Shared Ground Fund
Applications open until Friday 10th July
The Shared Ground Programme, is a new pilot project which aims to tackle the root causes of serious youth violence and promote youth safety across the connected wards from Kilburn, covering Brent & Camden through to Queen’s Park Westminster. This collaborative project is funded primarily by John Lyon’s Charity, with match grant funding by Camden Council, Brent Council and Westminster City Council.
These wards have been home to some of London’s poorest communities, with many young people living in the area or passing through. These areas have seen many young people experience violence and continues to be a hub of organised criminal behaviour.
The project acts as a place-based, cross-borough initiative targeting serious youth violence through three primary pillars:
Cross-borough Partnership Bids
The Fund aims to work with member organisations of Young Brent Foundation, Young Camden Foundation and Young Westminster Foundation, to deliver support for young people and organisations, through partnership bids between two or more members across borough boundaries.
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Shared Ground Programme
The Shared Ground Programme, is a new pilot programme which aims to tackle the root causes of serious youth violence and promote youth safety across the connected wards from Kilburn, covering Brent & Camden through to Queen’s Park covering Brent & Westminster. This collaborative project is funded primarily by John Lyon’s Charity, with match grants funding by Brent Council, Camden Council and Westminster City Council.
The Fund has been made available with contributions from John Lyon’s Charity, Brent Council, Camden Council and Westminster City Council. The Fund will be administered by Young Camden Foundation with the support of Young Westminster Foundation and Young Brent Foundation.
The Fund aims to work with members of Young Brent Foundation, Young Camden Foundation and Young Westminster Foundation, to deliver support for young people and organisations, through partnership bids between two or more members across borough boundaries.
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Grants Programme Overview
The programme itself will allocate and review evidence-led, place-based grants to support innovative responses to the identified root causes of Serious Youth Violence. The pilot grants round will operate as a closed grants round, with stakeholders identified from the existing membership of all the Young People Foundations invited to apply
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Organisation Eligibility
The Fund is only open to applications from full members of Young Brent Foundation, Young Camden Foundation and Young Westminster Foundation. We will not be able to accept applications from organisations who have not yet applied for membership. If you are not a member and would like to apply for a grant, you will need to apply for membership from the YPF in your borough.
Applications are only considered from organisations working in Kilburn and Queen’s Park wards.
For members registered on Companies House, the only eligible legal structure is a Community Interest Company (CIC) limited by guarantee. These organisations must also have:
- An asset lock in place (with evidence provided within their Article of Associations)
- A minimum of three unrelated directors
- A minimum of two unrelated bank signatories
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How Much Can You Apply For?
We will consider partnership applications for grants of between £15,000-£20,000.
The grant period is August 2026 to August 2027.
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What Can You Apply For?
The project acts as a place-based, cross-borough initiative targeting serious youth violence through three primary pillars:
INTERVENTION: Targeted support is delivered to young people identified as being at heightened risk of involvement in serious youth violence. This includes intensive, relationship-based work funded through grants allocated to VCS organisations.
PREVENTION: The project aims to invests in accessible, high-quality positive activities that reduce exposure to risk factors. These include youth engagement, mentoring, and diversionary provision designed to build protective factors.
SYSTEMS CHANGE: A core ambition of the project is to transform how agencies collaborate. By fostering cross-borough partnerships and encouraging reflective practice, improve coordinated responses to youth violence.
We invite funding applications for projects which cover the following purposes (thought this is not an exhaustive list)
- Projects involving at least two YPF organisations from different boroughs
- Have a clear link to tackling serious youth violence, through interventions, prevention or a mix of both.
- Working with young people aged 11 – 25 who live in or regularly past through Queen’s Park or Kilburn and must explain how they will identify participants
- Projects must offer new ways of working and new cross-borough collaboration, not existing provision
- Project should address inequality and disproportionality (e.g. race, SEND, deprivation) and show how their approach is inclusive and equitable.
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What We Will Not Fund
- Project which are not relevant to the theme of the Fund
- Core costs for organisation without a clear added value
- Existing provision already taking place
- Work only delivered by one organisation
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Grant Panel Considerations
When reviewing applications, the grants panel will be asked to consider the following criteria, and applicants may wish to take this into account when writing their application.
- Delivery is taking place during high-risk periods (e.g. Friday evenings, summer/autumn/winter holidays)
- Projects that demonstrate a strong understanding of the local context, including hotspots, existing services, and gaps in provision
- Projects that demonstrate show genuine collaboration, with shared planning, delivery and learning between partners
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Application Form, Formats & Budget
If you would like to apply and have secured your partner, please email marium@youngcamdenfoundation.org.uk and the team will share the link to the questions and application form.
We recognise and respect that written applications are not suitable for every individual. Therefore, if you would prefer to submit your application via video format, please email marium@youngcamdenfoundation.org.uk and we will share a guidance document with you.
Budget Submissions
Please use our custom budget template spreadsheet, below. If suitable required, applicants can add new lines to the table.
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How will Grantees Measure Outcomes Achieved by Participants?
Please include risk assessments for intervention based projects, surveys, and check-ins with participants.
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Grant Monitoring & Reporting
We require all grantees to submit a monitoring and evaluation form by a deadline which is outlined on grant agreements, as well as under the 'Timeframe' tab above (once confirmed). This form will include 2 case studies to capture the relational impact of the work.
The deadline for submitting monitoring and evaluation forms is typically within the first month after the grant period has ended. It is essential that all grantees meet the deadline.
All grant agreements include a URL link to the actual monitoring and evaluation form for each grant awarded.
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Grants Committee Decision Making
The Grants Committee will include representation from John Lyon’s Charity, Young People’s Foundations (YPFs), and members drawn from both the Steering Committee and the Working Group.
All grant applications will be assessed using a scoring matrix and will be subject to discussion and moderation at formal panel meetings.
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Timeline
Date
Agenda
Friday 12th June 26
Stakeholders Meeting
Monday 15th June 26
Fund Opens
Friday 10h July 26
Fund Closes
16th July 26
Grant Panel Briefing
29th July 26
Grant Panel
w/c 3rd August 26
Fund Distributed
6th August 27
Final Reporting Due
For any enquires please contact: marium@youngcamdenfoundation.org.uk
