Community action groups

What is a Community action group?

Community Action Groups (CAG) Oxfordshire consists of over 100 groups across Oxfordshire who are at the forefront of community-led climate change action, organising events and projects to take action on issues including waste, transport, food, energy, biodiversity and social justice.

Started in 2001, the network is the largest of its kind in the UK, running over 8,000 events per year, attended by around 120,000 local residents and contributing over 100,000 volunteer hours to the county.

The CAG Project team provide free day-to-day support to the network members including:

• advice, expertise and mentoring to set up and maintain groups and develop projects, events and activities
• support to source insurance cover for network activities
• access to CAG funding for special projects
• help sourcing external funds for larger projects
• press, media and communications
• training, events and skill sharing
• signposting to other organisations and bodies for advice and partnership building
• working with local and national government
• access to a large bank of materials and resources

The project is funded by Oxfordshire County Council.

Learn more about CAG Oxfordshire

• Visit the CAG Oxfordshire website

CAG Grant 2026

Since 2023, OCC has funded the Community Action Groups through a grant, aiming to increase the volume of environmental protection activities in the county. 

The 2026 grant will continue to support CAGs through the sharing of learning and best practice, enabling joint events and funding bids, and providing tools to enable messages and events to have a greater impact

As well as continuing to support existing good work, the grant will also enable increased focus on six areas:

• Community Wealth Building – supporting locally led, environmental initiatives within grassroots community organisations led by marginalised communities, building on the Owned by Oxford project
• The Circular Economy – developing, piloting and scaling circular economy initiatives, including libraries of things
• Connecting people with nature - supporting opportunities for communities experiencing health inequalities in Oxfordshire to connect with the outdoors, green spaces, and nature
• Replenish – encouraging food waste reduction and home composting.
• Community Gardens, supporting garden coordinators in deprived areas to establish and maintain community gardens, helping to improve skills, reduce health inequalities and reduce isolation
• Climate and mental health, training, supporting, enabling and providing grants for groups working to reduce climate anxiety and improve mental health.