What is Community Choices?

Community Choices is the name of our ward-based participatory budgeting programme.

Through a public vote, participatory budgeting offers a democratic way for local residents to have a direct say in how public money can be used to address their priorities and invest in local, community led projects.

Third sector charities and community groups can apply for up to £5,000 funding to deliver projects and activities within one of Falkirk's nine electoral wards. Residents aged 16 and over then vote for the projects they would most like to see funded in the ward where they live.

Previous successful projects have supported a wide range of community-led activities, including youth and sports programmes, arts and cultural projects, mental health and wellbeing initiatives, support services for older people, and projects that help people connect, participate, and take pride in their local community.

The results from previous rounds, and case studies of a number of completed projects, are available below.

Key dates – Phase 7

• Information session: Drop-in 
  28 September 2026, Falkirk Library, 3:30pm to 7pm
• Information session: Online 
  08 October 2026, Participate+, 12pm to 1:30pm
• Application period
  01 October 2026 to 09 November 2026
• Public voting period 
  18 January 2027 to 12 February 2027
• Results announced 
  Winners of the public vote will be announced on this webpage and Participate+ on 18 March 2027
• Winning projects commence
  April 2027 onwards

Applicant eligibility

Groups who can apply for a small grant include:

• Constituted groups or organisations
• Registered charities
• Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations (SCIO's)
• Not for profit companies
• Community Interest companies (CIC's) with no private benefit
• Community Councils
• Community Trusts

Private businesses and individuals are not eligible to apply.

While faith-based organisations may apply, we cannot fund the practice of religion, or any activities that actively promote religion or belief systems. We cannot fund activities that are exclusive to only those who practice that religion.

What supporting evidence is required to apply?

Your organisation should have:

• A group constitution
• A bank account in the name of the group, and a recent bank statement
• Independently examined Annual Accounts (or management accounts if the group is less than 1 year old)
• Evidence to support your project costs above £499

Where a project involves physical changes to land or buildings, evidence of your authority to undertake the proposed project, such as title deeds, lease agreement, or relevant written permissions.

Project eligibility

We believe that communities know what's best for themselves – and what they need to improve the quality of life for residents where they live. Community Choices wants to capture that local ambition and aspiration. Community Choices encourages local people to become involved in delivering activities and social infrastructure that are important to them.

Ineligible projects

Some types of projects cannot be supported through Community Choices:

• improvements to public parks and installation of play equipment
  (Community groups supporting parks and greenspaces may still apply for activities, events, and general operating costs)
• school-based projects - projects which primarily benefit a school, its facilities, or the immediate community of pupils, their families, and teachers
  (Community groups linked to schools may still apply for activities and events that are open to and primarily benefit the wider ward community)
• CCTV

How to apply

Applications can only be submitted during the application period.

The application form will be published in this section when applications open on 01 October 2026 and will remain available until the closing date of 09 November 2026.

Completed application forms can be submitted by email to community.choices@falkirk.gov.uk or by post to:

Community Choices
Falkirk Council
The Foundry
4 Central Boulevard
Central Park
Larbert
FK5 4RU

Public vote

Community Choices is a participatory budgeting programme which means that the public have a vote on the project(s) that they would like to be funded in their community.

Each Ward has a share of public funds to invest in community projects.

Eligible projects go forward to the public vote - to let the community choose their favourites.

Votes can be cast electronically via our Participate+ platform. Paper ballots are also made available for each Ward in all local libraries.

Who can vote?

Voting is open to anyone aged 16 years or above, living in the Falkirk Council area.

Residents are asked to select the top 3 projects they would like to see funded within the Ward where they live. Voters cannot vote for projects in Wards they do not live in.

Voters are under no obligation to use all 3 of their votes. Voters can vote just once, just twice, or all 3 times. How you vote is entirely up to you.

Weighted voting

Where there are smaller concentrations of households in a Ward, votes will be weighted to ensure a small settlement's project ideas have as fair a chance as areas with more residents.

10% eligibility rule

To secure funding, each project must attain at least 10% of the total eligible votes cast in that Ward.

Eligible projects will be ranked according to the number of votes received. Funding is awarded in order of ranking until the available ward budget has been allocated. Any remaining budget that is insufficient to support a further project will be carried forward into the next programme round.

Postcode voter verification

At the end of the voting process, internal checks are made to verify that duplicate emails and non-valid postcodes are removed.

Fair Work First and Net Zero

Third Sector organisations applying to this programme should demonstrate a commitment to Fair Work First principles and, where relevant, describe the steps they are taking to support Scotland's transition to Net Zero by 2045. We recognise that expectations should be proportionate to the size and nature of the organisation and projects.

If your organisation does not currently meet these expectations, your group may request an exemption.

Where to get help

The Community Choices team can help with any questions about the process or support you may require in preparing your application. If you are unable to attend one of our information sessions, but would like to discuss your project with the team, please email us at community.choices@falkirk.gov.uk.

For independent advice on Group Constitution, Bank Accounts, assets etc. please look at CVS Falkirk and Districts website or email info@cvsfalkirk.org.uk.

If your project involves changes to land or buildings, or other development-related activity, you should consider what permissions may be required before applying, and whether it is feasible to deliver your entire project within the Community Choices timeline. Details on planning process and requirements, can be found in our Development Management section.