The community event fund is now closed. The fund will reopen in November 2026 for events to be held between April 2027 and March 2028.
What is the community event fund?
This grant supports large-scale events across Manchester. It helps groups deliver major celebrations, grow existing events, and make them more sustainable.
We fund events that:
- Celebrate Manchester’s culture and diversity
- Enhance the city’s global reputation
- Make Manchester a better place to live
Who can apply?
- Fully constituted, not-for-profit groups
- Events that welcome the whole community
- Events that show city-wide social and economic benefits
Your event should attract at least 5,000 people. Applicants must show:
- A track record of running large events
- Evidence of city-wide impact from previous events
Examples of funded events
- Caribbean Carnival of Manchester
- Chinese New Year
- Irish Festival Parade
- Manchester Mega Mela
- St George’s Day
For smaller, local events, try:
Make your event sustainable
Manchester aims to be a Zero Carbon city by 2038. Events we fund must follow sustainable practices.
Use our Sustainable Event Guide to plan your event. It includes checklists for:
- Energy
- Travel
- Waste
- Food and drink
- Water
When you apply, you must commit to sharing details of how you’ll reduce your event’s carbon footprint.
Deadline: Was Monday 9 February 2026