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Lottery Funding
Currently the following types of grants are available to organisations:


Awards for All
Awards for All is a national lottery grants scheme aimed at local communities.  Grants of between £500 and £5,000 are available to support projects that enable people to take part in sport, art, heritage and community activities, as well as projects that promote education, the environment and health in the local community.

Applications can be made at anytime by not-for-profit organisations, including Parish and Town Councils and schools. The aim of Awards for All is to increase community involvement and participation, raise people’s skills and creativity and improve the quality of people’s lives.  In addition, preference is given to projects in the South East which:

  • benefit children and young people up to the age of 18 in areas where access to facilities and services is limited
  • benefit disabled people
  • benefit older people (aged 60 or over)
  • help communities explore and share their heritage, traditions and cultures
  • benefit people who experience traditional or cultural barriers to full participation in the community.
Awards for All
3rd Floor Dominion House
Woodbridge Road
Guildford
GU1 4BN
Telephone: 01483 462900
Fax: 01483 569893

National help line for requesting an application pack: 0845 600 2040

Big Lottery Fund
The Big Lottery Fund is a new organisation that will hand out half the money for good causes from the National Lottery.  The aim is to make it easier to apply for Lottery money and to see where the money is being spent.  Merging the New Opportunities Fund and the Community Fund created the Big Lottery Fund.

The Big Lottery Fund has just launched the Young People’s Fund.  For further details please click on Young People’s Fund

Community Fund
The Community Fund is an independent body set up to distribute National Lottery money to charities, voluntary and community groups throughout the United Kingdom.

The main aim of the Community Fund is to give grants to help meet the needs of people at greatest disadvantage in society and to improve the quality of life in the community.

On 1 June 2004, the New Opportunities Fund merged with the Community Fund to create the Big Lottery Fund.  Further details will follow.

Regional Office
3rd Floor
Dominion House
Woodbridge Road
Guildford
GU1 4BN

Telephone: 01483 462900
Fax: 01483 569893
e-mail: enquiries.se@biglotteryfund.org.uk

Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund makes capital and revenue grants for projects that conserve or improve our heritage. Heritage covers: countryside and habitats, historic parks and gardens, archaeology, historic buildings and sites, objects, archives, museums and customs and traditions.

7 Holbein Place
London
SW1W 8NR
Telephone: 020 7591 6000
Fax: 020 7591 6001

New Opportunities Fund
The New Opportunities Fund distributes grants to health, education and environmental projects across the UK. It supports sustainable projects that will improve the quality of life for people, address the needs of those who are most disadvantaged; encourage community participation and complement relevant local and national strategies and programmes.

On 1 June 2004, the New Opportunities Fund merged with the Community Fund to create the Big Lottery Fund.  Further details will follow.

Head Office
1 Plough Place
London EC4A 1DE
Tel. 0207 211 1800
Fax. 0207 211 1750
e-mail: enquiries.se@biglotteryfund.org.uk

Sport England
Following a major funding review, Sport England has replaced the previous funding programmes with two investment funds, National and Community.

Community Investment Fund
This fund provides capital and revenue funding over £5,000 to 106 different sports.  Eligible projects are assessed against the regional priorities set out in the South East England’s Sports Plan and in the National Framework for Sport.

The key two considerations are:

Will the project increase current levels of sports participation?
Will the project help or encourage volunteers to stay involved in sport?

Applications are made in a three step process:

  • Submit initial project details online using the enquiry form or phone 08458 508508.  Instant feedback will be provided on whether the project is eligible and initial guidance notes will be provided to help develop the project.
  • Submit additional supporting information either on-line or by post.  Response within 15 working days of receipt.
  • Request for funding submitted.  Signed statement and project plans should be sent to Sport England and a decision will be made within 12 weeks.
Lottery help line. 08458 508508

National Investment Fund
Sport For England is investing £130 million in 30 key sports.  This investment is distributed in conjunction with the national governing bodies plus a range of national partners. There are 10 English priority sports, 10 UK/GB priority sports and 10 English development/world class sports.

 The 20 priority sports are detailed below:

Athletics Equestrian Judo Sailing
Badminton Football Netball Squash
Canoeing Golf Rowing Swimming
Cricket Gymnastics Rugby League Tennis
Cycling Hockey Rugby Union Triathlon

Further details available on their website:
www.sportengland.org.uk

For further details about other sources of funding available for sports click on Sports Funding

General Tips on Completing National Lottery Applications

1. Consider the need in your local area for your proposed project
2. Think through your proposed project:
  • Does it address the needs in your local area?
  • How will it make a lasting difference to the local community?
  • Are your costings accurate and realistic?
  • Have you got more than one quote where necessary for building works, equipment etc.?

3. Read through the National Lottery web pages and decide which Distributing Board you want to apply to
4. Phone the number listed for a free application pack
5. Read the information carefully, then read it again
6. Make sure that your organisation is eligible to apply according to the rules listed
7. Make sure that your project fits in with their listed priorities
8. Imagine you are a key member of the Distributing Board assessing many applications, with a limited budget and time restrictions. What might you want to see from a quick glance at this application?
  • Clear and concise information
  • Information about the group and its work
  • Some evidence that local people support this group and the work that it does
  • What the real need for this project is
  • That this group is the best organisation to tackle this particular problem
  • That this proposed method is the best way to tackle this particular problem
  • That this group has realistic budgets and can handle money
  • How this project can make your money go further (for example by drawing in additional money from other sources in support, or by demonstrating to others a successful, efficient way to tackle this problem)
  • How this group will evaluate the project to improve or develop it
  • How your money will make a lasting difference

9. Take time to think through your answers before starting to draft them on rough paper
10. Write clearly and legibly, and answer every question
11. Attach all relevant documentation, as requested
12. Complete the form and send it off in advance of the deadline (if there is one)
13. If none of the national lottery distributing boards meets your criteria, contact the External Funding Officer who may be able to assist by finding another possible source.

Match Funding
The increase of competition for funding and the decrease of funding sources mean that organisations have to become even more inventive in their quest for funding. Further, groups that show that they have actively sought and gained match funding from another source before approaching a funder often has a greater chance of success.

  • What is Match Funding?
  • Where can I find sources of match funding?
  • Last Word

What is match funding?
Match funding refers to the finance or commitment put forward as a contribution to the eligible costs of a project and can either come from private or public sources such as central or local government or non-profit making organisations.

There are two types of match funding:
1. Actual match funding
This includes hard cash and contribution of staff costs, which reflect the responsibilities of the individuals involved, and the amount of time spent on the administration of the project.
2. Match funding in kind
This refers to any service or product which is provided free of charge. It covers the donation of equipment, materials and resources. For example, where the local authority allows a community group to use a photocopier for free, providing that the match funding in kind is an eligible cost and the provider, in this case the local authority agrees to its use as match funding and can provide evidence of costs.

In addition in kind match funding may also be in the form of the applicant guaranteeing to support a project's running costs after completion for a certain period.

Where can I find sources of match funding?
Match funding can be derived from a number of sources:

  • The applicant's own reserves
Very often organisations begin by looking at external sources before investigating fully the availability of funding within their own organisation. Admittedly, disposal income is usually scarce in an organisation but other internal resources could be costed as match funding, for example, time spent by staff working on the project or in the case of a sport's club, membership fees.

  • Partners' resources
Other partners participating in the project may be able to provide match funding from existing sources.

  • National funds
Funds from government departments often make up the bulk of match funding and are therefore an essential part of the bid.

  • Charitable Trusts
Trusts may operate on a national, regional or local basis, for example, the Charities Aid Foundation, Esmee Fairbairn.

  • Local Agencies
Organisations at a local level may be approached to establish whether they are willing to donate funds to a project. It is important that the project has relevance to the organisation that you approach.

  • Private match funding
Private companies are constantly inundated with requests for donations. Very often they will only make contributions to local organisations or to causes that appeal directly to the Director(s) personally.

Alternatively, groups could tap into funding programmes set up by private firms for philanthropic and benevolent projects. For example, the M & S Involvement Initiative will support projects tackling social exclusion, encouraging healthy living, developing awareness of the environment and providing equality of opportunity.

Other popular funding schemes

Church restoration funding
The following is a list of organisations that may be able to help with church restoration.

Community buildings funding
The following is a list of organisations that may be able to help you to fund your community building or village hall.

Environmental project funding
The following is a list of organisations that may be able to help with your environment project.

Heritage funding
The following is a list of organisations that may be able to help with your heritage project.

Sports funding
The following is a list of organisations that may be able to help you to fund your sports club or activity.