National Lottery funding: grants open now
As of 22 October 2026, GrantMatch lists 35 live National Lottery grants from 10 funders. 3 close in the next 30 days, the first on 22 October 2026, 31 are open all year with no fixed deadline, and 1 was added this week. Each entry links to the official source.
Listings last checked 21 October 2026. Guide checked 21 October 2026.
By law, National Lottery money for good causes is split four ways: 40% for community and charitable activity, and 20% each for arts, heritage and sport. Twelve independent bodies give it out, including The National Lottery Community Fund, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the arts councils, the BFI and the sports councils for each nation.
This page lists the live National Lottery grants GrantMatch tracks, from small Awards for All grants to multi-year programmes. Each links to the funder page and shows when we last checked it.
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Create free accountClosing in the next 30 days (3)
LGBT+ Fund Youth Joy Fund
The LGBT+ Fund (Consortium)
Grants of £5,000 to £25,000 for work that brings joy, community connection and better wellbeing to LGBT+ young people aged 11 to 25, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund. England-based non-profit LGBT+ organisations and youth groups supporting young people aged 11 to 25 can apply. Apply on the LGBT+ Fund website before 12 noon on 18 November 2026. Official source: https://lgbtfund.org.uk/live-funds/youth-joy-fund/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 19 October 2026.
National Lottery Arts and Older People Programme
Arts Council of Northern Ireland
The National Lottery Arts and Older People Programme from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland supports projects that strengthen the voice of older people. It also aims to promote positive mental health and emotional wellbeing by encouraging more older people to take part in the arts. Grants of £1,000 to £10,000 are available. The programme suits constituted community and voluntary groups working locally to support older people, as long as they can show strong partnership working with older people's groups. Non-governmental organisations, local authorities and arts organisations can also apply if they can clearly show partnership working. The funder wants partnership or consortia-based projects. A partnership can be led by an age sector provider, an arts organisation or a local authority. The consortium must include appropriate representatives and show a real commitment to working together. Other specialists who work with older people can be named as partners. Your project should reflect the partnership approach with the older people you plan to engage, and it should have their support in delivery. Funded projects will have a chance to showcase their work throughout the year, so build this into your programme and budget. Individuals, sole traders, broadcasters (apart from community service broadcasters), central government departments and organisations with statutory duties to provide services for older people cannot apply. You also cannot apply if you hold an unfinished Arts and Older People award from 2024/25 or earlier. Applications are online only. The system shuts at 12 noon on the closing date, so leave plenty of time to upload your documents. Official source: https://artscouncil-ni.org/funding-for-organisations/arts-and-older-people-programme. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.
ChurchCare
ChurchCare
ChurchCare is the Church of England's Cathedral and Church Buildings Division. It works with grant-giving partners to fund the conservation of historic church interiors and churchyard structures. The aim is to make sure conservation work in Anglican churches across England is done to a high standard. You can apply for several kinds of project. These include books, manuscripts and parochial libraries, church plate, churchyard structures such as tombs, walls, railings and gates, metalwork such as monumental brasses and screens, monuments, textiles, and woodwork such as pulpits, pews and screens. The items must be of historic, artistic, architectural or archaeological significance. Book and manuscript grants are offered with the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Pilgrim Trust and the Oswald Allen bequest. Church plate grants are offered with the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. Grants of up to £10,000 are available, and the listing gives a range of £1,000 to £10,000. Church plate grants have no set value. The deadline is 26 October 2026, with decisions by 11 December 2026. You apply using an online form and send your supporting documents with it. One practical point: the funder says there were no applications for church plate or metalwork in the last round, so it particularly encourages applications for both this time. You can also talk through whether your project is eligible with the ChurchCare team before you apply, by phone, by email or through the contact page. Grants for bells and bell frames, clocks, organs and stained glass have their own separate deadlines. Official source: https://www.actiontogether.org.uk/churchcare. Last checked by GrantMatch on 15 October 2026.
Added this week (1)
Guide
Checked 21 October 2026 against the official sources linked.
Which National Lottery funder to approach
Community projects, charities and most voluntary sector work go to The National Lottery Community Fund. Heritage projects, from buildings and landscapes to stories and traditions, go to the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Arts projects go to the arts council for your nation, film projects to the BFI, and sport projects to Sport England, sportscotland, Sport Wales or Sport NI.
Source: GOV.UK: National Lottery good causes, how funding is shared, The National Lottery Community Fund: funding programmes, The National Lottery Heritage Fund: funding
Awards for All: the usual starting point
National Lottery Awards for All is the small grants programme of The National Lottery Community Fund. In England, Scotland and Wales it offers £300 to £20,000, and in Scotland projects focused on arts or sport can apply for up to £10,000 for up to 12 months. Each nation has its own version with its own priorities.
Source: National Lottery Awards for All England, National Lottery Awards for All Scotland, National Lottery Awards for All Wales
Who can apply
National Lottery funders mainly fund not-for-profit organisations, such as charities, CICs, community groups, schools and public bodies, depending on the programme. Individuals and profit-making businesses are generally not eligible, although some arts, film and heritage programmes accept individuals or companies.
Source: The National Lottery Community Fund: funding programmes, Arts Council England: National Lottery funding
What makes a strong application
National Lottery funders want to see that the people who will benefit have helped shape the project. Show how you know it is needed, who is involved and what will be different afterwards. Awards for All aims to give a decision within 12 weeks, and larger programmes take longer, so apply well ahead of when you need the money.
Source: National Lottery Awards for All Scotland, National Lottery Awards for All Wales
Who funds this
| Funder | Open grants here |
|---|---|
| National Lottery Community Fund | 21 |
| British Film Institute | 5 |
| National Lottery Heritage Fund | 2 |
| Arts Council England | 1 |
| Arts Council of Northern Ireland | 1 |
| ChurchCare | 1 |
| Creative Scotland | 1 |
| Sport England | 1 |
10 different funders in total. Where a maximum award is stated, the middle value is £120,000.
By grant size
| Largest award | Open grants |
|---|---|
| Up to £2,000 | 0 |
| £2,001 to £10,000 | 2 |
| £10,001 to £100,000 | 13 |
| Over £100,000 | 15 |
| Amount varies or not stated | 5 |
All open grants (35)
No deadline listed
Check the funder's current application window before you apply.
Young Start - Small Grants
National Lottery Community Fund
Young Start - Small Grants is open to applications. It is for organisations in Scotland that support children and young people aged 8 to 24 and want to learn how to involve them in their work. The funding helps children and young people influence decisions about your organisation, its activities or services. They can also choose when and how they are involved. For example, they might work on a project from the idea through to design and delivery, decide what activities happen and how they run, or share ideas and feedback that lead to real changes. They might also get involved at all levels of your organisation. You can apply for between £300 and £20,000 to fund a project that runs for up to 1 year. The page says a decision takes 12 weeks. No closing date is given. Your work must meet 2 outcomes. First, it must involve children and young people in ways that benefit them. Second, it must improve how your organisation works with children and young people. One practical point to note. This strand is for organisations that are still learning how to involve children and young people. If your organisation already involves them, the funder points you to Young Start - Main Grants instead. The funder worked with children and young people to design this funding. Young Start is funded by the Dormant Assets Scheme, with priorities set by the Scottish Government. The National Lottery Community Fund distributes it. Official source: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/funding-programmes/young-start-small-grants. Last checked by GrantMatch on 15 October 2026.
See all 2 rounds of Young StartBFI UK Focus Fund
British Film Institute
The BFI National Lottery UK Focus Fund pays for UK-focused activity at international industry events. It aims to raise the international profile of UK screen talent and content. It also helps UK screen professionals meet their counterparts abroad. The fund backs activity at established international festivals, markets, co-production forums and other industry events or platforms. These must have international reach and be dedicated to screen content. Your activity should build awareness of, and demand for, UK content, talent, expertise and co-production opportunities among international partners and buyers. It should also encourage cultural exchange that leads to more collaboration. The event itself must focus on at least one type of screen content. This can be feature films (fiction, documentary or animation) for theatrical or online release. It can be documentary or animation programmes for broadcast television, video-on-demand or other online release. It can also be narrative-led interactive or immersive media for commercial distribution on digital platforms. Applications are open all year round, so there is no closing date. The page does not state award amounts. One practical point to plan around: you must apply at least 12 weeks before your proposed UK Focus activity starts. Read the funding guidelines in full first, as the online application link sits within them. If you are successful, you will need to credit BFI National Lottery funding and thank National Lottery players. Official source: https://www.bfi.org.uk/get-funding-support/funding-support-international-activity/uk-focus-fund. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.
BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund
British Film Institute
The BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund awards National Lottery funding to support the exhibition and distribution of nationally significant, audience-facing independent film and immersive projects. It aims to bring independent UK and international films to audiences across the UK in a dynamic and original way. It also backs sector-facing projects that help the industry adapt, innovate and build ambition and resilience. Projects must be high-profile and able to attract national press and media coverage. The focus is on increasing access and encouraging audiences to take risks in what they choose to watch, so that participation grows among audiences that represent the UK population. Cultural and social ambitions carry equal priority. The fund supports organisations with multi-year and short-term projects, as well as smaller pilot projects from organisations new to the fund. You will need experience in at least one relevant area, such as marketing initiatives, film festivals, film distribution, immersive installations and tours, touring projects or in-venue programmes. Applications are accepted year-round, so there is no closing date. Timing still matters. If your project is the distribution of a single film, you must apply no later than 10 weeks before the release date. For all other projects, you must apply at least 16 weeks before your start date. Applications that come in later than this are ineligible and will be declined. The BFI strongly encourages you to talk to its Audiences team before you apply. Official source: https://www.bfi.org.uk/get-funding-support/bring-film-wider-audience/bfi-national-lottery-audience-projects-fund. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.
The Movement Fund
Sport England
The Movement Fund from Sport England offers grants or crowdfunding pledges from £300 to £15,000 for physical activity projects in your community. The focus is on people who face barriers to being active, and on projects designed to help them join in. You can apply for projects that set up new activity sessions or experiences, or that improve or create spaces for people to be active. It can also pay for the equipment people need. Other projects can combine environmental sustainability with physical activity opportunities, help organisations build their capacity and capability so they can support people in their community, or respond to emergencies that have stopped people taking part and help get activity going again. Projects can run for up to 12 months. There is no submission deadline, so you can apply at any time. You will usually get a decision within six to eight weeks. You might be offered a grant, where Sport England gives you money to deliver your project. Or you might be offered a crowdfunding pledge, where Sport England gives you half of what you need if you raise the other half from your community. Sport England decides which type to offer based on your application. The fund invests more than £20 million of National Lottery and government money each year. It receives more applications than it can fund, so priority goes to projects that get more people active, reduce the number of inactive people and tackle long-standing inequalities. Projects that give opportunities to people who have typically had fewer chances to be active are also prioritised. One practical point: apply at least 12 weeks before you want to start activity or spend any money. Official source: https://www.sportengland.org/funding-and-campaigns/our-funding/movement-fund. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.
National Lottery Awards for All England – Environment
The National Lottery Community Fund
This National Lottery Community Fund programme is open to applications. It funds community-led projects in England that improve the environment and help people connect with and enjoy nature where they live. You can ask for between £300 and £20,000. The funder says the climate and nature emergency affects us all, and that local action can make a real difference. Your project needs to meet one of two priorities. The first is to help people connect with and care for nature in their area. The second is to make a positive difference to the environment. You can use the money to start a new activity or to continue an existing one. You can also use it to help your organisation adapt to new challenges, or to run one-off events that have a clear environmental benefit. This suits community-led groups and organisations in England with a local environmental or nature project in mind. The page gives no closing date, and the programme is open now. The funder expects to give you a decision in 16 weeks, so plan your timing with that in mind. One practical caveat: you cannot apply if you already have an Awards for All grant. If you want more general funding for community projects, the funder points you to its main National Lottery Awards for All England programme instead. Official source: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/funding-programmes/national-lottery-awards-for-all-england-environment. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.
See all 2 rounds of National Lottery Awards for All EnglandThe UK Fund
National Lottery Community Fund
The UK Fund from the National Lottery Community Fund offers larger amounts of money, from £500,000 to £5,000,000, to help you grow work that is already making a difference. The programme is open to applications. It suits organisations with a project that has a proven impact and is ready to scale. You will need to show what is working, how you know it is having an impact, and why it is ready to grow. The fund does not support brand-new projects or services. Your work should benefit communities across the UK. That could mean working in different places or sharing learning between countries. Projects can be based in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales. The fund also wants more than service delivery. Your project should help change how systems work, so that communities see lasting benefits. Every project must meet one of five aims. These cover improving relationships between people with different life experiences, helping people and communities connect online when it is hard to meet in person, supporting people from all backgrounds to influence the future of their communities, helping children and young people facing specific challenges to change the systems that affect them, and helping more organisations to involve and listen to children and young people. Projects led by and for disabled people are particularly welcome. One practical point: the page says a decision takes 36 weeks, so plan your timing with that in mind. The funder also offers a video with tips, examples and a checklist to help you prepare. Official source: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/funding-programmes/the-uk-fund. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.
More grants
National Lottery Heritage Grants: £250,000 to £10 million
National Lottery Heritage Fund
National Lottery Heritage Grants from £250,000 to £10 million support projects that value, care for and sustain the national, regional and local heritage of the UK. Heritage can mean nature and habitats, historic buildings and environments, or cultures, traditions and people's memories. The grant can pay for capital works, repair and conservation, new staff posts, training, volunteer expenses, professional fees, events and activities, and the purchase of heritage. Voluntary sector organisations can also include a share of their overheads through full cost recovery. Projects must take account of four investment principles: saving heritage, protecting the environment, inclusion, access and participation, and organisational sustainability. It suits not-for-profit organisations, or partnerships led by one, with a clear project plan that runs for no more than five years, not counting the development phase. Applications usually run in two phases. A development phase of up to two years helps you shape your proposal. A delivery phase of up to five years follows. You must start with an Expression of Interest. If it is successful, you are invited to apply and have 12 months to do so. Deadlines for full applications are quarterly. The funder aims to assess complete applications within 12 weeks. One practical point to plan for: you must contribute at least 5% of project costs for grants under £1 million and at least 10% for grants over £1 million. Your project must not start before a decision is made. Projects over £10 million may be considered only if they are truly exceptional. Official source: https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/funding/national-lottery-heritage-grants-250k-10m. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.
See all 2 rounds of National Lottery Heritage GrantsGet alerts when new grants open
Tell us about your organisation once and GrantMatch shows the grants you are most likely to win, checks your eligibility and emails you when new funding for community, heritage, arts and sport projects opens. Free to start, no card needed.
Create free accountNational Lottery Awards for All Scotland
National Lottery Community Fund
National Lottery Awards for All Scotland funds projects that bring people together and help communities across Scotland thrive. The National Lottery Community Fund runs it. The page says social connections and community activities are at the heart of healthier, happier lives, which is why it backs community-led projects. You can use the money to start a new activity or continue an existing one. You can also use it to help your organisation adapt to new challenges, or to run one-off events. The funder is particularly interested in projects that bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities. It also welcomes projects that improve the places and spaces that matter to communities, and projects that help more people reach their potential by supporting them at the earliest possible stage. Projects that support people, communities and organisations facing more demands because of the cost-of-living crisis are another focus. For community-led projects, you can apply for between £300 and £20,000 for work lasting up to 2 years. If your project focuses on arts or sports, you can apply for up to £10,000 for work lasting up to 12 months. That difference matters when you plan your budget and timescale. The programme is open to applications. The page gives no closing date. The funder says a decision takes 12 weeks, so build that wait into your plans. The funding is delivered in partnership with sportscotland and Creative Scotland. Official source: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/funding-programmes/national-lottery-awards-for-all-scotland. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.
Climate Action Fund - Food Systems
National Lottery Community Fund
The Climate Action Fund: Food Systems is open to applications from the National Lottery Community Fund. It backs projects that strengthen the food system and reduce food insecurity for people and communities. The aim is to help produce enough healthy, affordable food without harming the planet. The fund wants work that uses nature to build resilient, sustainable and fair food systems, known as agroecology. It also wants work that tackles the root causes of long-term problems rather than just the symptoms, known as systems change. Your project must meet one or more of three aims. These are changing how community organisations grow and produce food using agroecological methods; changing how food is distributed so that more people can reach healthy, affordable food; and offering people and communities more food options, especially those facing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination. You must also meet every one of the criteria. You need to work in partnership, make a lasting impact on climate change, the environment and nature, and significantly increase access to healthy, affordable food. You also need firm plans to measure your impact, firm plans to share your project's story to inspire others, and a way to meaningfully involve communities and the organisations that represent them. Funding runs from £2.5 million to £7 million. You can apply for a minimum of £2.5 million over 3 years. Most projects receive between £3 million and £5 million and run for 5 to 7 years. The fund expects to support up to 10 projects in the first year. The programme covers England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. No closing date is given. One practical point: the decision takes about 39 weeks, so plan your partnership and project timeline around that. Official source: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/funding-programmes/climate-action-fund-food-systems. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.
See all 6 rounds of Climate Action FundYoung Start - Main Grants
National Lottery Community Fund
Young Start - Main Grants helps organisations in Scotland run projects that put children and young people aged 8 to 24 at the centre. You can apply for between £20,001 and £150,000 for a project that runs for up to 3 years. The funding suits organisations that involve children and young people in their project or organisation. Those young people should be able to choose when and how they take part. They should also be able to influence and make decisions about your organisation, its activities or services. For example, they might work on a project from idea to delivery, decide what activities happen, share feedback that leads to change, or get involved at all levels of your organisation. Your project must meet at least one of four outcomes. It must help children and young people build positive relationships that improve their wellbeing, learn more about themselves or other people, take action on issues that matter to them, or learn skills that help them feel more confident for the future. You can meet more than one outcome, but this will not improve your chances of getting funding. The programme is open to applications now, and the page does not give a closing date. The Fund says it aims to make a decision in 12 weeks, so plan your project start date with that in mind. Young Start is funded by the Dormant Assets Scheme, with priorities set by the Scottish Government. The National Lottery Community Fund distributes the money. The funding was designed with children and young people. There is also a separate Small Grants strand, so make sure Main Grants is the right fit for the size of your project. Official source: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/funding-programmes/young-start-main-grants. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.
See all 2 rounds of Young StartNational Lottery Awards for All England
National Lottery Community Fund
National Lottery Awards for All England is a National Lottery Community Fund programme. It funds projects that bring people together to build strong relationships and improve communities in England. The programme is open to applications now. You can apply for a grant of between £300 and £20,000. Your project can last up to 2 years. You can use the funding to start a new activity or to continue an existing one. You can also use it to help your organisation adapt to new challenges. The funder supports projects that bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities. It also supports projects that improve the places and spaces that matter to communities. Other priorities are helping more people to reach their potential by supporting them at the earliest possible stage, and supporting people, communities and organisations facing more demands and challenges because of the cost-of-living crisis. This programme suits organisations that want to run community activity in England and whose project fits one or more of these aims. Decisions take 16 weeks, so build that wait into your plans. One practical caveat: if your project supports the environment, this is not the right programme. The funder runs a separate one called National Lottery Awards for All England Environment, so look there instead. Official source: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/funding-programmes/national-lottery-awards-for-all-england. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.
See all 2 rounds of National Lottery Awards for All EnglandQuestions
Can a CIC apply for National Lottery funding?
Often, yes. Many National Lottery programmes accept CICs alongside charities and community groups, including Awards for All. Each programme sets its own rules, and some prefer CICs limited by guarantee, so read the eligibility section first.
How much can you get from the National Lottery?
It depends on the programme. Awards for All grants go up to £20,000, while larger programmes fund much more. Of the 35 live National Lottery grants on this page, 2 offer up to £10,000 and 15 offer over £100,000.
Can individuals get National Lottery funding?
Most National Lottery grants are for organisations. Some arts and film programmes, such as those from Arts Council England and the BFI, accept applications from individual artists and filmmakers.
How is National Lottery money shared out?
The split is set in law: 40% goes to community and charitable causes through The National Lottery Community Fund, and 20% each to arts, heritage and sport through their own distributors.
How do you check these grants?
We collect grants from official funder pages, GOV.UK, councils and community foundations, and remove them when they close. Each grant page links to its source and shows when we last checked it. Always confirm the details with the funder before you apply.
Start your free GrantMatch account
Tell us about your organisation once and GrantMatch shows the grants you are most likely to win, checks your eligibility and emails you when new funding for community, heritage, arts and sport projects opens. Free to start, no card needed.
Create free accountRelated pages
Sources and how we check
We collect grants from official funder pages and remove them when they close. Each grant page links to its source and shows when we last checked it. Always confirm the details with the funder before you apply. Guide sources:
- GOV.UK: National Lottery good causes, how funding is shared
- The National Lottery Community Fund: funding programmes
- National Lottery Awards for All England
- National Lottery Awards for All Scotland
- National Lottery Awards for All Wales
- The National Lottery Heritage Fund: funding
- Arts Council England: National Lottery funding
- Sport England: our funding