GrantFinder
 National Lottery Community Fund - The UK Fund

Prepared for Gehan Raslan of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

National Lottery Community Fund - The UK Fund NEW

Fund ID:	S50757	
Status:	Future	
Last updated:	Not specified	
Grants are available to not-for-profit groups for projects which forge connections between communities to create a better-connected society across the UK.
Fund Information
Funding body:	National Lottery Community Fund	
Maximum value:	£ 5,000,000 	
Application deadline:	None specified	
Background
The National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) distributes over £600 million a year to communities across the UK, raised by players of The National Lottery. 
The UK Fund is one of the first significant commitments as part of its new strategy, ‘It starts with community.'
Objectives of Fund
Funding is intended to develop and expand community links by: 
•	Strengthening relationships between people whose experiences of life have not been the same. For example, relationships between people of different ethnic backgrounds, generations, occupations or geographies.
•	Creating connections between online and offline worlds.
•	Helping to make sure people from all backgrounds can shape the future of their communities.
Value Notes
Grants of £500,000 to £5 million are available. 
It is expected that most awards will be for two to five years, though funding for up to ten years may be considered. 
Around 15 to 20 projects will be funded in the first year.
Who Can Apply
The following types of organisations are eligible to apply: 
•	Registered charities.
•	Community interest companies (CICs).
•	Charitable incorporated organisation (CIOs).
•	Community benefit societies.
•	Co-operative societies (if they have a not-for-profit clause and are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority).
•	Constituted voluntary or community organisations.
•	Statutory bodies (including town, parish and community councils).
•	Companies limited by guarantee.
•	Partnerships of organisations.
All companies that apply must have at least two directors who are not related in any way. This also applies to companies that are also registered as charities.
Location
UK
Restrictions
The following cannot be funded: 
•	Individuals.
•	Sole traders.
•	Organisations based outside of the UK.
•	Statutory activities and activities that replace government funding.
•	Loans, endowments or interest.
•	Paying someone else to write the application.
•	Activities where a profit will be distributed for private gain.
•	Fundraising activities
•	VAT that can be reclaimed.
•	Alcohol.
•	Reotrospective costs.
•	Items which will only benefit an individual, rather than the wider community.
•	Religious activities.
Eligible Expenditure
Eligible projects must demonstrate that they: 
•	Will benefit communities across the UK (or have the potential to) - this could be by sharing learning, influencing, collaborating, convening or delivering activity across and between UK countries.
•	Scale their impact - this might be by expanding into new locations, developing infrastructure, strengthening delivery or increasing reach.
•	Focus on equity – the funders are looking for projects that involve and benefit places, people and communities who experience poverty, disadvantage and discrimination.
•	Have a positive impact on the natural environment.
•	Share learning openly.
There is also interest in projects that have: 
•	Potential for systems change.
•	An approach to learning.
•	A way to work with others.
•	A regenerative approach.
Grants can cover the following costs: 
•	Staff costs, including sessional workers.
•	Development work (testing new ways of working, staff training and development, developing governance, tech or IT upgrades and purchases, sharing learning).
•	Transport.
•	Utilities and running costs.
•	Volunteer expenses.
•	Learning and evaluation.
•	Equipment.
•	Capital costs, though these are unlikely to make up a significant part of the budget.
•	Costs associated with delivering the project in other languages.
How To Apply
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis from 4 August 2023. 
From 17 July 2023, there will be twice-weekly information webinars. Applicants must register to attend one of these before they can apply. 
After the webinar, groups will then be able to email NLCF to book a one-to-one chat to discuss their proposals. If a proposal is deemed a good fit, the funders will then send an application form for the applicant to complete and submit. 
Shortlisted applicants will be contacted within 10 weeks, before a final decision is made by the panel. 
Full guidance and the links to register for a webinar can be found on the NLCF website.
Useful links
National Lottery Community Fund - The UK Fund
https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/the-uk-fund
Addresses and contacts
For further information on how to obtain this grant locally, please contact the following:
Enquiries
National Lottery Community Fund
Apex House
3 Embassy Drive
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 1TR
Tel: 0345 4102 030
E-Mail: TheUKFund@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk