Devon libraries could be transformed by £300,000 community grants
Libraries across Devon could become more flexible, welcoming community spaces under two newly opened grant schemes worth a combined £300,000.
By Keep Updated UK Newsroom
Published:
Devon County Council is inviting local groups and partners to put forward ideas for improving library facilities and attracting more people into the buildings. The council describes the funding as part of its wider investment in the future of local libraries.
The money is divided between a scheme for larger physical improvements and a smaller programme for activities and events. Applications opened on 1 October 2026.
Funding for buildings and shared spaces
The Re-imagined Library Spaces Fund has £200,000 available, with individual grants of up to £20,000. Eligible proposals could improve accessibility, make rooms more adaptable or enable a library to work more closely with other community organisations.
The council is also opening the Enhanced Library Offers Fund, worth £100,000 in total. Grants of up to £1,000 will support activities and events that encourage participation, help people connect and provide additional reasons to use a local library.
Who can apply?
The programmes are open to a range of groups, including Friends of Library organisations, charities, community interest companies, social enterprises, town and parish councils and other voluntary-sector partners. The council says it particularly welcomes applications involving more than one organisation.
For the larger fund, first-round expressions of interest must be submitted by 15 December 2026; a second round is planned for January 2027. The smaller activity fund does not currently have a specified closing date. Funding awarded under either programme must be spent by Christmas 2027.
What happens next?
The council says decisions will consider community benefit, affordability, deliverability and how well projects meet the programme’s wider objectives. That means suggested improvements will need to demonstrate local value, rather than simply a wish list for a particular building.
For residents, the potential benefit is broader use of libraries as places for learning, events, advice and everyday social contact. Actual changes will depend on the proposals submitted and which applications are approved.
Sources & Further Information
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