Awards for All grants: what they fund and how to apply

Funder Last checked 10 July 2026

National Lottery Awards for All is one of the UK's most accessible small grants programmes, run by The National Lottery Community Fund. In England you can apply for £300 to £20,000 for a project lasting up to two years that brings people together and improves communities. You do not need to be a registered charity, and you can apply at any time.

What Awards for All funds

Awards for All funds projects that bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities. In England, the programme supports work that improves the local places and spaces that matter to communities, helps more people reach their potential by supporting them at the earliest possible stage, and helps people and organisations facing extra pressure because of the cost-of-living crisis. You can use a grant to start a new activity, continue an existing one, or help your organisation adapt to new challenges. There is a separate Awards for All England – Environment programme for environmental projects.

How much you can apply for

In England, grants are £300 to £20,000, for projects lasting up to two years. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each run their own version of Awards for All through The National Lottery Community Fund, generally for grants up to £20,000, but with their own portals and terms — so check the programme for your nation. This is a small-grants programme, aimed at community-led projects rather than large organisations.

Who can apply

You can apply if you are a:

  • constituted voluntary or community group, charity, or not-for-profit organisation;
  • parish or town council, school, or statutory body (such as a health body).

You do not need to be a registered charity, but you must have a bank account that requires at least two people to authorise each payment. You cannot apply if you are an individual or sole trader, a private company, based outside the UK, already waiting on an Awards for All decision, or have already received £20,000 from Awards for All England in the past 12 months.

Deadlines and rounds

There are no fixed deadlines — the programme is open on a rolling basis, so you can apply at any time. You must apply at least 16 weeks before you want to start your project or spend any money, because a decision takes up to 16 weeks. The programme cannot fund activities that have already started, so plan your timing carefully.

How to apply

  1. Choose the programme for your nation (England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland).
  2. Read the “who can apply” and “what we need to know when you apply” guidance, and check you are eligible.
  3. Apply online through The National Lottery Community Fund’s application portal, at least 16 weeks before your start date.

Apply here (England): tnlcommunityfund.org.uk.

Tips

  • Apply early — you need at least 16 weeks’ lead time, and the fund will not pay for activities that have already begun.
  • You do not need to be a registered charity, which makes this a strong first funder for new and small community groups.
  • Keep it community-focused: the fund is about bringing people together, not large capital projects.
  • Don’t apply if you’ve had £20,000 from Awards for All England in the last 12 months, or already have an application pending — you’ll be ineligible.

Official source and last updated

Source: National Lottery Awards for All England programme page, The National Lottery Community Fund (tnlcommunityfund.org.uk), checked 10 July 2026. Last updated: July 2026. Check the programme for your nation for its exact terms.

Recent grants

[Placeholder — the theme renders recent grants from 360Giving where available. The National Lottery Community Fund also publishes grants data via its own “who we have funded” pages and the National Lottery grants database.]

Similar funders

[The theme auto-lists similar funders. For accessible small community grants you may also point to the Co-op Local Community Fund and local community foundations. Co-op Local Community Fund verified 10 July 2026 as a real, active scheme.]

Check if your charity is eligible for funders like this — CharityIQ’s free Grant Finder matches your charity to real, published UK funders and cites the source for each. → /grant-finder/

Frequently asked questions

In England, National Lottery Awards for All gives grants of between £300 and £20,000, for projects lasting up to two years. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own versions of the programme, generally for grants up to £20,000 — check the portal for your nation, as amounts and terms can differ. It is designed for small and community-led projects.

No. Awards for All is open to charities, community and voluntary groups, not-for-profit organisations, parish and town councils, schools and health bodies. You do not need to be a registered charity, but you do need a bank account that requires at least two people to sign each payment. Individuals, sole traders and private companies cannot apply.

No fixed deadline — you can apply at any time. But you must apply at least 16 weeks before you want to start your project or spend any money, because a funding decision takes up to 16 weeks. Plan ahead: do not apply for something starting sooner than that, as the programme cannot fund activities that have already begun.

Projects that bring people together and build strong communities — starting a new activity or continuing an existing one, improving local places and spaces, helping people reach their potential through early support, or responding to cost-of-living pressures. You can use it for a wide range of costs. There is a separate Awards for All England – Environment programme for environmental projects.

Apply online through The National Lottery Community Fund's application portal, using the programme for your nation (England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland). Read the "who can apply" and "what we need to know" guidance first, check your organisation is eligible, and submit at least 16 weeks before your start date. You will get a decision within 16 weeks.