--- title: "Request for Application for Voluntary and Community Sector Fund 2026-2029" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05d713" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05d713" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05d713.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05d713.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "FOREST OF DEAN DISTRICT COUNCIL" published: "2025-10-30" --- # Request for Application for Voluntary and Community Sector Fund 2026-2029 Buyer: FOREST OF DEAN DISTRICT COUNCIL Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05d713 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05d713) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05d713.json) ## Summary Forest of Dean District Council is currently initiating a tender process for applications to the Voluntary and Community Sector Fund (VCS Fund) covering the period 2026-2029. The tender is open with a closing date for submissions set for 28th November 2025 at 17:00 GMT. The procurement method is an open competition, specifically reserved for local voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations based in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. The initiative, which is valued at £576,000, seeks to address several social issues through five distinct funding lots, ranging from providing advice to individuals to supporting mental health and wellbeing for various demographics, including older people and the Armed Forces community. This tender offers significant opportunities for local VCSE organisations focused on community services, particularly those that can demonstrate a strong capacity in offering advice, supporting community projects, and improving mental health outcomes. Organisations interested in developing their social impact and leveraging their expertise in community services could find this procurement process beneficial for growth. The grant is based on a quality assessment without a price evaluation, allowing businesses with innovative and effective delivery models to excel. Suitability criteria focus on organisations established in Gloucestershire, enabling a regional approach to meeting community needs and fostering opportunities for collaboration and networking among local entities. ## Notice The Voluntary and Community Sector Fund (VCS Fund) aims to provide voluntary and community organisations with a flexible funding opportunity to support the delivery of services, projects and activities that benefit the local community and help to deliver the Council's corporate priorities. From these priorities we have established a number of outcomes that we wish to achieve with our funding. This application forms part of a detailed commissioning process against those outcomes with the funding being awarded to those organisations who can best demonstrate that they can deliver to achieve our outcomes. There will be 5 Funds as summarised in - Summary of the Funds detailed requirements is found in Specifications. (e.g. one organisation may apply for Lot 1 and/or Lot 2 of the Fund A) Applicants may only bid within one Fund.(Please ensure you identify which of the funds and lots you are bidding for) Fund A - Advice Fund B - Improved Voluntary and Community Sector Support in light of LGR Fund C - Improved Mental Health and Wellbeing for Children and Young People who are victims of Domestic Abuse Fund D - Improved Mental Health and Wellbeing for Older People with Long Term Conditions Fund E - The Armed Forces Community is better supported locally ### Lot Information Fund A - Lot 1 Provision of advice to individuals including advice on legal, financial, benefits and rights Fund A - Lot 2 The provision of home visits to vulnerable people Fund B - Improved Voluntary and Community Sector Support in light of LGR Advice and support for volunteers and community groups, including improved collaboration, provision of training, set up, networking and encouraging volunteering Fund C - Improved Mental Health and Wellbeing for Children and Young People who are victims of domestic abuse Children and Young people who are victims of Domestic Abuse are supported holistically and signpost to the help they need Fund D - Improved Mental Health and Wellbeing for Older People with Long Term Conditions People with long term conditions, including early onset, have access to holistic support using nature, arts and music Fund E - The Armed Forces Community is better supported locally Armed Forces Support in Communities which reduces isolation and improves wellbeing ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069710-2025 | | Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Below threshold - open competition | | Tender suitability | VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 30 Oct 2025 | | Submission deadline | 28 Nov 2025 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £480,000 | | Lots value | £480,000 | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Active | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | FOREST OF DEAN DISTRICT COUNCIL | | Locality | COLEFORD | | Post town | Gloucester | | Postcode | GL16 8HG | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire | | ITL 3 | TLK73 Gloucestershire CC | | Local authority | Forest of Dean | | Electoral ward | Coleford | | Westminster constituency | Forest of Dean | | Delivery location | TLK13 Gloucestershire CC | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 75 - Administration, defence and social security services - 98 - Other community, social and personal services ### Codes - 75200000 - Provision of services to the community - 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services ## Release History - 30 Oct 2025 at 12:31 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069710-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069710-2025 30th October 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://in-tendhost.co.uk/publicagroup/aspx/Home - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05d713. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05d713.json.