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.
Open Until: 28/03/2025
Posted: 28/03/2024
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.
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.
Find out more and apply HERE
