This funding is for projects that help young people to take part in place-based youth social action, such as volunteering or other activities that help to improve their local area. The National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) has a total of £3m available and is expecting to fund 4 to 6 projects.
Projects need to help young people up to age 20 to get involved in their local community and should:
- be led by young people
- be challenging
- have social impact
- help young people take part in other opportunities
- be a regular and meaningful part of a young person’s life
- encourage young people to reflect on what they’ve achieved
The NLCF is particularly interested in projects that include young people from low-income communities.
You will need to provide match funding for your grant and the minimum grant is £200,000.
These grants can either be for direct project delivery by your organisation or you can apply as a funder and distribute grants to other organisations on behalf of the NLCF.
Applications will be accepted from a range of not-for-profit organisations, including charities, CIOs, CICs, constituted voluntary and community groups, clubs and organisations, schools, statutory bodies and community benefit societies.
The first step in the application process is to send an email to NLCF to initiate a conversation about the proposed project. It will take about 10 working days to arrange a conversation. Those who are eligible to apply for the funding will be sent an expression of interest form.
Focus of fund/fund aims:
Grants to help young people to get involved in purposeful activities that benefit their community
Application deadline:
Expressions of Interest by 24 September 2025
Fund description:
https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/iwill-fund-2025