Healthy participation is fundamental to a strong and resilient democracy. Yet engagement in democratic life cannot be taken for granted, and too many people and communities continue to face barriers that leave them feeling disconnected from it.

The Government is committed to encouraging broader and more inclusive participation in our democracy. To support that ambition, I am today announcing the launch of the Democratic Engagement Fund, a new Government grant to support civil society organisations to design, test and deliver place-based interventions aimed at helping to widen participation in democratic life.

The Fund will focus in particular on groups and communities that have historically experienced lower levels of turnout and participation. Evidence indicates that barriers to engagement, including capability, opportunity and motivation, can disproportionately affect groups such as young people, frequent movers, ethnic minorities, people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, disabled people and those experiencing homelessness. There remains, however, limited evidence on which interventions are most effective in reducing or overcoming these barriers. By testing and evaluating a range of approaches in different local contexts, the Fund will help build a stronger evidence base on what works to enhance democratic engagement.

The Fund also aims to provide early insight on engaging young people in our democracy, which can then be built upon ahead of the expansion of the franchise to 16- and 17-year-olds. This will support successful delivery of the Government's commitment to encouraging the participation of young people in our democracy.

Backed by a total of £2.5 million, the Democratic Engagement Fund will provide grants of £1,000 to £50,000, with most awards expected to be around £25,000. The Fund will support practical, locally led approaches that can build trust, remove barriers to participation and deepen people’s connection to democratic life. At a time when confidence in democratic participation must be actively renewed, this investment will support action in communities across England while strengthening understanding of how different interventions can address barriers to engagement. Applications to the Fund will open on 22 June 2026 and close on 31 August 2026, with projects taking place in 2027.

Further details of the Fund, including its objectives and eligibility criteria, are set out in the prospectus published today on GOV.UK. Through the Democratic Engagement Fund, the Government is taking practical action to support innovation, deepen understanding of what works, and help ensure that more people, in more communities, can participate meaningfully in our democratic life.

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