Big Lottery Fund

The International Communities programme, which will run from 2010-2015, is BIG Lottery Fund’s way of helping disadvantaged communities overseas. It will fund UK based NGOs and charities working overseas.

It will be an open programme which builds on the success of BIG’s previous International Communities programme. We support work that tackles the causes of poverty and deprivation and brings about long-term difference to the lives of some of the most disadvantaged people in the world.

We will fund projects in all parts of the developing world which will improve education, health, allocation of natural resources, human rights, and/or livelihoods.

Grants of between £50,000 and £500,000 will be available.

This flagship programme continues to make community awards for between £10,000 and £500,000 and will continue to fund for up to five years.

Improvements to enhance your experience of applying have been:

• a more proportionate approach for groups applying for an average of £40K/annum – for these applicants there will be a simpler application process and quicker decision making than if you are asking for more than £40K per year. In particular this should benefit smaller organisations.
  
• more support for applicants at every stage of the application process, particularly in those areas and for those groups that have received less funding than we would have expected.
  
• Supported networking and learning opportunities for those we fund to learn from each other and encourage them to share good practice.
  
• a buildings strand to launch later this year. More information on this will be made available as the programme development continues.
  
• A buildings strand that will replace or improve buildings where a wide range of community activities take place. We want to fund buildings that are well used by their community and have an impact long after the building work is completed.

Awards for All is a rolling grants programme set up to help small local groups and communities. The programme aims to make a difference to communities and the lives of those most in need and will focus on social and environmental projects that benefit local communities.

The easy-to-use application form can be downloaded, filled in and emailed direct to the Big Lottery Fund, as well as being available in hard copy. The application form is short and simple and you will find out if you are successful within six weeks.

Communities Living Sustainably

The Communities Living Sustainably programme is the first of our strategic investments under our Sustainable and Resilient Communities Strategy. The funding will support a range of different communities including vulnerable groups as well as geographically diverse communities to adopt integrated approaches to tackling the impacts of a changing climate that focus on social, economic and environmental challenges.

The lead organisation must be a registered charity. Partnerships must include each section of the community – its residents, businesses, voluntary and community sector and public sector.

The programme has up to £10 million available. Projects can apply for up to £10,000 to develop a project delivery plan. Grants are available of between £500,000 and £1million for up to five years. This is mainly a revenue programme and we will only fund up to £60,000 capital costs.

We will fund up to 30 projects at development stage and up to 10 projects at full application stage.

Advice Services Fund

The Government has made up to £16.8 million for a programme called the Advice Services Fund to support organisations in the free advice sector that have been affected by reductions in public spending. The programme aims to enable not-for-profit advice organisations to continue providing free services to people in their communities in England.

Grants of £40,000 - £70,000 are available and, to ensure this funding has the greatest impact, priority will be given to organisations that have experienced high levels of cuts and those that haven’t received funding through the Transition Fund.