Government extends Know Your Neighbourhood Fund to March 2026, providing additional £260,000 for Cumbria Community Foundation’s Furness For You project in Barrow-in-Furness.
Barrow-in-Furness, UK – The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has announced the extension of the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund until March 2026. This extension comes with an additional £260,000 in funding for the Furness For You partnership project, led by Cumbria Community Foundation.
The Furness For You project aims to encourage volunteering and build social connections in Barrow-in-Furness, a town that has been recognized by the government as having significant levels of deprivation and a higher need for civil society and community infrastructure.
Since its launch in January 2023, the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund, managed by UK Community Foundations (UKCF), has distributed £14 million of the £19 million government funding available. Cumbria Community Foundation, a member of UKCF, has distributed over £1 million to various projects in the region and has also been able to contribute additional funds through local match funding.
In April 2025, the Fund was extended until March 2026, with an additional £4.5 million in government funding. Of this amount, £2.6 million has been awarded to UKCF by the DCMS.
With its extended allocation of £260,000, Cumbria Community Foundation will continue to support existing projects and work with local voluntary networks to implement long-lasting and scalable initiatives that will extend beyond March 2026.
The Furness For You project is a partnership between local charities and voluntary organizations, led by charity Groundwork North East and Cumbria. The partnership offers a variety of meaningful activities to address isolation and loneliness, help people build confidence, meet new people, acquire new skills, and encourage volunteering.
Annalee Holliday, Head of Grants Practice and Programmes at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “A recent evaluation has shown that Furness For You has had a significant impact on participants, many of whom reported increased social connections, improved mental health, and personal growth. Beneficiaries have described overcoming deep-rooted fears and anxieties to engage in activities, often after months or years of isolation.”
Holliday also expressed gratitude for the additional funding, stating that it will help extend and develop delivery and support even more people. Along with the government funding, the Pappagallino Fund has contributed nearly £11,000 in match funding for the project.
As part of their efforts to tackle social isolation, promote volunteering, and strengthen community ties, the Furness For You partnership has launched an online support hub. The hub, available on furnessforyou.org.uk, aims to connect people across the Furness area with the help, services, and activities they need.
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