Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF)
HS2 Ltd · England, along the HS2 Phase One and Phase 2a route
The Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) provide grants to local communities and economies demonstrably disrupted by the construction of HS2 Phase One and Phase 2a between London and Crewe. CEF focuses on community, environmental and quality-of-life improvements, while BLEF supports local economic and business activity. (Find a Grant)
Summary
Deadline
31 Mar 2035
Updated
16 Oct 2026
The Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) provide grants to local communities and economies demonstrably disrupted by the construction of HS2 Phase One and Phase 2a between London and Crewe. CEF focuses on community, environmental and quality-of-life improvements, while BLEF supports local economic and business activity. (Find a Grant)
Eligibility
Applicant types
See eligibility requirements
Industries
Community development, environmental improvement, infrastructure, tourism, local economic development and business support
Match funding
Not specified
Eligible applicants
Organisations formally established for public benefit and operating on a not-for-profit basis, including registered charities, constituted community groups, Community Interest Companies (CICs), social enterprises, community businesses and organisations supporting local business or tourism. (Find a Grant)
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
CEF Local: up to £75,000 per project. CEF Strategic: £75,001 to £250,000 per project. BLEF: £10,000 to £250,000 for capital or revenue projects. (Find a Grant)
Total fund available
£45 million total: £40 million for Phase One and £5 million for Phase 2a. (Find a Grant)
Funding intensity
CEF Local: up to £75,000 per project. CEF Strategic: £75,001 to £250,000 per project. BLEF: £10,000 to £250,000 for capital or revenue projects. (Find a Grant)
Payment type
Not specified
Eligible scope
Not specified
Eligible expenses
- Not specified
Ineligible costs
- Not explicitly specified; projects must provide benefits beyond committed HS2 mitigation and statutory compensation.
Application and risks
Application platform
Online via the HS2 Funds website (hs2funds.org.uk). Applicants are required to read the programme guidance and FAQs before applying. (Find a Grant)
Competitiveness
Not scored
Decision timeline
Grants up to £75,000 are expected to receive a decision approximately 8 weeks after submission. Grants from £75,001 to £250,000 typically involve Stage 1 and Stage 2, with approximately 16 weeks for each stage. (Find a Grant)
Assessment process
Grants up to £75,000 are expected to receive a decision approximately 8 weeks after submission. Grants from £75,001 to £250,000 typically involve Stage 1 and Stage 2, with approximately 16 weeks for each stage. (Find a Grant)
Application sections
Not specified
Application components
- Application form, project proposal and supporting documentation in accordance with the relevant CEF or BLEF guidance.
Required documents
Not specified
Appendices
Not specified
Assessment criteria
- Demonstrated disruption from HS2, value for money, community or economic impact, and the scale and benefits of the proposed project. CEF projects must provide benefits beyond statutory mitigation or compensation. (Find a Grant)
Decision risks
Larger or multi-stage applications have longer assessment timelines. Projects may be unsuccessful if they cannot demonstrate a sufficient connection to HS2 disruption, public benefit, value for money or the objectives of CEF/BLEF.
Timeline and partners
Opening date
8 Mar 2017
Project duration
Not specified
Project start
Not specified
Project end
Not specified
Additional guidance
Document research last revised 2026-08-13.
Initial Research Grant
Not specified
Training Grant
BLEF can fund business support services and training for businesses disrupted by HS2. (Find a Grant)
Future Funding (Subject to Stage Gate)
Not specified
In-Kind Support
Not specified
Intent to Apply Deadline
Not specified
International Participation
Not specified
Eligible Training Costs
Business support services, advice, guidance and training for businesses disrupted by HS2 under BLEF. (Find a Grant)
Key Organisational Requirements
Applicants must be formally established for public benefit and not-for-profit. Projects must demonstrate a clear connection to communities or local economies demonstrably disrupted by HS2 construction. (Find a Grant)
Governance Requirements
Non-statutory applicants must maintain an appropriate governing document, ensure members/directors/trustees do not financially benefit from the organisation or its dissolution, have at least three unrelated people involved in governance, and maintain a bank account with two signatories. (Find a Grant)
Monitoring Requirements
Not specified
Doctoral Studentships
Not specified
Industry Leverage Expectation
Value for money is assessed, particularly for BLEF projects, based on the number of businesses supported and the benefits delivered to businesses. (Find a Grant)
Environmental & EDI Requirements
CEF can support biodiversity, nature conservation, landscape improvements, public open-space access, community facilities, recreational facilities and improvements to quality of life. (Find a Grant)
Important Notes
The programme provides additional support beyond statutory compensation for communities and local economies affected by HS2. CEF Local supports projects up to £75,000, CEF Strategic supports projects from £75,001 to £250,000, and BLEF supports capital or revenue projects from £10,000 to £250,000. (Find a Grant)
Application deadline in source document
31 March 2035, 11:59pm; the programme is intended to remain open throughout the HS2 construction period and the first year of HS2 operation. (Find a Grant)
Official source
Quick facts
- Status
- Open
- Deadline
- 31 Mar 2035
- Funding amount
- CEF Local: up to £75,000 per project. CEF Strategic: £75,001 to £250,000 per project. BLEF: £10,000 to £250,000 for capital or revenue projects. (Find a Grant)
- Funding band
- Not specified
- Funding type
- Grant funding, including capital and revenue grants depending on the project
- Payment type
- Not specified
- Audience
- See eligibility requirements
- Industry
- Community development, environmental improvement, infrastructure, tourism, local economic development and business support
- Last updated
- 16 Oct 2026
- Published
- Not specified