National Lottery 'awards For All' Programme

Charity Number: CUSTOM_00F6D854

Annual Expenditure: £686.0M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £686 million (National Lottery Community Fund total, 2023-24)
  • Success Rate: 63% (2016/17 data)
  • Decision Time: 16 weeks
  • Grant Range: £300 - £20,000
  • Geographic Focus: England (separate programmes for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland)
  • Application Method: Rolling basis

Contact Details

Application Support: The Fund encourages applicants to contact them at any stage of developing a project. They can discuss funding priorities and criteria, though they cannot give assurances of success. Support available for accessible formats including EasyRead and accessible PDF.

Overview

National Lottery Awards for All is a small grants programme administered by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK. The programme has been operating for over two decades, making it one of the most accessible funding streams for grassroots community organizations. In 2023, the programme increased its maximum grant from £10,000 to £20,000, reflecting its commitment to supporting community-led initiatives. The Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players (£36 million per week for good causes) and awarded £686 million across 13,720 grants in the 2023-24 financial year. The programme prioritizes organizations with smaller incomes and projects developed by and with communities. Awards for All receives over 13,000 applications annually in England alone, demonstrating high demand but also relatively strong success rates compared to other grant programmes.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

  • Awards for All England: £300 - £20,000 for up to 2 years
  • Grants between £300-£10,000 for grassroots and community activity
  • Grants between £10,000-£20,000 available (introduced November 2023)
  • Application Method: Rolling basis with no deadlines. Applicants should apply at least 16 weeks before they want to start activities or spend any money
  • First-Come-First-Served: No, applications assessed on merit and alignment with priorities

Priority Areas

Projects must do at least one of the following:

  1. Build strong relationships in and across communities - bringing people together
  2. Improve places and spaces that matter to communities
  3. Help people reach their potential by supporting them at the earliest possible stage
  4. Support people facing cost-of-living challenges - communities and organizations facing increased demands

Prioritization: Groups with smaller incomes are prioritized for funding.

Community Involvement Required: All projects must be developed by and include the community. Projects without genuine community involvement will not be supported.

What They Don't Fund

Ineligible Organizations:

  • Individuals or sole traders
  • Organizations based outside the UK
  • Private companies
  • Informal groups without a constitution
  • Organizations with an existing Awards for All application pending decision
  • Organizations that received £20,000 from Awards for All England in the past 12 months

Ineligible Activities:

  • Statutory responsibilities or activities that duplicate statutory agency work
  • Pre-school provision receiving government funding
  • School-only projects (unless they include and benefit the wider community)
  • Projects where political activities are the main purpose (campaigning-focused projects may be eligible if not primarily political)
  • Projects started before a funding decision is made
  • Projects without community development and involvement
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Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership

Chief Executive: David Knott

  • Appointed CEO in 2021, previously served as director for civil society and youth at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

Chair: Dame Julia Cleverdon DCVO CBE

  • Four-year term commenced 18 November 2024

Leadership Perspectives

David Knott has articulated a clear vision centered on community empowerment:

“The pandemic has brought into sharp focus something I think we all knew to be true, but too often hidden from view: that communities are the heart of our nation, full of the connections with people and places that give us meaning, purpose and belonging.”

On the Fund's responsibility:

“National Lottery players raise £36 million a week for good causes – we are privileged to be trusted shared custodians of this public money.”

On strategic priorities:

“I will focus on putting communities first, helping ensure the Fund is ready to emerge from the pandemic and provide the much-needed support to people and communities across the UK.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Timing: Apply at least 16 weeks before you want to start activities or spend money
  2. Accessibility: Alternative formats available (EasyRead, accessible PDF, BSL support)

Decision Timeline

  • Standard Processing: Up to 16 weeks from submission to decision
  • Review Process: During this period, the Fund reviews the application and conducts checks. They may contact applicants by phone to discuss the project or request additional information
  • High Demand: Currently experiencing higher than usual application volumes, contributing to the 16-week timeline
  • Notification: Successful applicants receive email notification
  • Payment: Funding transferred to bank account within 14 days of approval (often sooner)

Success Rates

  • Historic Success Rate: 63% (2016/17 financial year)
  • Application Volume: Over 13,000 applications annually in England
  • Average Grant: £8,919 (2016/17 data)
  • Total Awards: In 2016/17, Awards for All England made £68,967,510 in awards to community projects

Note: Current success rates may differ due to increased demand, but the programme maintains one of the stronger success rates among major grant programmes.

Reapplication Policy

For Unsuccessful Applicants:

  • Do not reapply for the same project if unsuccessful
  • Can apply for a different project
  • Can apply to other National Lottery programmes for different projects over the same period

For Previous Grant Recipients:

  • Must wait until current grant finishes before reapplying
  • If you received less than £20,000 in the last 12 months for a completed project, you can apply for a new project
  • Cannot have an application pending while applying for new funding

Repeat Projects: The Fund will consider repeat projects, but applications must differentiate new work from previous projects.

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the Funder

Focus on Outcomes, Not Just Outputs

The Fund emphasizes that applicants often focus on activities rather than impact: "Applicants often focus on outputs rather than outcomes - they talk about all the various activities they run, rather than about the difference that these activities make to people's lives." Applications should clearly articulate the difference the project will make.

Demonstrate Genuine Community Involvement

“Tell us why you want to run the project and how the community is involved by explaining why the project is wanted by your community.” The Fund wants to understand how project plans emerged from listening to the community. Use:

  • Direct quotations from real conversations
  • Evidence from emails or social media posts
  • Statements from local people about what they want and need

Complete All Required Information

Approximately 25% of applications are missing vital information each week. The most common missing item is the correct bank statement. Incomplete applications cause delays and may be rejected.

Budget Carefully and Realistically

  • Include brief rationales in the project costs activity column
  • Apply only for the funding actually needed - overinflated costs to reach maximum grant size are counterproductive
  • Be specific about how funds will be used

Get Help When Needed

"If you are stuck, talk to us - it's better to clear up issues, ask questions, or check eligibility in advance of applying."

What Makes Applications Stand Out

  1. Evidence of Community Consultation: Projects that clearly demonstrate how communities were involved in developing the idea
  2. Clear Outcomes: Specific description of how the project will change people's lives, not just what activities will happen
  3. Alignment with Priorities: Explicit connection to at least one of the four funding priorities
  4. Realistic Budgets: Detailed, justified costs that match the project scope
  5. Organizational Capacity: Smaller organizations with genuine community roots are prioritized

Common Reasons for Rejection

  • Missing vital information (especially bank statements)
  • Lack of genuine community involvement in project development
  • Focus on outputs rather than outcomes
  • Projects that duplicate statutory responsibilities
  • Applications for projects already started
  • Overinflated or poorly justified budgets
  • Unclear alignment with funding priorities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Prioritize Community Voice: Applications must demonstrate genuine community consultation and involvement. Include direct quotes from community members explaining why the project is needed.
  1. Outcomes Over Outputs: Focus on the difference the project will make to people's lives rather than listing activities. Describe impact, not just delivery.
  1. Complete Documentation: Ensure all required information is included, particularly the correct bank statement. Approximately 25% of applications fail on this basic requirement.
  1. Contact Them Early: The Fund welcomes pre-application conversations. Use this resource to clarify eligibility and strengthen your approach before submitting.
  1. Apply Realistic Amounts: Request only what you need. Groups with smaller incomes are prioritized, and overinflated budgets to reach maximum amounts are counterproductive.
  1. Allow Sufficient Time: Apply at least 16 weeks before you need to start the project, and do not begin activities or spend money before receiving approval.
  1. Strong Success Rate: With a 63% historic success rate, Awards for All is more accessible than many grant programmes, but high demand means quality applications that clearly demonstrate community need and involvement are essential.

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