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

Timeline and next steps

How long it takes to get funding

It takes an average of 6 months from when you first apply to getting funding (if you are successful).

We expect to make final decisions on most applications by April 2026. Some applications that are larger and more complex may take a little longer.

If your application reaches stage two, we’ll talk to you about timings and next steps.

What happens after you apply

We’ll consider your application

We’ll look at your idea and carry out checks on the information you provide us. We’ll contact you to talk about your application and get more information if we need it.

We’ll let you know if we want to take your application to the next stage

We’ll aim to tell you our decision in 9 weeks. If we do not take your application further, we’ll tell you why.

We’ll ask you for more details about what you want to do

If we take your application further, we’ll contact you to discuss your application in more detail. We’ll ask you to send us any other information we may need to make our decision.

We’ll make our final decision

We’ll aim to tell you our final decision within 9 weeks of you giving us all the extra information we need.

We’ll contact you to let you know if we’re going to fund your project or not. If you’re successful, we’ll tell you what you need to do next. If you are not successful, we’ll give you feedback.

You can start your project

As soon as you’ve:

  • signed and returned the funding contract
  • provided us with a bank statement from the last 3 months (so we can pay your funding)
  • had an induction call with a funding officer

You should spend the funding the way you said you would in your application (unless we’ve agreed to something different first). We’ll check in from time to time to see how things are going. Find out more about how to manage your funding.

Terms and conditions

To apply, you’ll need to read and accept our terms and conditions.

Safeguarding children and young people

You need to have a policy in place that explains how children and young people will be safe. If you get funding you’ll need to follow our expectations on safeguarding.

For guidance, you can check this safeguarding advice from NCVO.

How we use your personal data

To find out how we use your personal data, you can read our privacy notice.

As an organisation that gives out public funds, we carry out checks on the information you give us.