The National Lottery Awards for All is often the “go-to” fund for community groups, and for good reason. It is designed to be simpler and quicker than larger lottery grants, making it ideal for grassroots recovery projects.
Who is this for? This fund is open to voluntary or community organisations, registered charities, constituted groups or clubs, not-for-profit companies (like CICs), and social enterprises.
What do they fund? The fund has four key priorities. Your project must do at least one of these:
Bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities.
Improve the places and spaces that matter to communities.
Help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage.
Support people, communities, and organisations facing more demands and challenges because of the cost-of-living crisis.
Why This Matters for Recovery:
Combating Isolation: Our Recovery Communities Research proves that social connection is vital for sustaining recovery. This fund specifically supports the activities that break isolation and build peer networks (Priority 1).
Safe Venues: Many groups struggle to find affordable, safe spaces. This fund can support improvements to the places that matter to you (Priority 2).
Addressing Hardship: By explicitly prioritizing cost-of-living support, this offers a practical way to address the financial barriers identified in our Women in Recovery research (Priority 4).
The Details (Crucial!): There are two “tiers” of funding depending on your project type:
Community-Led Projects: You can apply for up to £20,000 for work lasting up to 2 years.
Arts or Sports Projects: If your project focuses specifically on arts or sports, the maximum is usually £10,000 for work lasting up to 12 months.
Application Tips:
Rolling Deadline: There is no fixed deadline, so you can apply when you are ready.
The 12-Week Rule: Decisions typically take 12 weeks. If you want to start a project in April 2026, you need to apply now (December/January).
Bank Statement: You must provide a bank statement from the last 3 months that clearly shows your organisation’s legal name, address, sort code, and account number. This is a common reason for delays, so check it carefully!.
