Our funding aims
The Step Forward Fund was designed in collaboration with The Phoenix Community Trust and organisations from Global Majority and racially minoritised communities.
Through this co-design and research, we heard where funding is needed most: to help continue and grow great work that is already happening in communities.
Invest in grassroots growth
Many grassroots organisations deliver high quality services and impact but find the jump from small project-based funding to large grants difficult.
Based on our research, this is because some groups:
may encounter structural racism
are often too busy delivering their services to have time or capacity to focus on developing their organisation
are stuck in a short-term funding cycle
This funding is designed to help change that.
Give support to take the next step forward
This fund provides targeted, development funding to help you strengthen your capacity and prepare for larger investment.
It’s an opportunity to:
build on your success
develop your organisation’s long-term vision
build on the impact you've already made on your community
Our aim is to shift thinking from whether an organisation is ready for funding to exploring what kind of funding or investment they need to flourish.
Learn and inspire others to do better
With this funding, we want to learn how to:
improve our practice at The National Lottery Community Fund
better support grassroot groups from Global Majority and racially minoritised communities and the people they serve
We want to use this insight to lead and influence change in the wider sector.
It’s important for us to fund organisations that can inspire us and others to do better for Global Majority and racially minoritised communities.