National Lottery Community Fund Launches Change Makers Partnership in England
£50 million grant pot aims to strengthen support for grassroots community leaders over five years
The National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) has opened its Change Makers Partnership, a new £50 million programme designed to support community leadership in England.
The initiative will work with up to 12 partner organisations over the next five years. NLCF said the work should change how community leaders are supported, build stronger support systems that meet their needs and help them develop, feel supported and thrive in their communities.
Grants of between £1 million and £5 million are available, with up to 12 awards expected across England. Most supported projects are expected to run for five years, although in exceptional cases three or four-year projects may be backed.
The funding is intended for work that enables community leaders to shape the future of their communities, involves leaders across communities and organisations including under-represented groups and people with lived experience, supports systems change and shares learning with the sector and other NLCF-backed projects. For the purposes of the grant, communities can be based on place, interest or solidarity.
Applications can be submitted by a single organisation or an existing partnership where partners have already worked together. Applicants must already have experience supporting community leaders, experience working with people and communities facing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination and established relationships with local organisations. Applicants must operate in at least two regions of England and have a combined gross annual income of more than £1 million.
Eligible applicants include constituted voluntary and community organisations, registered charities, CIOs, not-for-profit companies, CICs, public bodies, community benefit societies, co-operatives and colleges or universities.
Support can pay for direct project costs such as community leader expenses including childcare, travel and time, translation, equipment, events, volunteer expenses, staffing, training, utilities, communications, evaluation and professional fees. Some indirect costs, including rent, insurance and portions of senior management or admin salaries, may also be covered.
The deadline for applications is 5 August 2026 (12:00).
