Council celebrates community crowdfunding success as it looks to the future of community grant funding in West Oxfordshire
West Oxfordshire District Council is celebrating the success of its Westhive community crowdfunding programme, which has helped bring 28 local projects to life since its launch in 2023 – supporting everything from youth provision and dance schools to heritage restoration, mental-health initiatives and schemes that tackle food waste.
Across the first four funding rounds, the programme has raised £948,172 to support grassroots projects led by local people and community groups. Building on that momentum, project creators in round five are now crowdfunding to reach their goals, with ten new projects receiving over £124,000 in Council pledges to help them reach their target.
As the Council looks to the future of community grant funding, the sixth and final round of the programme will launch in January 2026, helping even more local groups bring their ideas to life before the programme transitions to a new provider in the Spring.
With the current three-year contract for the Westhive platform, provided by Spacehive, set to end in April 2026, the Council has taken the opportunity to review how best to deliver the programme in future. Following a thorough review, Crowdfunder UK has been selected as the new provider from 2026. As one of the UK’s leading crowdfunding platforms, Crowdfunder UK brings a strong track record of supporting community-led initiatives. Its broad reach, user-friendly tools and clear focus on social impact will help more local groups succeed and ensure the programme continues to grow from strength to strength.
Councillor Rachel Crouch, Executive Member for Stronger, Healthy Communities, said: “Westhive has shown just how powerful it can be when communities lead the way. From new equipment for the Witney Vikings to help more children with additional needs join in the game, to projects like Bridewell Gardens offering nature-based support for people in recovery – these are the kinds of ideas that make a real difference to people’s lives. We’ve seen time and again how passionate and committed our residents are when it comes to improving their local areas. That’s why we’re continuing to invest in this work and making sure the next phase of the programme is the best it can be, with a new platform that’s easier to use and even more supportive for local groups.”
The review has been informed by community feedback and focused on ensuring groups are presented with the most supportive, accessible and user-friendly crowdfunding platform possible. The aim is to build on the strong foundations already in place but make it even more straightforward for users to launch projects, attract backers and secure funding.
Improvements already underway include clearer project criteria, a simplified application process, and better communication for groups throughout their crowdfunding journey, all based on feedback from residents and project creators.
After exploring several options, the outcome of the review showed that Crowdfunder UK would be the best platform to deliver against these priorities and on Wednesday 17 December, the Executive approved the decision to transition to Crowdfunder UK from April 2026.
To find out how to launch a project in the New Year in round six, understand how crowdfunding works, or support a local idea already fundraising in the current round five of the programme, visit the Westhive platform. Whether you're backing a project or starting your own, every contribution, big or small, helps unlock vital funding and turn great community ideas into reality.