What is the National Lottery Community Fund?

The National Lottery Community Fund is the body that distributes National Lottery money for good causes to community projects across the UK. It is the largest single funder of UK charities and community groups by number of grants: on 26 October 2026 its OpenGrant page showed 302,611 grants worth £13.4 billion published to 360Giving, and 17 open schemes. Its 2023 to 2030 strategy says it plans to distribute at least £4 billion by 2030.

Why it matters when applying. The Fund is where most small charities and community groups should start. National Lottery Awards for All gives £300 to £20,000 for projects lasting up to two years, accepts applications all year as a rolling programme, and decides in 16 weeks in England; it accepts constituted groups, registered charities, CIOs, CICs, statutory bodies and schools whose project benefits the wider community, with at least two unrelated committee members. Reaching Communities England gives £20,001 or more for up to five years with a decision in 40 weeks. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own Awards for All and larger programmes. How to apply to National Lottery Awards for All England covers the small-grant route in detail.

What it does not do. The Fund does not accept applications written by private businesses, consultants or bid writers on an organisation's behalf, which matters to freelance fundraisers. It also funds projects, not organisations as such, though Reaching Communities grants can run for five years. Its programme finder lists every programme by nation, amount and decision time, and free UK grant finders places it among the other free tools.

Example. A fictional constituted residents' group with no charity number applies to Awards for All England for £8,000 to run a weekly lunch club, with two unrelated committee members named and a bank account in the group's name. It submits in January for a project starting in June, allowing the 16-week decision.