The National Lottery Community Fund

National Lottery Awards for All Wales

Grants of £300 to £20,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund for community projects in Wales lasting up to 2 years, to start a new activity, continue an existing one or help an organisation adapt to new challenges. Projects must bring people together, improve places and spaces that matter to communities, help people reach their potential through early support, or support those facing the cost-of-living crisis. Funded projects must be delivered bilingually in Welsh and English. It is open all year with decisions within 12 weeks, and the funder is keen to fund smaller organisations.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: £300 – £20,000; no fixed round
Deadline: Rolling; apply any time
Effort: Moderate; full application with documents

Who can apply

Constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups or clubs, registered charities, CIOs, not-for-profit companies, CICs limited by guarantee or by shares (share-limited CICs must follow the CIC Regulator's guidance on sharing profits), schools (only if the project benefits the wider community, not just the school), and statutory bodies including local authorities and town, parish and community councils
There is no income limit, but the funder looks at income when deciding and is keen to fund smaller organisations
Applicants must have at least two unrelated board or committee members or directors (not married, in a civil partnership, in a long-term relationship, living together or of the same family); the senior contact, who is legally responsible for the grant, must not be related to the main contact
The funder's general requirements are a governing document, a UK bank or building society account in the organisation's legal name managed by at least two unrelated people, and yearly accounts (organisations under 15 months old without accounts can still apply)
You cannot apply while you hold an unfinished grant from this programme or are awaiting a decision on another application to it; you can reapply once your project has finished if you have received less than £20,000 from the programme in the last 12 months
Projects must take place in Wales and be delivered in both Welsh and English

What it funds

Projects that do at least one of:

Bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities
Improve the places and spaces that matter to communities
Help more people reach their potential by supporting them at the earliest possible stage
Support people, communities and organisations facing more demands because of the cost-of-living crisis

Funding can start a new activity, keep an existing one going, help an organisation adapt to new or future challenges, or help communities connect with nature and be more environmentally sustainable.

Eligible costs include equipment, one-off events (if part of a wider project that builds relationships over time), staff and training costs, transport and utilities, volunteer expenses, translation and other costs of delivering the project in Welsh and English, and small land or refurbishment projects.

Some non-party-political campaigning can be funded.

Sports, arts or heritage projects are eligible only if they do more than provide the activity (for example also reducing loneliness or supporting mental health).

What it will not fund

Costs you have already paid for
Alcohol
Contingency costs, loans, endowments or interest
Paying someone else to write your application
Activities that make a profit or raise money
VAT you can reclaim
Religious activities (religious organisations can be funded if the project benefits the wider community and has no religious content)
Statutory services or activities
Schoolwork support during school hours
Overseas travel, or projects that take place outside the UK
Activities that make a private profit
Giving cash directly to individuals
Projects where political activities are the main purpose, or party-political activity
School curriculum activities, anything that should happen during the school day, improvements to school buildings, grounds or equipment, school staff training, school trips, after-school clubs or alternative learning environments
Applications from individuals, sole traders, for-profit companies (including companies limited by shares), organisations based outside the UK, or organisations applying on behalf of another organisation
Applications written for you by private businesses or consultants
Sports, arts or heritage projects that only provide the activity
Applications from organisations with an unfinished Awards for All Wales grant, or waiting for a decision on another application to this programme
Applying to more than one of the funder's programmes for the same project
More than £20,000 in total from this programme in any 12-month period

How to apply

Read the National Lottery Awards for All Wales guidance pages (who can apply, who cannot apply, what we need to know, what you can spend the money on) and check your organisation and project are eligible
Involve your community in shaping the project (for example surveys, meetings or talking to local organisations), as the form asks how the community is involved
Optionally review the complete list of application questions on the funder's preview page
Create or sign in to an account on the funder's online application portal and complete the online form (you can save and return); it covers the project, costs by category, organisation details, a senior contact and a main contact, bank details and EDI monitoring
Upload a bank statement dated within the last 3 months, agree to the terms and conditions and submit, at least 12 weeks before you need the funding
The funder reviews the application and may contact you to discuss it; a decision is given within about 12 weeks
If successful you are emailed and the grant is paid into your account within 14 days; you can start the project once you receive the award email

Do not start the project or spend money before approval; costs already paid for are not funded.

If you cannot use the online form, Easy Read, PDF and British Sign Language versions of the form and guidance are available on request. You can also describe your project by video.

Contact the Wales team on wales@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk or 0300 123 0735 with questions; Welsh-language delivery questions go to WelshLanguage.Advice@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk.

Include the cost of delivering the project bilingually (translation or interpretation) in your budget.

Guidance and the form are also available in Welsh.

Have ready

Bank statement dated within the last 3 months, in the organisation's legal name, showing the address it is sent to, the bank's name and logo, account number and sort code and the date range (a bank welcome letter is accepted for accounts opened in the last 3 months, or a transaction listing with the same details)

Nothing else is uploaded, but you need a governing document, a safeguarding policy if working with children, young people or vulnerable adults, your financial year end and latest annual income, and names, home addresses, dates of birth and separate email addresses for two unrelated contacts (a senior contact who is a board/committee member or director, and a main contact), both living in the UK, for identity checks. If you do not own land or a building you are working on, you need a lease of five years or more (or a letter promising one) and the owner's written permission.

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