Guidance
HS2 Phase One: how to apply for community and business funds
Worth £40 million, the two funds are available to communities and local economies that are impacted by the construction of HS2 Phase One.
The objective of these funds is to add benefit, over and above committed mitigation and statutory compensation, to communities and local economies along the route. Particularly those that are demonstrably disrupted by the construction of Phase One of HS2, running from London to the West Midlands.
Community and Environment Fund (CEF)
There will be two types of CEF grant:
- ‘CEF Local’ will focus on quality of life and environment in individual communities;
- ‘CEF Strategic’ will focus on large projects across several communities and address strategic rather than purely local concerns.
Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF)
The BLEF will focus on projects or programmes across several business sectors and address employment concerns in an area as opposed to individual businesses.
Groundwork UK are the independent Grant Management Body for both funds.