Big Lottery Fund

Summary of the programme

Glasgow is hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the Big Lottery Fund Scotland wants to ensure that we are providing support to groups who want to benefit from this once in a lifetime opportunity for people and communities across Scotland.

To do this BIG has developed a new funding programme, 2014 Communities, which is focused on building a legacy of well-being before and beyond the Commonwealth Games. 2014 Communities is a micro grant programme aimed at grass roots sports and community organisations. Through the programme BIG hopes to encourage more people to take part in sport or physical activity, and to increase the numbers of those volunteering in sport or physical activity, and to bring communities together through sport and volunteering.

What is 2014 Communities grants programme?

2014 Communities is a new micro grants programme, offering local sports clubs, voluntary and community organisations, community councils and schools grants of £300 to £2,000 to support and stimulate grass roots involvement in sport and physical activity. 2014 Communities will continue to operate up to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, but what we focus our funding on and how we deliver our funding may change based on learning leading up to 2014.

What is the overall aim of this programme?

2014 Communities is about building a legacy of well-being before and beyond the Commonwealth Games.  The programme aims to encourage more people to take part or volunteer in sport or physical activity as well as encourage greater community cohesion in the run up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

What are the outcomes for this programme?

For this programme we want to fund projects that will achieve one or more of the following outcomes:

• More people take part in sport or physical activity.
• More people volunteer in sport or physical activity.
• More people and communities are brought together through taking part or volunteering in sport or physical activity.

What are priorities for this programme?

Because we want to see more people taking part and more volunteers in sport and physical activity from low participation groups such as women & girls, people who are disabled, people over 50 years of age, people under 25 years of age and people from black and minority ethnic communities, we are more likely to fund projects that meet one of these priorities.  Our priorities may change in the future and will be updated on the 2014 webpage.

How will the programme be delivered?

Grants between £300 to £2,000 will be offered based on a process similar to the Awards for All model. However supporting documentation such as constitutions or governing documents and bank statements will only be requested once a conditional offer has been made. If the documents you return are satisfactory we will pay the grant directly into your organisation’s bank account.

Are you eligible?

We will offer grants to sports clubs, voluntary and community organisations, community councils and schools.  Branches of a larger organisation may be eligible to apply, but we will request the written support of the larger organisation in the event of an offer.  Branches that are independent can apply in their own right. You must be able to complete the project and spend the entire grant within a maximum of twelve months of receiving the grant payment. A decision will be made within 20 working days of a completed application

We would like the projects we fund to reach people who are less likely to take part in sport or physical activities. Our priorities are listed below.

• Getting more women and girls to take part in sport or physical activity.
• Getting more disabled people to take part in sport or physical activity.
• Getting more older people (over 50 years old) to take part in sport or physical activity.
• Getting more younger people (under 25 years old) and older people to take part in sport or physical activity together.
• Getting more people from black and minority ethnic communities to take part in sport or physical activity.

Your project does not need to meet any of these to be offered a grant but if we do not have enough funds to support all the projects we would like to, we are more likely to fund those that meet one of our priorities.

What to do next

• Questions about 2014 Communities? Find out more.
• Not eligible for a 2014 Communities? Browse our other current programmes

Who do I contact for more information?

You can find out more about 2014 Communities and the work of the Big Lottery fund in Scotland by calling 0870 240 2391

Email us at enquiries.scotland@biglotteryfund.org.uk.

If you have a hearing impairment you can contact us using a textphone on 0141 242 1500.