Call for New Ideas 2026
Call for New Ideas: Now Open
We are inviting organisations to propose innovative housing models that could improve outcomes for young people experiencing difficult transitions into adulthood.
We are looking for organisations that understand the challenges facing young people and have bold ideas about how housing, combined with appropriate support, could make a lasting difference.
Successful applicants will receive funding to undertake a feasibility study to explore whether their proposal could become a future Commonweal property-based pilot project.
We particularly encourage applications from organisations working in Wales and Scotland, alongside applications from England. We will not be accepting applications from Northern Ireland for this Call.
Applications are open until Friday 16th October 2026.
What is the focus?
We are seeking innovative housing models that improve the transition into adulthood for young people aged 16 and over who experience significant disadvantage.
We are particularly interested in proposals supporting young people who have experienced one or more of the following:
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Care experience
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Homelessness or housing insecurity
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Contact with the criminal justice system
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Neurodivergence
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Mental health challenges (excluding projects requiring intensive clinical support)
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Exclusion from education
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Exploitation or abuse
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Other barriers that make a successful transition into adulthood significantly more difficult
These examples are not exhaustive. We welcome proposals addressing other overlooked transition points where housing could play a meaningful role in improving outcomes.
How does it work?
Stage 1 – Application
Complete the Application Form and submit it by Friday 16th October 2026.
Stage 2 – Assessment
Applications will be reviewed by a panel comprising Commonweal staff, Trustees and external experts.
Applications will be assessed against:
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Innovation
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Strength of the housing model
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Potential impact
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Learning potential
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Organisational capability
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Value for money
Stage 3 – Feasibility study
Successful applicants will receive grant funding to undertake their feasibility study over an agreed period. Commonweal will provide advice and support throughout this stage.
Stage 4 – Property-based pilot
Where a feasibility study demonstrates a viable and impactful housing model, Commonweal may work with partners to develop a multi-year property-based pilot project. This may include acquiring suitable properties and supporting project mobilisation, independent evaluation and wider dissemination of learning.
How to apply?
If you have an innovative idea that could improve the transition into adulthood for young people experiencing disadvantage, we would love to hear from you.
Organisations interested in applying should download the Application Guide to read the full details of the Call and then complete the Application Form and return it by email to apply@commonweal.org.uk.
Please do not hesitate to contact Commonweal for a preliminary conversation about an application or our partnership model.
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What do successful applicants have to say?
Since launching Call for New Ideas in 2020, Commonweal has successfully supported a number of partners through the feasibility stage, with many now entering the project development process.
In the series of blogs below, some of our successful applicants share their journey with Commonweal through the Call for New Ideas.
"The process offered the rare opportunity to step back, examine our practice, and think creatively about how to respond to unmet needs.
We are grateful to Commonweal for funding and supporting this work. The opportunity encouraged experimentation, reflection, and honesty - qualities that are often difficult to prioritise in frontline environments. It also demonstrated the value of feasibility studies as tools for innovation, even when the answer is not the one first imagined."
Call for New Ideas partners Accommodation Concern.
Flexible Funders
Commonweal is a member of IVAR’s Flexible Funding community of open and trusting grantmakers. We have committed to their eight principles and are now part of a community with other funders and charities to improve practice together.