The Big Lottery Fund has announced that at least £100 million a year is to be invested across England, in an improved version of its Reaching Communities programme, for each of the next five years.
The main aim of Reaching Communities is to help bring real improvements to communities and to the lives of people most in need. The new funding, which will be introduced this spring, comes with two distinct improvements.
Firstly, applicants seeking smaller sums of money - up to £40,000 a year
- will be able to access this funding more easily, with a simplified application and assessment procedure. Secondly, a two-stage decision making process for larger bids will ensure that all applicants learn sooner whether their project is likely to receive funding. For those invited to the second stage, the likelihood of success will be higher.
Additionally, a third element, due to be launched in the autumn, will comprise a dedicated capital stream, responding to the high, unmet demand for funding for community buildings. This element will fund medium-sized refurbishments, new builds or extensions to community centres and village halls, meeting local community needs and aspirations.
These changes are a response to the Big Lottery Fund's Big Thinking consultation, which took place last year.
Applications to the current Reaching Communities Programme, for grants of between £10,000 and £500,000, may be submitted at any time. www2.biglotteryfund.org.uk?prog_reaching_communities