Aims/priorities: This funding is for organisations that support people and communities under severe pressure because of the increased cost of living.
By community they mean people living in the same local area.
Their main priority is to fund organisations supporting low-income households and individuals.
To apply your organisation must already run critical services around at least one of the following:
- food and emergency supplies – like food and baby banks or the provision of hot meals, clothes or toiletries
- emergency shelter – like night shelters or other accommodation for people experiencing homelessness
- safe spaces – like domestic abuse services and youth services
- warmth – like warm rooms and spaces
- financial and housing advice – like giving people advice because of the increased cost of living.
Your organisation must also be facing both
- increased demand for these critical services
and
- increased costs of delivering these critical services
They're more likely to fund small and medium-sized front-line organisations
With an annual turnover of between £10,000 and around £1 million.
Larger organisations can also apply if they do both of the following:
- show that they work closely and effectively with local communities
- fill a gap in essential local services.
You can get funding to pay for:
- costs of delivering, expanding or adapting your existing critical service(s) from the date you are funded until 31 March 2024. The date you are funded will be around 12 weeks from the time you submitted your application.
- retrospective costs of running the existing critical service(s) you’re applying for between 24 July 2023 and the date you are funded.
Who can apply? You can apply if your organisation is a:
- registered, exempt or excepted charity (either incorporated or unincorporated)
- charitable incorporated organisation (CIO)
- not-for-profit company limited by guarantee (you must be a registered charity or have a not-for-profit 'asset lock' clause in your articles of association)
- community interest company (CIC)
- community benefit society
- co-operative society (you must have a not-for-profit 'asset lock' clause in your society rules and be registered with the Financial Conduct Authority).
Grant amount: You can apply for between £10,000 and £75,000. If you need £10,000 or less you could try their National Lottery Awards for All fund.
Application process: Online application and guidance notes can be found on the funders website
You can find out more by booking a place on a webinar here
Deadline: Monday 16 October 2023 at 12 noon.
Contact information: Contact us | The National Lottery Community Fund
Website: The Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund | The National Lottery Community Fund