The National Lottery Community Fund - Reaching Communities England

Background

Reaching Communities England is a major funding programme that aims to help strengthen communities and improve lives across England. While funding is available to all communities, the priority is the places, people, and communities that need it most. 'Community' is defined as people living in the same area or people with similar interests or life experiences.

Objectives of Fund

Your project must help achieve one of four missions, which are to support communities to:

1. Come together: Through inclusive places, spaces, and activities, especially for communities where people are least able to come together.
2. Help children and young people thrive: By developing positive social and emotional skills.
3. Tackle health inequalities: By addressing the conditions in which people live, work, and grow.
4. Be environmentally sustainable: By engaging with climate issues, having a positive environmental impact, and improving access to quality natural spaces.

The fund's overarching priorities are to fund projects that support places, people, or communities experiencing poverty, disadvantage, or discrimination, and that support people and communities to shape the decisions that affect their lives.

Value Notes

Grants range from £20,001 up to £20,000,000, for projects lasting up to 5 years.
Most projects receive funding under £500,000. The average grant awarded in 2025 was £319,000 over 3 years. The fund is keen to award larger grants to ambitious projects. Organisations asking for over £500,000 should contact the fund directly before applying.

Who Can Apply

Eligible organisations working with communities in England include:

• Voluntary or community organisation with a written constitution
• Registered charity
• Charitable incorporated organisation (CIO)
• Not-for-profit company limited by guarantee
• Community interest company (CIC)
• School
• Public body (e.g. local authority, town, parish, or community council)
• Community benefit society
• Co-operative society

Partnerships of eligible organisations can also apply, with a lead organisation managing the funding.

Requirements for all organisations:

• Must have at least two board or committee members who are not related.
• Certain organisations (CICs, companies limited by guarantee that are not charities, community benefit societies, and co-operative societies) must have an asset lock.

Unincorporated groups can still apply but should consider whether becoming an incorporated organisation is right for them, given the size of the funding.

Location

England. Projects working across three or more regions, or across all of England, have additional requirements and must contact the fund at Englandteam@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk to discuss before applying.

Eligible Expenditure

Funding can cover a wide range of project costs. Full details can be found on the programme's website, but key areas include:

• Project activities that deliver against one of the four missions.
• Core costs and overheads related to project delivery.
• Capital works involving land or buildings (see 'How To Apply' for extra requirements).
  For land or building projects, the applicant must own or lease the land or building, and the lease or freehold must last at least 5 years from the date the work is complete.

How To Apply

The application is a two-stage process:

1. Stage One: Submit an outline of your project, covering what you want to do, how it fits a mission, who benefits, and how your organisation is right to lead the work. A decision on this stage usually takes up to 3 months.
2. Stage Two: If successful, you'll be invited to provide more detailed information, including a detailed budget, evidence of community engagement, environmental considerations, and organisation governance and finances. This stage usually takes up to 6 months.

The overall process takes around 9 months (40 weeks) from application to final decision. Applications for smaller amounts may be quicker; those involving land or building work may take longer.

Projects involving land, buildings, or capital funding must follow additional guidance and checklists, sent at stage two.

Safeguarding: All projects involving children, young people, or adults at risk must have a safeguarding policy in place.

Accessibility: The fund accepts applications by email, video, or audio. Support such as BSL interpreters is available. Contact General.Enquiries@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk or call 0345 4 10 20 30.

For London, South East, and East of England (which includes Camden), you can contact the regional team for support.