£300,000 Fund Opens Door To Bigger Ideas For Ryde

Up to £300,000 is being made available for ambitious projects aimed at improving the future of Ryde.

The Ryde Neighbourhood Board is inviting local organisations, businesses and partnerships to apply for funding through a new Major Grants Programme.

The pilot scheme is designed to support larger-scale projects that can deliver lasting benefits for residents and make Ryde a better place to live, work and visit.

Grants of between £20,000 and £300,000 are available.

For the period from 2026 to 2030, funding will focus on five key areas:

• High streets

• Regeneration and heritage

• Skills and education

• Health and wellbeing

• Safety and security

The Board says it is particularly interested in projects that bring people together, create new opportunities, strengthen the local economy and deliver visible improvements across the town.

Rachael Randall, acting chair of the Ryde Neighbourhood Board, said the scheme was an opportunity to "unlock bigger plans for Ryde".

She said the Board had already seen "so many good ideas" through its smaller grants programme launched earlier this year.

Applicants will need to show that their projects are well planned and deliverable, with clear costs, timescales and evidence of local community support.

An Expression of Interest must be submitted first, with a deadline of midnight on Friday 16 October 2026.

Successful applicants invited to progress will then need to submit a full application by midnight on Friday 15 January 2027.

Funding decisions are due to be announced by Friday 26 March 2027.

Applications are open to a wide range of organisations, including charities, community groups, community interest companies, public bodies, small and medium-sized businesses and partnerships.

The programme is being administered by the Isle of Wight Council on behalf of the Ryde Neighbourhood Board.

More information and application forms are available through the Ryde Neighbourhood Board website.