Communities come together

Bringing people together and encouraging social connections 

We believe strong communities start with connections. When people feel connected and can help shape their community, it can improve lives. 

We support local projects that bring people together, give them a voice, and create welcoming, inclusive spaces. These types of projects help reduce loneliness, build trust, and give people a sense of belonging. 

We want to address real needs with equity at its core. This means we are focusing on areas and individuals facing poverty, discrimination, or disadvantage.

Outcomes that help communities come together 

Outcomes are the changes or benefits we expect to see from the projects we fund. They help us understand the difference you make. 

We want to fund projects that: 

• provide or improve places for people to come together – online or in person  
• deliver activities or events, online or in person   
• enable people to make a positive difference to their community
• give people a sense of safety, belonging and trust
• improve connections and relationships with others
• connect children or young people with trusted adults
• improve people’s wellbeing, physical health or mental health 
• improve access to nature for people   

Choosing missions and outcomes when you apply 

Before applying check your chosen programme to see how many missions or outcomes they want you to include in your project. It varies across programmes.

As part of your application, we’ll ask you to choose the mission and outcomes that closely align with the work you are doing in your community. 

This helps us understand the wider impact your project may have and ensures we can support your work in the right way.  

It is important that you only choose the missions and outcomes that best reflect your plans. Choosing more will not increase your chances of success.

Next steps

Check our funding programmes to see what support is available and find the right fit. 

Read our full missions framework to understand how some outcomes relate to more than one mission. This means your project may contribute to more than one mission at the same time – even if you only focus on a few outcomes.  

Contact us - we’ll help you refine ideas, connect with others, and apply for funding. 

Case study

How a health project helped people find community and feel less isolated 

Listen to Ceridwen and Claire from Same but Different share how they use visual storytelling to raise awareness of rare diseases and why lived experience and community matter. Watch the video on YouTube.