Small & Mighty Fund

This fund is only open to applications from full YCF members. 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 submit a membership application, and only once this process has been completed and your membership has been approved should you complete and submit an application for funding.

To be eligible, organisations' legal registered address must be in Camden, unless this address is a private residence outside of the borough, but you physically deliver within the borough. Organisations must be actively engaging with Camden's children and young people.

Applications are only open to members whose most recently reported annual income is £250,000 or less. However, if your annual income is only very slightly above the threshold, and you would like to enquire about your eligibility, or you have any other questions, please contact grants@youngcamdenfoundation.org.uk.

Applications are also only open to members who have not recently (within the last three years) been in receipt of a Main Grant from the John Lyon’s Charity.

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 of this provided within their Articles of Association)
• A minimum of three unrelated directors
• A minimum of two unrelated bank signatories

We will consider applications for grants of up to £10,000 in exceptional circumstances. However, we envisage that most grants will be closer to £5,000.

However, the larger the grant amount being requested, the higher the standards will need to be in terms of the evidence and the proposal, including:

• Very high levels of expected participation (with reasonable cost per child per hour and evidence of strong previous engagement)

• Exceptional and unique need

• Exceptional and promising innovation

• Clear and reasonable budget

The grant must be spent within the grant period outlined under 'Timeframe'.

Funding from the Small & Mighty Fund will be considered for the following purpose (though this is not an exhaustive list so do get in touch if you have any questions):

• After-school/sessional youth work or play provision

• Weekend youth work or play provision

• Food and meal provision during the delivery of the above

• The commissioning of delivery of education, workshops or trainings for young people

• The cost of public transport for travel for off-site excursions for the delivery of education, workshops or trainings for young people

• Resources that support the delivery of the project

• Funding for core costs is also available for members whose annual income is £100,000 or less. YCF is committed to providing sustainable, unrestricted funding, whenever possible, and encourage micro-organisations to apply for core funding.

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What we will not fund:

• Core costs for organisations whose annual income is above £100,000

• Ticket prices for non-educational off-site excursions

• Youth work or play provision that your organisation delivers and would continue to deliver on a regular basis. Applications will be considered for funding to continue or grow existing projects. This only relates to applications for specific projects, and not core cost applications.

• Holiday programmes
• Core subjects, or mother tongue languages (Funding for Core subjects, and mother tongue languages is available through our Supplementary Education Fund.)

• Application Window Opens: Monday, 15th December 2025
• Virtual Grant Fund Q&A Webinar: Wednesday, 7th January 2026
• Application Window Closes: Sunday 25th January 2026
• Decision Communicated: W/C Monday 23rd February 2026
• Grant period: Saturday 14th March 2026 - Sunday 14th March 2027
• Reporting Deadline: Sunday 25th April 2027

Meeting the reporting deadline is crucial, and applicants who foresee challenges in meeting this timeframe are advised not to apply.

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).

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.

A standardised template version of our small grants monitoring and evaluation forms is available to view here.

Please note that some questions may be subject to change. All grant agreements include a URL link to the actual monitoring and evaluation form for each grant awarded.