National Lottery Community Fund sets out 10-year grants of up to £2.5 million for community groups in England

The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players to community projects across the U.K., has set out how its new Community Power Fund will work. In an article published on October 28, 2026, it said the fund will offer flexible grants of £500,000 to £2.5 million, for up to 10 years, to organizations that help local people gain more say over the decisions, services and places that affect them. The fund covers England.

"Too often, communities are recipients of decisions made by others, rather than active participants in them," the funder wrote. It expects to fund between 12 and 16 organizations, and its program pages say most grants will run for five to 10 years. It has not published an overall budget. If every award falls within the stated range, the total would be between £6 million and £40 million, by our calculation.

Who can apply, and when

Applicants must join or watch one of the webinars before they apply. Eligible organizations include registered charities, charitable incorporated organizations, community interest companies, not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee, faith-based groups, and community benefit and co-operative societies registered with the Financial Conduct Authority. Each needs at least two board or committee members who are not related. Individuals, companies that pay profits to shareholders, colleges and universities, local authorities and other public bodies, and unregistered groups cannot apply.

The funder wants organizations that already have a proven track record of building community power and experience of bringing partners together across sectors. They should work across a wide area, such as a town, city, district or borough, on a range of issues rather than a single issue or population group. They must also be accountable to local people and work with communities that face the greatest barriers. The first stage of assessment aims to give a decision within four months, and shortlisted applicants can then wait up to six more months.

What the funder means by community power

The fund defines community power as local people influencing and making positive changes to the places they live, the services they use and the decisions that affect their lives. Its examples include developing local leadership, shaping how local services are designed and delivered, having more say in local investment decisions, and giving communities more control over buildings and spaces that matter to them.

The funder said it shaped the program over 10 months with 17 partner organizations, from small community groups to regional and national bodies. It builds on the funder's strategy, It starts with community, which it says came out of 18,000 conversations across the U.K.

Part of a wider plan

The National Lottery Community Fund says it plans to distribute at least £4 billion by 2030. Alongside the Community Power Fund, it is introducing the Community Wealth Fund, a £175 million program paid for jointly by the government's Dormant Assets Scheme and the funder itself, in which neighborhoods will decide how to spend the money in their area. It said it would confirm the areas chosen for the Community Wealth Fund in November.