Skip to main content

Welcome to our new website. You may still see some pages from our old site as we move things over.

Who can apply

You must apply as part of a partnership

All organisations in your partnership must be a: 

  • registered charity 
  • company limited by guarantee (with a not-for-profit clause or registered as a charity) 
  • community interest company (CIC) 
  • charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) 
  • Scottish charitable incorporated organisation (SCIO) 
  • community benefit society 
  • co-operative society (with a not-for-profit clause and registered with the Financial Conduct Authority) 
  • public body (such as a local authority, town, parish or community council) 
  • school, college or university - as long as the project benefits the wider local community 

If your organisation needs an asset lock

Some organisations must have an asset lock. This means you have rules that stop your assets being sold or used for private benefit. 

You must have an asset lock if you're a: 

  • CIC 
  • company limited by guarantee that’s not a registered charity 
  • community benefit society 
  • co-operative society 

You can read more in the government’s guide to asset locks for CICs. 

Who should be in your partnership 

Your partnership can be: 

  • local, regional or national 
  • based in one of the UK countries, or working in more than one UK country 
  • new or already established 

We want to fund partnerships that: 

  • involve the communities they work with in the design and delivery of the project   
  • ensure equitable access to project funding and resources  
  • consider capacity building and good governance 
  • share what you learn across the sector and with other projects we fund 
  • work across different sectors 
  • include expertise in areas like food systems and agroecology, climate, environment, nature, communications, learning and evaluation, and community representation 

We will not fund profit-making organisations 

For example, an organisation that can share profits privately.  
 
We welcome partnerships that include private sector partners who provide match funding or pro bono support. 

This support should strengthen your project and help increase its impact. 

If you already have funding from us

You can still apply. We’ll look at how this funding would work alongside your other funding when we assess your application. 

If you’re a school or working with a school

  • Your project must benefit the wider community, not just teachers, pupils, or parents. 

We do not usually fund school-based activities that: 

  • improve school facilities or equipment 
  • support staff training 
  • are part of the curriculum 
  • the school is expected to deliver anyway (such as teaching core subjects) 
  • take place during school hours (before or after school, or during lunch, may be OK) 

Board or committee member requirements

To apply, your organisation must have at least 2 board or committee members who are not related. If you're a company, you must have at least 2 directors who are not related. 

We consider people to be related if they are: 

  • married or in a civil partnership 
  • in a long-term relationship or live together 
  • related by blood or through a partner