Up to £20,000 UK Community Project Grant

Organization: The National Lottery Community Fund

Type: Grant

Location: United Kingdom

Funding: Fully Funded

The National Lottery Community Fund, the UK's largest community funder, gives grants of between £300 and £20,000 to constituted community groups, charities and not-for-profits for projects lasting up to two years. Awards for All is its small grants programme: it runs in all four UK nations, is open all year, and is built for small organisations with modest incomes, including youth-led groups that have a constitution and a bank account in the group's name. The Fund reviews applications within 16 weeks in England (12 weeks in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and usually funds around one in three. **What you get:** - A grant of £300 to £20,000, paid into your organisation's bank account within about 14 days of a successful decision - Funding for projects lasting up to 2 years (in Scotland, arts or sports projects get up to £10,000 for up to 12 months) - Money for running costs, equipment, one-off events, staff and training, transport, utilities, volunteer expenses and small land or refurbishment projects - Insurance, qualifications or governing-body affiliation costs your project needs can be included in the grant - A decision within 16 weeks in England, or 12 weeks in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland **What you'll do:** - Run a project that does at least one of: bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities, improve the places and spaces that matter to communities, help people reach their potential by supporting them early, or support people and organisations facing more pressure because of the cost-of-living crisis - Involve your community in designing, developing and delivering the project, for example through a survey, a community meeting or conversations with local organisations - Write the application yourself; the Fund does not accept applications written by consultants or bid writers - Spend the money the way you said you would and keep records; the Fund may check in on progress **Key dates:** - Applications are open all year with no closing date; the programme status is Open to applications - Submit at least 16 weeks before you need the funding in England (12 weeks in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) - Decision within 16 weeks in England; funding paid within about 14 days of a successful decision - Projects can last up to 2 years **More information:** - Separate programme pages and forms for Scotland (/national-lottery-awards-for-all-scotland), Wales (/national-lottery-awards-for-all-wales) and Northern Ireland (/national-lottery-awards-for-all-northern-ireland); apply to the nation where your project takes place - An England Environment strand (/national-lottery-awards-for-all-england-environment) funds climate and nature projects at the same £300 to £20,000 range - The full list of application questions can be previewed before you start: https://account.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/Preview/Application/af61159b-b8a7-49f1-ae06-44785abb0202 - Easy Read and PDF versions of the form are available for applicants with communication support needs; contact the Fund - Advice line 0345 4 102030 or general.enquiries@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk

The National Lottery Community FundGrant

Up to £20,000 UK Community Project Grant

Rolling

Opportunity type

Grant

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

United Kingdom

Deadline

Rolling

About this opportunity

What you get:

A grant of £300 to £20,000, paid into your organisation's bank account within about 14 days of a successful decision
Funding for projects lasting up to 2 years (in Scotland, arts or sports projects get up to £10,000 for up to 12 months)
Money for running costs, equipment, one-off events, staff and training, transport, utilities, volunteer expenses and small land or refurbishment projects
Insurance, qualifications or governing-body affiliation costs your project needs can be included in the grant
A decision within 16 weeks in England, or 12 weeks in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

What you'll do:

Run a project that does at least one of: bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities, improve the places and spaces that matter to communities, help people reach their potential by supporting them early, or support people and organisations facing more pressure because of the cost-of-living crisis
Involve your community in designing, developing and delivering the project, for example through a survey, a community meeting or conversations with local organisations
Write the application yourself; the Fund does not accept applications written by consultants or bid writers
Spend the money the way you said you would and keep records; the Fund may check in on progress

Key dates:

Applications are open all year with no closing date; the programme status is Open to applications
Submit at least 16 weeks before you need the funding in England (12 weeks in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)
Decision within 16 weeks in England; funding paid within about 14 days of a successful decision
Projects can last up to 2 years

More information:

Separate programme pages and forms for Scotland (/national-lottery-awards-for-all-scotland), Wales (/national-lottery-awards-for-all-wales) and Northern Ireland (/national-lottery-awards-for-all-northern-ireland); apply to the nation where your project takes place
An England Environment strand (/national-lottery-awards-for-all-england-environment) funds climate and nature projects at the same £300 to £20,000 range
The full list of application questions can be previewed before you start: https://account.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/Preview/Application/af61159b-b8a7-49f1-ae06-44785abb0202
Easy Read and PDF versions of the form are available for applicants with communication support needs; contact the Fund
Advice line 0345 4 102030 or general.enquiries@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk

Who can apply

Your organisation must be based in the UK and the project must take place in the UK
Eligible types: constituted voluntary or community organisation, constituted group or club, registered charity, CIO, not-for-profit company, CIC (limited by guarantee or by shares, subject to CIC Regulator profit rules), school (community benefit only), statutory body, community benefit society
Not eligible: individuals, sole traders, organisations outside the UK, companies that can pay profits to directors or shareholders, organisations applying on behalf of another
At least 2 board or committee members who are not related (married, partners, same address or related by blood); companies need 2 unrelated directors
A bank account in the organisation's legal name, managed by at least 2 unrelated people, with a statement from the last 3 months (a welcome letter is accepted for accounts under 3 months old)
Names, home addresses, dates of birth and separate email addresses for 2 unrelated people, one the main contact and one a senior contact legally responsible for the funding; both must live in the UK
A safeguarding policy if the project works with children, young people or vulnerable adults
You cannot apply while you hold an unfinished Awards for All grant or await a decision on another application; maximum £20,000 from the programme in any 12 months
The Fund cannot pay for costs already incurred, alcohol, loans, fundraising, reclaimable VAT, religious activities, statutory services, schoolwork during school hours, overseas travel, profit-making activity, or cash or gifts to individuals
Sports, arts or heritage projects qualify only if they show a wider community benefit beyond the activity itself

AI Verification

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Confirmed Our best read Not stated

Good to know

+Grants of £300 to £20,000 for projects lasting up to two years, paid within about 14 days of a yes.
+Open all year with no closing date, so missing a month costs nothing.
+Built for small organisations: groups less than 15 months old can apply without annual accounts, and the Fund prioritises smaller incomes.
+No application fee, and you can preview every question before you start.
+The UK's largest community funder, with a phone advice line and an email for questions.

Worth checking yourself

!Organisations only. You cannot apply as an individual; a youth group needs a written constitution, two unrelated committee members and a bank account in the group's own name.
!UK only: the organisation, the project and both named contacts must be in the UK.
!Allow at least 16 weeks in England (12 in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) between applying and needing the money.
!England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own page and form. Apply where the project happens.
!Around one in three applications is funded, and the Fund says demand is high.
!Sports, arts and heritage projects must show a community benefit beyond the activity itself.

Sources checked

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