National Lottery Awards for All England

Rhubarb Farm

Social connections and community activities are at the heart of creating healthier, happier lives and a flourishing society. That’s why we support amazing community-led projects.

We offer funding from £300 to £20,000. And can support your project for up to two years.

You can apply for funding to deliver a new or existing activity or to support your organisation to change and adapt to new and future challenges.

We can fund projects that’ll do at least one of these things:

  • bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities
  • improve the places and spaces that matter to communities
  • help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage
  • support people, communities and organisations facing more demands and challenges because of the cost-of-living crisis.

Area
England
Suitable for
Voluntary or community organisations
Funding size
£300 to £20,000, for up to two years
Application deadline

Ongoing. Apply at least 16 weeks before you want to start the activities or spend any of the money.

Apply

How to apply

Apply online Continue online application

If it's difficult or impossible for you to complete an online application form

You can contact us if you have any communication support needs. We’re happy to talk about other ways for you to tell us about your idea. For example, EasyRead or accessible PDF.

Apply at least 16 weeks before you need the funding

We're getting more applications than usual, so it's taking us longer to respond. It's currently taking up to 16 weeks to get a decision from us. Before then you cannot spend any of the money or run the activities you need funding for.

We're sorry for the delay and any issues it causes you.

You can only have one Awards for All England grant at a time

You can only hold one grant, for each different country in the UK, at a time.

If you want to apply for a new grant – you’ll need to wait until your last grant with us is closed. You will not be eligible if you’ve already sent an application for National Lottery Awards for All funding and are waiting for a decision.

If you want to reapply for more money, we can only fund your organisation for a maximum of £20,000 within a 12-month period.

We only have a certain amount of funding to award

We get a lot of applications, and many of them are for really worthwhile projects. This means we have to make some tough decisions around which projects we can fund, when reading all the applications we’ve received. So there are often lots of projects we cannot fund, even the good ones.

What information you need to apply

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

We ask for the contact details, home addresses and dates of birth of two different people from your organisation. We need a different email address for each person

One person should be someone we can talk to if we have any questions about your project. The other should be a senior member of your organisation, who'll be legally responsible for the funding. Both need to live in the UK.

These two people cannot be related. Related can mean:

  • related by marriage
  • in a civil partnership with each other
  • in a long-term relationship with each other
  • related through a long term partner
  • living together at the same address
  • related by blood.

We ask for the legal name of your organisation. And its address. And what type of organisation it is

Check these details before applying. Also check any registration numbers if you have them – like a charity number or company number. It will slow down your application if these details are not right.

We ask for information about your organisation’s accounts

We want to know the date your accounts wrap up each year and how much income you have.

If you do not have yearly accounts because you’re a new organisation (less than 15 months old), that’s okay. We can still look at your application.

We ask you for information about what sort of project you’d like to do

And how your project will help and involve your community.

We also ask you to read and agree to our terms and conditions

You can read the terms and conditions.

Send us your bank statement

What we need

We ask for one bank statement dated within the last three months. So, we can check the account you want us to pay the grant into.

We'll not be able to assess your application if you do not have a bank account and bank statement that meet our requirements below and you’ll need to reapply once you have these set up. If you’re not sure you should contact us to check if your bank account and statement are suitable.

We need:

  1. A bank account that meets our needs in our Financial Controls and Financial Governance Guidance
  2. A bank statement that meets our needs - like in this picture of the kind of bank statement we’re looking for.

Our bank statement needs

The bank statement (or bank welcome letter if the account was opened within the last 3 months) must be:

  • uploaded as one single file
  • a file of 12MB or less in size
  • a PDF, JPEG or PNG file.

It should show:

  • the bank logo
  • your organisation's legal name
  • the address the statements are sent to
  • your bank's name
  • the account number and sort code
  • the date the letter/statement was issued.

If all these details are on one page, just send us that page.

Here’s a picture of the kind of bank statement we’re looking for.

What else we would accept

If you have a new bank account opened within the last three months, we can accept a bank welcome letter instead of a statement. The letter must confirm the date the account was opened and all the account details.

If you’re unable to provide a bank statement, we can accept transaction listings, if they include everything we’d expect to see on a bank statement:

  • the bank logo
  • your organisation’s legal name
  • the address your bank uses for correspondence
  • your bank’s name
  • the account number and sort code
  • date the transactions listing covers.

What happens after you apply

  1. You send us your application – we'll get back to you with a decision in around 16 weeks. During these 16 weeks, we look at your idea and we carry out checks on the information you provide us. You can find out more about the checks we'll carry out on your information.
    We might give you a call within those 16 weeks, to talk a little more about your idea or ask for more information.
  2. If your application is successful – we'll send you an email with the good news. You can start your project as soon as you get this email, if you want to. And we’ll put the funding in your bank account within 14 days (or sooner, if possible)
  3. You can start spending the fundingon your project– you should spend the funding the way you said you would in your application (unless we’ve agreed to something different first). We might check in from time to time – to see how things are going. Find out more about how to manage your funding.
  4. Share your story – let people know about your grant and the amazing work you're doing in your community. Sharing news about your project with your community can be a great way to keep them involved and engaged. You can find out more about how to promote your project. Your award email will also include details on how to publicise your grant and let people know about how your project is supporting people in your community.

If you’re not sure about the sort of things we ask for when you apply

Contact us to talk about the things we ask for when you apply.

To find out how we use the personal data you give us you can read our Data Protection Statement.

Read our blogs for more guidance and tips on applying

Reduce your environmental footprint

The National Lottery Community Fund cares about our environment and are always striving to manage our environmental impact. We encourage and support projects and communities to do the same. Learn more about how you can make your project or event more environmentally sustainable and perhaps save money at the same time in our guidance on reducing your environmental footprint.

British Sign Language (BSL) video - how to apply

Watch BSL interpretation of how to apply to National Lottery Awards for All England (YouTube):

Who can apply

Who can apply

You can apply if your organisation is a:

  • constituted voluntary or community organisation
  • constituted group or club
  • registered charity
  • charitable incorporated organisation (CIO)
  • not-for-profit company
  • community interest company (CIC)
  • school (as long as your project benefits and involves the communities around the school)
  • statutory body (including local authorities, town, parish and community council)
  • community benefit society.

Your income

We are more likely to fund groups with smaller incomes.

Due to high demand, organisations that have a large annual income might not be able to get funding.

You need at least 2 board or committee members who are not related

Related can mean:

  • related by marriage
  • in a civil partnership with each other
  • in a long-term relationship with each other
  • related through a long term partner
  • living together at the same address
  • related by blood.

All companies who apply must have at least two directors who are not related in any of these ways. This also applies to companies that are also registered as charities.

Who cannot apply

Who we cannot accept applications from:

  • individuals
  • sole traders
  • organisations based outside the UK
  • companies that can pay profits to directors, shareholders or members (including Companies Limited by Shares)
  • organisations that currently have a National Lottery Awards for All England grant which is not finished
  • organisations that have already sent a National Lottery Awards for All England application and are waiting for a decision
  • organisations applying to more than one of our programmes for the same project over the same period. This is because you cannot get duplicate funding for something we're already funding you to do. It’s OK to apply to another programme if you've already had an unsuccessful decision though
  • one organisation applying on behalf of another.

We do not accept applications written for you by private businesses or consultants

Be careful of businesses or consultants who say they can support you with your funding applications. They might say they’re acting on the Fund’s behalf, or they’re a preferred supplier of the Fund. They could even offer to write an application for you.

We do not accept applications from these types of businesses or consultants.

But it’s ok to get help from support organisations - like your local authority or Council for Voluntary Services (CVS)

They may be able to give you support and advice on writing your application.

You can only have one Awards for All England grant at a time

You can only hold one grant, for each different country in the UK, at a time.

If you want to apply for a new grant – you’ll need to wait until your last grant with us is closed. You will not be eligible if you’ve already sent an application for National Lottery Awards for All funding and are waiting for a decision.

If you want to reapply for more money, we can only fund your organisation for a maximum of £20,000 within a 12-month period.

If you’re a school or an organisation working with a school

We’re less likely to fund projects happening in schools.

Your project must involve and benefit the community outside of the school

We will not fund projects that mainly benefit or involve teachers, pupils, and parents of pupils.

We do not fund activities in schools that:

  • improve school facilities or equipment
  • help with staff training
  • are part of the school curriculum
  • the school should already be doing (like teaching reading during school hours)
  • take place during teaching times (lunch breaks, or before and after school might be OK).

British Sign Language (BSL) video - who can apply

Watch BSL interpretation of who can apply (YouTube):

The projects we fund

The projects we fund

You can apply for funding to deliver new or existing activity or to support your organisation to change and adapt to new and future challenges

We can fund projects that’ll do at least one of these things:

  • bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities
  • improve the places and spaces that matter to communities
  • help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage
  • support people, communities and organisations facing more demands and challenges because of the cost-of-living crisis.

Your project should involve your community

People know best what’s needed in their communities. It’s important to involve your community from the start - in the design, development and delivery of the activities you’re planning.

We want to fund projects that are connected to local people and their communities, and use their existing skills and experience.

Find out what's important to the people in your community

You could do a survey, have a meeting, make telephone calls, or talk to other organisations and people that are important to your community

Involve the people your project helps in running your organisation and making decisions.

Think about if the people you help could volunteer with you, join your board or committee, or get a job with you.

If your project focuses on sports, arts or heritage

When we assess sports, arts and heritage projects, we’re looking for projects where the main aim is to strengthen your community in some way.

What we mean by strengthening your community

We know most sports, arts and heritage projects are good for communities generally. But we’re looking for projects that do a little more.

An example of the kind of sports project we might fund

Let’s think about an online dance group for young people. Dance is good exercise, so it promotes health (which is great). But we’re looking at how that activity strengthens the community too.

Maybe it helps the community with social isolation. Or the project might aim to move young people away from anti-social behaviour.

There might be other types of funding for you

If you’ve read through this page and feel like this funding is not quite right for your project - find other funders in the National Lottery family.

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.

Projects that need insurance, qualifications or affiliations to a governing body

Depending on what you want to do, your project might need:

  • public liability insurance
  • leaders or instructors with special qualifications
  • an affiliation to a governing body.

You can ask us to cover these costs when you apply for funding (see what else you can spend the money on).

British Sign Language (BSL) video: The projects we fund

Watch BSL interpretation of the projects we fund (YouTube):


If you're not sure about the sort of projects we fund

Have a look at what we've funded previously. Or you can contact us to find out what sort of projects we fund.

What you can spend the money on

What you can spend the money on

This list does not include everything. So, if you're not sure, contact us to find out what you can spend money on.

We can fund:

  • your organisation's running costs
  • equipment
  • one-off events
  • staff costs
  • training costs
  • transport
  • utilities
  • volunteer expenses
  • small land or refurbishment projects.

We encourage you to think about any organisational costs needed to help you and your community through the current crisis.

If you need funding for land or refurbishment projects

You need to either:

  • own the land or building,
  • have a lease that cannot be ended for five years,
  • have a letter from the owner saying the land or building will be leased to you for at least five years, or
  • have an official letter from the owner or landlord that says you're allowed to do work on the building.

You should also find out if you’ll need planning permission for the work.

We cannot fund:

  • retrospective costs
  • alcohol
  • contingency costs, loans, endowments or interest
  • paying someone else to write your application for you
  • profit-making or fundraising activities
  • VAT you can reclaim
  • religious activities (we can fund religious organisations if their project benefits the wider community and does not include religious content)
  • statutory activities
  • activities that help children or young people with their schoolwork during school time
  • overseas travel
  • projects that take place outside of the UK
  • activities that make profits for private gain
  • cash that will be given directly to individuals.

We do not accept applications written for you by private businesses or consultants

Be careful of businesses or consultants who say they can support you with your funding applications. They might say they’re acting on the Fund’s behalf, or they’re a preferred supplier of the Fund. They could even offer to write an application for you.

We do not accept applications from these types of businesses or consultants.

British Sign Language (BSL) video: What you can spend the money on

Watch BSL interpretation of what you can spend the money on (YouTube):

If you're ready to start your application

Apply online Continue online application