National Lottery Community Fund – Partnerships

Description

Grants are available to voluntary and community organisations in England which work together with a shared set of goals and values

Objectives of Fund

Partnerships funding is specifically designed to support generous leadership and increased collaborative working, which starts with shared goals and values between different organisations and an understanding of the bigger picture.

The Fund can support organisations to develop and grow existing partnerships and also to encourage new types of partnership which build on your different skills and strengths.

The funding can support many different types of partnership, including:

• Cross-sector partnerships.
• Local place-based collaboration.
• Local and national organisations working together around a particular theme.

Value Notes

A total of £40 million is available in this financial year.

Grants of over £10,000 are available.

The grants are awarded for up to five years.

Match Funding Restrictions

Match funding is not required as the programme can provide 100% funding. However, applicants are encouraged to arrange complimentary funding from other sources.

Who Can Apply

Applications will be accepted from partnerships (both new and existing) of any of the following organisations:

• Voluntary and community organisations.
• Registered charities or charitable incorporated organisations.
• Groups of organisations as long as they are led a voluntary and community organisation.
• Schools.
• Statutory bodies (including local authorities, town, parish, or community council).
• Not-for-profit companies including companies limited by guarantee and Community Interest Companies with two or more directors.

The Fund will consider funding unincorporated groups, but normally expects the groups to use lottery funding to incorporate and, where appropriate, register as a charity.

The funder wants to see that applicants:

• Have developed their idea by involving the people who will benefit.
• Will support what is already working well.
• Can test new approaches.
• Understand the existing activities and services that do similar work.
• Are committed to equalities and the environment.

The Fund is interested in supporting organisations that are:

• People led – meaningfully involving the people they are working with in the development and delivery of their activity.
• Strengths based – making the most of the skills that already exist in communities.
• Connected – understanding what other relevant organisations are doing and developing good working relationships.

Restrictions

The following are not eligible for funding:

• Individuals.
• Sole traders.
• Organisations based outside the UK.
• Anyone who is applying on behalf of another organisation.
• Organisations that are aimed at generating profits primarily for private distribution. This includes those without sufficient asset locks or organisations that can pay profits to directors or shareholders, which may include some CICs limited by shares.
• Organisations without at least two unconnected people on the board or committee.
• Activities that generate profits for private gain.
• Religious activity (although religious organisations will be considered if they are providing benefit for the wider community).
• Political activities.
• Activities that replace government funding (for example, school activities that are additional to the curriculum).
• Activities that benefit individuals, rather than the wider community.
• Retrospective costs.
• Loan repayments.

Eligible Expenditure

To be eligible, groups need to show how their ideas meet one or more of the following three priorities:

• Bring people together and build strong relationships in and across communities.
• Improve the places and spaces that matter to communities.
• Enable more people to fulfil their potential by working to address issues at the earliest possible stage.

The funding can be used for:

• Staff salaries.
• Project activities.
• Running costs.
• Small-scale refurbishment.
• Equipment.
• Organisational development.

How To Apply

There are no deadlines. Applications can be made at any time.

Proposal ideas can be submitted in a variety of ways, depending on what suits the applicants. Brief outlines can be submitted by email, phone, video or via the online proposal form on the National Lottery Community Fund website.

Initial outlines should cover the following information:

• What do the applicants want to do and why?
• What difference do they think their idea will make?
• How are people and communities involved with the project?
• What is the background of the organisation?
• How much money is needed and for how long?
• How does the idea fit in with other local activities?
• A brief background to the partners’ involvement with each other and how they will work together.

Useful Links

•  The National Lottery Community Fund – Partnerships