Two of The National Lottery Community Fund’s programmes, People and Communities and Empowering Young People, will be closing to new applications on Monday, 13 May 2024 at 5.00 pm.
This does not affect any groups holding a grant under these programmes, our support will continue for the duration of their projects. It also does not affect those groups that have already submitted an application, the process will continue and not change.
Our National Lottery funding will still be supporting communities across Northern Ireland. We will be assessing and making decisions on applications received by 13 May for People and Communities and Empowering Young People until the end of 2024. Advice and guidance for groups thinking of applying to either programme by the closing date of 13 May can be found on this recent blog from The National Lottery Community Fund.
National Lottery Awards for All remains open for applications, offering grants of up to £20,000. Our Sustainable Community Buildings programme is also open to applications at different times for different Council areas. The UK-wide Climate Action Fund and The UK Fund are also open.
Our new strategy, ‘It starts with community’ was developed through widespread consultation with the sector on the needs of communities and our future funding must reflect these. We are closing People and Communities and Empowering Young People, which opened in 2016, so we can prepare for the launch of our new funding programme in Autumn 2024, aligned with the missions set out in that strategy.
Each year we award nearly £30 million to communities in Northern Ireland. This is not going to change. We are helping ensure National Lottery funding reaches the people who need it the most.
We will continue to talk to communities across Northern Ireland as we develop our new programme, to ensure it makes the biggest impact in communities. Also, anyone who would like to be kept up to date with our funding news and to hear more about the new programme can sign up to our digital newsletter.
Groups thinking of applying for a People and Communities or Empowering Young People grant and want some initial advice can contact our enquiries team on 028 9055 1455 or email enquiries.ni@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk
Current grant holders under our People and Communities and Empowering Young People programmes can speak with their funding officer if they have any questions.
