The National Lottery Community Fund: open grants for UK charities

Finding a funder is the easy part. The hard part is working out which of their programmes you're actually eligible for, and not wasting a week on an application that was never a fit. This guide lists The National Lottery Community Fund's currently open programmes so you can check the basics before you commit.

Open The National Lottery Community Fund programmes right now

• Reaching Communities England
  £20,001–£20,000,000 · Rolling, applications open
  England. £20,001–£20,000,000 to strengthen communities and improve lives. Open to applications (rolling). REALISTIC BAND — the £20,000,000 ceiling is live and funder-affirmed, but it is not the typical award (funder's own overview page, first-party 2026-08-09): “Most projects receive funding under £500,000. In 2025, the average we gave was £319,000 over 3 years. However, we can and are keen to award up to £20 million to large organisations with ambitious projects.” A SECOND ROUTE STEP OPENS AT £500,000, on top of the two stages below: “If you want to ask for over £500,000, get in touch with us.” ACCESS ROUTE — TWO STAGES, STAGE TWO BY INVITATION (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08): “The application has two stages. At stage one, we ask for an outline of your project. If it fits what we're looking for, we'll invite you to give more information at stage two.” TIMESCALE, the longest on this list: the funder's own key facts state a decision in 40 weeks — “Most applications take around 9 months (40 weeks) from start to finish”, usually up to 3 months for a stage-one decision and up to 6 months at stage two, longer again for complex projects or those including land and building work. PROJECT TERM (first-party 2026-08-09): “You can apply for £20,001 or more, for projects lasting up to 5 years.” GATES: you may apply to only one of the funder's funds for the same project at any one time — “you can apply to Reaching Communities. If that's not successful, you can then apply to National Lottery Awards for All for the same project, but not both at once” (you may still apply while already holding funding from another of its programmes). Not accepted from individuals or sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, companies that can pay profits to directors, shareholders or members, or organisations applying on behalf of another (partnerships excepted). Eligible types include constituted voluntary or community organisations, registered charities, CIOs, not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee, CICs, schools, public bodies, and community benefit or co-operative societies registered with the FCA. An asset lock is required if you are a CIC, a company limited by guarantee that is not a registered charity, or a community benefit or co-operative society. Partnerships need a written agreement between all partners before the funder can pay the grant.
• National Lottery Awards for All England
  £300–£20,000 · Rolling, applications open
  England. £300–£20,000 for projects that bring people together and improve communities; projects can last up to 2 years. Open to applications (rolling) — genuinely self-serve: an online form, with no enquiry call and no invitation required. ACCESS ROUTE & GATES (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08): decision in 16 weeks — “Submit your application at least 16 weeks before you need the funding” and “Please wait for a decision from us before starting your project or spending money”; payment within 14 days of the award email. Competitive: “We usually fund around 1 in 3 applications.” You cannot apply if your organisation has a current Awards for All England grant that has not finished, if you are waiting for a decision on another application to this programme, or if you are applying to more than one of the funder's programmes for the same project; and “The maximum total we can fund in any 12-month period is £20,000.” You must have at least 2 board or committee members who are not related (at least 2 unrelated directors if you are a company). A bank statement from the last 3 months meeting the funder's stated requirements is mandatory — “If they do not, you'll need to apply again when they do.” Eligible types include CICs (limited by guarantee or by shares), not-for-profit companies, CIOs, constituted voluntary/community organisations, groups and clubs, schools (only where the project mainly benefits and involves the wider community), statutory bodies and community benefit societies. “We prioritise funding for organisations with smaller annual incomes.” Paid authorship is barred — “You should write your own application. We do not accept applications written by private businesses, consultants or bid writers on your behalf” — while AI is permitted: “You can use AI tools to help you write your application, but make sure the answers are accurate and reflect your own work.”
• Awards for All England – Environment
  £300–£20,000 · Rolling, applications open
  England. £300–£20,000 for community-led projects tackling the climate and nature emergency, under two priorities — helping people connect with and care for nature in their area, and making a positive difference to the environment; one-off events with a clear environmental benefit are eligible. Open to applications (rolling). ACCESS ROUTE & GATES (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08): this is the same Awards for All online form, not a separate one — “When completing ‘Extra details about your project’, select ‘My project supports communities to be environmentally sustainable’ as the category of your project.” No enquiry call and no invitation required. CROSS-PROGRAMME EXCLUSION, material if you are also matched to National Lottery Awards for All England: “You cannot apply if you already have an Awards for All grant.” The funder will also refuse an application while you are waiting for a decision on another application to this programme, or if you are applying to more than one of its programmes for the same project; and “The maximum total we can fund in any 12-month period is £20,000.” Decision in 16 weeks — submit at least 16 weeks before you need the funding and wait for approval before starting your project or spending money; payment within 14 days of the award email. You must have at least two directors who are not related. Eligible types include CICs, not-for-profit companies, CIOs, constituted voluntary/community organisations, groups and clubs, schools (only where the project helps the local community, not just the school), statutory bodies and community benefit societies.
• Community Action (Scotland)
  £20,001–£250,000 · Rolling, applications open
  Scotland. £20,001–£250,000 for community-led projects that help people connect more with each other; the funder will support projects that are open, inclusive and led by their community. Open to applications (rolling). ACCESS ROUTE — YOU CANNOT APPLY DIRECTLY; THE FORM IS ISSUED TO YOU (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08): “Start by getting in touch… Contact us to discuss your idea. You do not need to prepare anything in advance. We’ll ask you about your project and help decide if this funding is right for you.” Contact is by email (advicescotland@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk) or by phone on 0300 123 7110, lines open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. “We’ll connect you with a funding officer in your area within 10 working days. If you’re eligible to apply for the funding, we'll send you a link to our online application form.” The amount and duration are not freely chosen either — “We’ll discuss the length and amount of funding you can apply for when you get in touch.” TIMESCALE: the funder's own key facts state a decision in 12 weeks, and “We’ll contact you to talk about your application, and to get more information if we need it.” GATES: at least 3 board or committee members who are not related (at least 3 unrelated directors if you are a company, including companies registered as charities); a clear social purpose, open membership and a community-led board must be written into your governing document; you will be asked to upload your latest accounts (or 12-month projections if your organisation is less than 15 months old), tell the funder your total income and expenditure for the year, and send a bank statement from the last 3 months. PROJECT TERM (first-party 2026-08-09): “You can apply for £20,001 to £250,000 for up to 5 years”, with the funder adding “we’ll discuss the length and amount of funding you can apply for when you get in touch” — 5 years is the published ceiling, not an entitlement. NOT ACCEPTED from individuals, sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, schools, statutory bodies (including local authorities and community councils), companies that can pay profits to directors, shareholders or members (like companies limited by shares), organisations applying to more than one of the funder's programmes for the same project over the same period, or one organisation applying on behalf of another. Eligible types include constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups and clubs, registered charities, SCIOs, not-for-profit companies, CICs and community benefit societies — and “If you don’t meet all the criteria but feel your organisation still represents your community, we’d still like to hear from you.” If you already hold funding from the funder, “Contact us around 6 months before your funding ends to discuss applying.” Easy Read, offline and other accessible formats are available on request.
• Fairer Life Chances (Scotland)
  £20,001–£500,000 · Rolling, applications open
  Scotland. £20,001–£500,000 for projects that support children, young people and families, or help people be healthier and have better access to support. Open to applications (rolling). PROJECT TERM (first-party 2026-08-09): “You can apply for £20,001 to £500,000 for up to 5 years”, and the funder adds “we’ll discuss the length and amount of funding you can apply for when you get in touch” — so 5 years is the published ceiling, not an entitlement. ACCESS ROUTE — YOU CANNOT APPLY DIRECTLY; THE FORM IS ISSUED TO YOU (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08): “Start by getting in touch… Contact us to discuss your idea. You do not need to prepare anything in advance. We’ll ask you about your project and help decide if this funding is right for you.” Contact by email (advicescotland@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk) or phone 0300 123 7110, 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday; “We’ll connect you with a funding officer in your area within 10 working days”, and the online form is sent to you only if you are judged eligible. This is the same gated route as Community Action (Scotland) and is NOT the route for National Lottery Awards for All Scotland, which is self-serve. TIMESCALE: the funder's own key facts state a decision in 12 weeks. WHAT YOU MUST SHOW: at least one of two outcomes — children, young people and families to thrive; or people have better relationships, connections and physical or mental health — and “Meeting both outcomes will not improve your chances of getting funding.” Projects should also support people experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination, and “should be designed with the people it’s for, not just delivered to them.” GATES: “All organisations must have at least 3 board or committee members who are not related. This applies to companies and charities.” NOT ACCEPTED 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 applying to more than one of the funder's programmes for the same project over the same period, or applications made on behalf of another organisation. Eligible types include constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups and clubs, registered charities, SCIOs, not-for-profit companies, CICs, community benefit societies and — unlike Community Action (Scotland) — public sector organisations such as a local authority. If you are currently funded through Community Led, Improving Lives or Cost of Living Support Scotland: “Please get in touch with us around 6 months before your funding ends to talk about applying.”
• Awards for All Scotland
  £300–£20,000 · Rolling, applications open
  Scotland. £300–£20,000 for community-led projects that bring people together and help communities across Scotland thrive; the funding can start a new activity, continue an existing one, help an organisation adapt to new challenges, or run one-off events. Open to applications (rolling). ACCESS ROUTE — SELF-SERVE, no enquiry call and no invitation required (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08): “You can apply using our online form… You can save your work as you fill it in.” This is the only one of the funder's three Scotland programmes we list that you can apply to directly — Community Action and Fairer Life Chances both require you to contact a funding officer first and are sent the form only if judged eligible. TERMS: decision in 12 weeks; “Submit your application at least 12 weeks before you need the funding. We are receiving more applications than usual, so it may take longer to respond. Please wait for approval before starting your project or spending money”; if successful, funding is deposited within 14 days of the award email. GATES: the funder will not accept your application if your organisation has a current Awards for All Scotland grant that has not finished, if you are waiting for a decision on another application to this programme, or if you are applying to more than one of its programmes for the same project. “The maximum we can fund in any 12-month period is £20,000”, and you may reapply once your previous project is complete and your organisation has received less than £20,000 from this programme in the last 12 months. PROJECT TERM (first-party 2026-08-09): for community-led projects the funder can fund “between £300 and £20,000 to support work lasting up to 2 years”. For arts or sports projects the funder can fund up to £10,000 for work lasting up to 12 months. You must have at least two directors who are not related. “We prioritise funding for organisations with smaller annual incomes. Because of high demand, organisations with larger incomes are less likely to get funding.” Eligible types include constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups and clubs, registered charities, CIOs, not-for-profit companies and CICs, schools (only where the project helps the local community, not just the school), statutory bodies (including local authorities and town, parish and community councils) and community benefit societies. NOT ACCEPTED from individuals or sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, for-profit companies (including companies limited by shares), or organisations applying on behalf of another. Paid authorship is barred: “We do not accept applications written for you by private businesses or consultants.”
• Awards for All Wales
  £300–£20,000 · Rolling, applications open
  Wales. £300–£20,000 for projects that bring people together and improve communities across Wales, for projects lasting up to 2 years. Open to applications (rolling). ACCESS ROUTE — SELF-SERVE, no enquiry call and no invitation required (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08): “You can apply using our online form… You can save your work as you fill it in. This lets you come back later if you need to.” This is the opposite of the funder's own People and Places (Wales) programme, where you must contact a funding officer first and are sent a form only if judged eligible. WELSH LANGUAGE — A HARD, COSTED OBLIGATION, not an option: “If you're funded to run a project in Wales, you'll need to deliver it in both Welsh and English. This means making sure your activities and communications are available to your community in both languages”, and “You should include the costs of delivering your project bilingually in your budget, for example, translation or interpretation costs.” Free support exists (the funder's Welsh Language Team at WelshLanguage.Advice@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk; the Welsh Language Commissioner's Promotion Team at hybu@cyg-wlc.cymru, which includes proofreading of up to 1,000 words a year; and Helo Blod, HeloBlod@llyw.cymru or 0300 25 88 88). TIMESCALE: the funder's own key facts state a decision in 12 weeks. “Submit your application at least 12 weeks before you need the funding. We are receiving more applications than usual, so it may take longer to respond. Please wait for approval before starting your project or spending money.” If successful the funder emails you and deposits the funding within 14 days, and you can start as soon as that email arrives. GATES: you must have at least two directors who are not related. The funder will not accept your application if your organisation has a current Awards for All Wales grant that has not finished, if you are waiting for a decision on another application to this programme, or if you are applying to more than one of its programmes for the same project; “The maximum total we can fund in any 12-month period is £20,000”, and you may reapply once the previous project has finished and your organisation has received less than £20,000 from this programme in the last 12 months. Income is a stated priority: “We're keen to fund smaller organisations too. So we'll look at your income when we're making a decision.” Eligible types include constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups and clubs, registered charities, CIOs, not-for-profit companies, CICs limited by guarantee or by shares (if limited by shares you must follow the Regulator of Community Interest Companies' guidance on sharing profits), schools (only where the project helps the local community and goes beyond the school's usual responsibilities — the funder will not fund curriculum activity, school buildings or grounds, staff training, school trips or after-school clubs) and statutory bodies including local authorities and town, parish and community councils. NOT ACCEPTED from individuals or sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, for-profit companies (including Companies Limited by Shares), or organisations applying on behalf of another. Paid authorship is barred: “We do not accept applications written for you by private businesses or consultants.” Easy Read, PDF, British Sign Language and video alternatives to the online form are available on request.
• People and Places (Wales)
  £20,001–£500,000 · Rolling, applications open
  Wales. £20,001–£500,000 for accessible, community-led projects in Wales that respond to the issues mattering most to their community, running for up to 5 years. Open to applications (rolling). ACCESS ROUTE — YOU CANNOT APPLY DIRECTLY; THE FORM IS ISSUED TO YOU (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08), and this holds for BOTH grant sizes: “Before you apply, we'd like to have an informal chat about your idea. You do not need to prepare anything.” Contact is by email (peopleandplaces@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk) or phone 0300 123 0735, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm; “We'll connect you with a funding officer in your area within 5 working days”, and “If your project is eligible, we'll then send you a link to the online application form.” THIS IS ONE LISTING OVER TWO DIFFERENT PRODUCTS — no single timeline or process claim is true of both. MEDIUM GRANTS £20,001–£100,000: one-stage process, “usually takes around 15 weeks to get a decision”; can fund new or existing activity, capital costs (land, buildings, vehicles, refurbishment) where the project follows the RIBA Plan of Work and is at stage 4 or higher, and up to £50,000 towards planning a capital project to reach RIBA stage 4. LARGE GRANTS £100,001–£500,000: a 2-stage process that “usually takes at least 40 weeks to get a decision” — a short idea form first, with the funder replying “within 6 weeks if you're invited to submit a full application”, then a decision on the full application within 16 weeks. In both cases a funding officer contacts you within 2 weeks of a successful decision to agree the contract and start date, and you must start within 6 months of the offer email. WELSH LANGUAGE — A HARD, COSTED OBLIGATION: “You must deliver all projects in Wales bilingually. This means people should be able to access your project in both English and Welsh. You can include the cost of bilingual services in your budget, such as the translation of promotional materials.” GEOGRAPHY IS A BENEFICIARY TEST, NOT AN ADDRESS TEST: “At least 80% of people who benefit from your project must live in Wales.” WHAT YOU MUST SHOW: how the project involves your community in planning and running it, builds on its strengths, fills a gap in what already exists locally, and considers its environmental impact — plus at least one of the funder's four missions (communities coming together; children and young people thriving; healthier lives; environmental sustainability). GATES: at least 3 board or committee members who are not related (3 unrelated directors if you are a company, including companies registered as charities); your latest accounts, or 12-month projections if the organisation is under 15 months old; and two named people who live in the UK, are unrelated and have different email addresses, one of them a senior person legally responsible for the funding, with home addresses and dates of birth. Eligible types include constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups and clubs, registered charities, not-for-profit companies, CICs, social enterprises, schools (where the project benefits the communities around the school and sits outside statutory provision), statutory bodies including local authorities, health boards and town, parish or community councils, and partnerships where every funded partner is one of these types. NOT ACCEPTED from individuals, sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, companies that can pay profits to directors, shareholders or members (including Companies Limited by Shares), or organisations applying to more than one of the funder's programmes for the same project at the same time. Paid authorship is barred in the funder's strongest wording of the rule: “Do not use a private business or consultant to write your application. We will not accept them. Some may claim they work with us or are approved by us, this is not true.” The funder points applicants instead to their local authority or County Voluntary Council (CVC), or to its own funding officers.
• Awards for All Northern Ireland
  £300–£20,000 · Rolling, applications open
  Northern Ireland. £300–£20,000 for projects lasting up to 2 years that bring people together and improve communities. Decision in around 12 weeks — apply at least 12 weeks before you need the funding, and wait for approval before starting or spending. If successful, payment lands within 14 days. ACCESS ROUTE — SELF-SERVE: you apply directly on the online form (saveable and resumable); there is no enquiry or eligibility-check stage. Easy Read, PDF and British Sign Language versions of the form and guidance are available on request. WHO CAN APPLY: constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups or clubs, registered charities, not-for-profit companies, community interest companies limited by guarantee OR limited by shares (shares CICs must follow the CIC Regulator's guidance on sharing profits), schools where the project mainly benefits the wider community rather than pupils/teachers/parents, and statutory bodies such as a council or health trust but only where the project is not a statutory responsibility. At least 2 board or committee members (or 2 directors) who are not related — the funder counts marriage or civil partnership, long-term relationship or cohabiting, and same family as related. Lower-income organisations are prioritised. New organisations under 15 months old with no annual accounts can still apply. WHAT IS EXCLUDED — THE CARD-LEVEL TRAP: this programme does NOT fund projects that focus on engaging people in sports, arts or heritage based activities, nor sports, arts or heritage equipment and facilities. That is an outright exclusion, not a sub-cap. Also excluded: costs already paid, alcohol, contingency, loans, endowments or interest, paying someone else to write your application, profit-making or fundraising activity, reclaimable VAT, religious activities (religious organisations can apply where the project benefits the wider community and carries no religious content), statutory services, overseas travel, pre-school provision that receives statutory funding, projects outside the UK, activity making a private profit, and cash given directly to individuals. Applications from organisations with a current unfinished Awards for All Northern Ireland grant, or awaiting a decision on another, or that have received £20,000 in total from this programme in the last 12 months, are not accepted; nor are applications from individuals or sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, for-profit companies including companies limited by shares, projects whose main purpose is political activity, or organisations applying on behalf of another. WHAT IT FUNDS: project running costs, activity costs, equipment, one-off events, staff costs, training and facilitator costs, transport, utilities, volunteer expenses, and small land or refurbishment projects (for land or buildings you do not own you need a lease of five years or more, or a letter confirming one will be granted, plus written permission from the owner and any planning permission). Non-party-political campaigning about policy, practice or legislation can be funded where it serves the organisation's cause and benefits the public. WHAT YOU MUST SUPPLY: a bank statement from the last 3 months meeting the funder's financial-controls requirements (a bank welcome letter or a dated transaction listing is accepted for accounts opened within 3 months); names, home addresses, dates of birth and email addresses for 2 different people — one the main project contact, one a board/committee member or company director, both UK-resident, each with a different email address; your financial year end and most recent annual income; and a safeguarding policy if you will work with children, young people or adults at risk. The funder does not accept applications written for you by private businesses or consultants.
• Dormant Assets for All (Northern Ireland)
  £300–£20,000 · Rolling, applications open
  Northern Ireland. £300–£20,000 for projects lasting up to 2 years. Decision in around 12 weeks; payment within 14 days of the award email. Funded by the Dormant Assets Scheme — money from financial accounts unused for over 15 years, NOT National Lottery money — and grant-holders must display the Dormant Assets NI logo on their website, social media and printed materials. ACCESS ROUTE — SELF-SERVE: apply directly on the online form (saveable and resumable); no enquiry or eligibility-check stage. Contact the funder if you need communication support. WHAT THIS PROGRAMME IS FOR — THE CARD-LEVEL TRAP: this is ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING ONLY. The funder states it does NOT fund the delivery of activities in your community — expanding an existing service into new areas is given as an example of what it will not support. Fundable work must make the organisation itself more resilient: digital confidence and skills (including creating a digital strategy, staff and volunteer digital training, building or improving a website or social presence, and testing new ways of working such as using AI tools), impact measurement, financial management (including reviewing finances and exploring unrestricted income), governance and leadership (training, coaching, strategic planning, safeguarding, sharing services with other organisations, improving HR, property, data-protection and cybersecurity policies, succession planning, and reviewing legal status), and volunteer recruitment, support and development. Recurrent training such as sports coaching is treated as an ongoing running cost and is not a priority. WHO CAN APPLY: constituted VCSE organisations that have been OPERATING FOR AT LEAST 2 YEARS — unregistered voluntary or community organisations with a governing document, not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee with a profit or asset lock, unincorporated registered charities, and community interest companies registered with Companies House and the CIC Regulator. At least 2 unrelated board or committee members, or 2 unrelated directors. Previous funding from the funder does not bar you, but a previous Dormant Assets for All grant does. WHO CANNOT APPLY — NOTE THE DIVERGENCE FROM AWARDS FOR ALL NORTHERN IRELAND: schools and statutory organisations are EXCLUDED here (Awards for All Northern Ireland accepts both), as are organisations operating for less than 2 years, individuals and sole traders, religious institutions such as a church, synagogue or mosque (faith-based community groups can apply), organisations based outside Northern Ireland, companies that can pay profits to directors, shareholders or members including companies limited by shares, and organisations applying on behalf of another. GEOGRAPHY IS A REGISTERED-OFFICE TEST, NOT A PROJECT-LOCATION TEST: only organisations with a registered office base in Northern Ireland are eligible. WHAT IT WILL NOT PAY FOR: staff salaries, including existing staff and management costs; capital costs such as land, buildings, vehicles or refurbishment; work already funded; projects focused on reducing energy costs; your organisation's running costs; retrospective costs; alcohol; contingency, loans, endowments or interest; reclaimable VAT; religious activities; statutory activities; overseas travel; projects outside the UK; and activity making profits for private gain. PAID SUPPORT — A DISTINCTION THIS PROGRAMME DRAWS EXPLICITLY: consultant and freelancer expertise IS fundable where it strengthens the organisation (the funder encourages getting a few quotes), but funding must NOT be used to pay a consultant or freelancer to write the application, and applications written by private businesses or consultants are not accepted. The funder signposts applicants to their local council or the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) for support. WHAT YOU MUST SUPPLY: organisation legal name and address, organisation type, charity or company registration numbers, accounting end date and total annual income; a bank statement from the last 3 months meeting the funder's financial-controls requirements; details for 2 different people — one the main project contact, one a board/committee member or director legally responsible for the funding, both UK-resident, each with a different email address; and a safeguarding policy if working with children, young people or adults at risk. Lower-income organisations, and those that have not had Dormant Accounts Fund NI money, are prioritised.

Each programme links to The National Lottery Community Fund's official page. Always confirm eligibility, amounts and deadlines there before applying. Funders update their pages, and "rolling" does not mean funding is guaranteed.

Before you apply to The National Lottery Community Fund

• Check the eligibility basics first: where you work, the type of organisation you are, who you help, and the realistic size of grant you can deliver.
• Look at who The National Lottery Community Fund has funded recently. Recent grants are the best signal of whether your work fits their priorities.
• Don't rely on one funder. The charities that win consistently keep a live shortlist of several well-matched opportunities, not a single bet.

GrantNest helps you discover and draft funding opportunities. We are not affiliated with The National Lottery Community Fund. We don't guarantee you'll win funding, and nothing here is financial or legal advice. Programme details verified 2026-08-19.