - phase 2

About the grant

Hampshire County Council has been allocated part of the Department for Transport’s Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) funding to promote existing bus services and support new or improved community-led transport in areas with unmet demand, particularly outside the commercial and tendered network.

The grant has two application streams:

Stream A: Publicity Funding for Existing Services

• Up to £500 award to help communities promote underused or poorly known transport services through targeted marketing and engagement. This funding is for publicity only, not service changes.

Stream B: Community-Led Transport Development

• Funding to create new or expand existing community-led transport services, supporting flexible, locally tailored solutions that improve access to essential services and social inclusion. Funding amount will be assessed on an individual basis.

What we want to achieve

To improve accessibility and connectivity by reducing transport barriers and supporting inclusive, sustainable, community-led solutions - especially in rural and underserved areas where limited transport can cause isolation.

Stream A: Publicity Funding for Existing Services

For publicity-only applications, please ensure you:

• Clearly define your target audience
• Identify barriers to awareness or use
• Include a costed communications plan with clear objectives
• Select effective channels (e.g. local media, print, digital, events)
• Show how the campaign reaches those who will benefit most

If you are not the transport provider, you must consult and gain support from the relevant operator before applying.

Publicity Funding can be used for marketing and other non-capital costs such as design, printing, events, and digital promotion.

Stream B: Planning and designing a Community-Led Transport Service

• To establish a successful community transport service, start by auditing existing transport services in your area and nearby parishes to identify gaps and opportunities to expand or collaborate, which may be more effective than creating a new service.
• Engage your community to understand travel needs and what people are willing to pay, using tools such as surveys, focus groups, or interviews. Strong local feedback will help shape a service that is practical and well used.
• You can then identify the best transport solution by consulting the Community Self-Help Kit, which also helps highlight key planning and cost considerations for your application Community transport toolkit.
• Hampshire County Council provides guidance and initial funding support, but any service developed must be managed or operated by the applying organisation.

Capital and Revenue Funding Split

If you are applying for funding under Stream B (Community-Led Transport Service), the grant is divided into two categories as follows:

• Capital funding for one-off tangible assets such as vehicles, equipment, or infrastructure
• Revenue funding to cover pilot-period running costs like staffing, operations, marketing, and administration.

Applicants may apply for capital funding, revenue funding, or both, depending on their proposal.

Grant funding and application guidance

Applicants must show how their project meets the grant aims and delivers measurable, long-term benefits.

Funding levels will depend on project scope, local need, geographical reach, and improvements to connectivity. Grants should complement (NOT REPLACE) existing services (e.g. NHS patient transport etc), and applicants must explain how the service will continue after funding ends.

Please use our Community Self-Help Kit to support your application and develop a sustainable proposal Community transport toolkit.

Who can apply

Organisations serving Hampshire residents such as registered charities, community organisations, parish councils, and community transport operators may apply, particularly where they work in collaboration with their local community. Partnership working is encouraged and can strengthen applications by building on shared expertise and improving service resilience.

Individuals or informal groups interested in community-led transport should work with a local parish or town council, or a community transport operator, who may be able to apply on their behalf.

How to apply

Organisations applying for a grant must complete the relevant online application form in full and submit all required supporting documentation to [email protected]

Community-Led Transport Grant Application (Publicity Funding for Existing Services) – Fill in form

Community-Led Transport Grant Application (New or Expanded Transport Service) – Fill in form

Contact us

If you have any specific questions or need further information, email the team at [email protected]