Could your group be Coop Community Champions?

Applications are open for local good causes and charities to receive funding through Lincolnshire Co-op's Community Champions scheme. 

Around 200 causes will be selected by Co-op members and each one could receive between £500 and £1,000. 

The retailer is searching for groups who support the physical, mental and social wellbeing of their local communities, including book clubs, sports teams, and warm spaces, where local people can come together for a cup of tea. 

Lincolnshire Co-op will support these groups between Sunday, September 6, 2026 and Saturday, March 6, 2027. 

A donation will be made every time a member shops with their dividend card, customers can donate spare change into collection pots in outlets, and colleagues get involved in fundraising.

Over 30 organisations are currently being supported through the scheme in Lincoln – from Green Synergy’s Plant to Plate Programmes to the Veterans Support Service CIC.

Birchwood Junior School (pictured) is fundraising for a new shed and water supply to support its nature area, which has been runner-up in the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust’s Young Environmentalists Award. 

Lincolnshire Co-op's Community Engagement Manager Sam Turner said: “The Community Champions scheme is an excellent opportunity for local groups to receive additional funding that can be used to support their local area. 

“If you are part of a group that encourages your communities to get out of the house, then we can’t wait to hear from you!”

Groups can apply via a form available on the website: Community Champions Application. Applications close on Sunday, April 12, 2026.