Boston area projects encouraged to apply for funding from UK Shared Prosperity Fund's Open Grants Scheme

Posted on July 10, 2025

Organisations across the Boston area are being encouraged to apply for funding from the UK Shared Prosperity and Rural England Fund's Open Grants scheme.

Projects with a focus on improving the lives of residents, the development of facilities and cultural or historic assets across the Borough are now invited to apply for grants of between £25,000 and £50,000.

Just over £111,000 is being made available through the scheme, funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and delivered by Boston Borough Council.  

The funding is provided from the UK Shared and Rural England Prosperity Funds, as part of a £3.8million investment made by the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership across the area.

The scheme is open to mid-sized projects which support the development of facilities and culture, heritage and community development projects. The aim is to boost living standards and strengthen residents' pride in the Borough.

Previously, the scheme has supported a number of projects, including Dion's Wood, a new nature reserve created by the Boston Woods Trust, and the purchase of a replica hurricane plane for the We'll Meet Again Museum in Freiston.

The project delivery period will run for a maximum of seven months to March 2025, and it is hoped that these initiatives will generate sustained, long-term results for residents continuing after the grant aid support ends.

Councillor Anne Dorrian, leader of Boston Borough Council, said: "Having witnessed the strong outcomes of the initial UKSPF and REPF programme firsthand, I'm acutely aware of the transformative power of these grants.

"This funding is helping us to directly invest in our communities, aiming to create a lasting, positive impact for our residents by improving the areas in which they live and work.

"There are a number of different funding options available to projects and I would encourage any organisation seeking support to explode the information available - or to contact the council's Local Growth and Grant Funding team - to determine which scheme best suits their needs."

The deadline for applications is Wednesday, July 30 at 5pm - more information can be found at www.boston.gov.uk/LGGF