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

What we need to know when you apply

You can see a complete list of questions from the application form.

The projects we fund

We’ll want to know how your project will benefit your community. We fund projects that do at least one of the following:

  • 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 offering support at an early stage
  • support people, communities or organisations facing challenges because of the cost-of-living crisis

These aims tie in with our missions. You can read more about the missions and what they’re all about.

Understanding your community's needs

Communities know best what they need. When planning your project, involve local people from the start. This can help you create a project that’s relevant and effective.

Here are some ways to involve your community:

  • do a survey to gather opinions
  • hold a meeting to discuss ideas
  • make telephone calls to gather feedback
  • talk to local organisations and key people to understand their views

Involving the people you support

Think about how the people who benefit from your project can also take part in running it. They could:

  • volunteer with your organisation or project
  • join your board or committee

Projects that support the environment

We want communities across the UK to take action for a healthier, more sustainable planet. We fund projects that protect and improve the local environment, help people connect with nature, and support communities to respond to the impact of climate change.

We’re looking for projects that:

  • help organisations or communities improve their impact on the environment
  • support people to adapt to climate change
  • create better access to nature

If your project is environmentally focused, select 'My project supports communities to be environmentally sustainable' in the 'Extra details' section of the application form.

Bank statements

We need a bank statement from the last 3 months to check the account where we will pay the grant.

Your bank account and statement must meet our requirements. If they do not, you’ll need to apply again when they do.

We need:

Your bank statement must show:

  • your organisation’s legal name
  • the address the statements are sent to
  • the bank’s name and logo
  • address used by the bank
  • account number and sort code
  • date range the statement covers (within the last 3 months)

If you are unsure, contact us to check.

Other documents we accept

If your bank account was opened in the last 3 months, you can send a welcome letter instead of a statement. It must be on the bank’s headed paper and show the bank’s name, logo, account details, and the date the account was opened.

We can also accept a transaction listing dated within the last 3 months, as long as it includes all the details listed above.

Give us details for 2 different people in your organisation

We will ask for names, home addresses, dates of birth and email addresses for 2 people. Each person must have a different email address.

These 2 people must meet the following:

  • one must be the main contact for the project
  • the other must be a board or committee member, or company director of your organisation
  • both must live in the UK

We consider people to be related if they:

  • are married or in a civil partnership
  • are in a long-term relationship or live together
  • are part of the same family

Tell us about your organisation’s accounts

We will ask for your financial year end date and your most recent annual income.

If you do not have yearly accounts because your organisation is new (less than 15 months old), that is not a problem. You can still apply.

We cannot fund every good idea

We only have a limited amount of funding, and we receive more applications than we can support. This means we have to make difficult decisions. Even strong projects may not receive funding.

How we make decisions

When we assess your application, we consider things like:

  • how well your project fits with what the programme aims
  • how involved the community has been involved
  • if the costs are reasonable for what you are planning
  • your organisation’s recent grant history and income. We are less likely to fund organisations with higher incomes

If you’ll be working with children, young people or vulnerable adults

You need to have a policy in place that explains how they’ll be safe. If you get funding you’ll need to follow our expectations on safeguarding children and adults at risk.

The NCVO website has child safeguarding advice and information services.

Terms and conditions

When you apply, you’ll need to read and agree to our terms and conditions.