National Lottery Awards for All Scotland

Social connections and community activities are at the heart of creating healthier, happier lives and a flourishing society. That’s why we support amazing community-led projects.

We can fund projects that’ll do at least one of these things:

  • bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities
  • improve the places and spaces that matter to communities
  • help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage
  • support people, communities and organisations facing more demands and challenges because of the cost-of-living crisis.

You can apply for funding to deliver a new or existing activity or to support your organisation to change and adapt to new and future challenges.

We work in partnership with sportscotland and Creative Scotland to deliver some of the National Lottery Awards for All funding. So for projects based in Scotland, we can offer:

Funding for community-led projects

  • We offer funding from £300 to £20,000. And can support your project for up to 2 years.

Funding for arts and sports projects

  • We offer funding from £300 to £10,000. And can support your project for up to 12 months.
  • We run this funding in partnership with sportscotland and Creative Scotland.

Sometimes it’s good to talk. If you’re not sure how to apply or what to apply for, you can:

Area
Scotland
Suitable for
Voluntary or community organisations, Public sector organisations
Funding size
£300 to £20,000
Application deadline

Ongoing

Apply

How to apply

Apply online Continue online application

If it's difficult or impossible for you to complete an application form

You can contact us if you have any communication support needs. We’re happy to talk about other ways for you to tell us about your idea. For example, EasyRead or accessible PDF.

Apply 12 weeks before you need the funding

We’ll tell you our decision as soon as we can. This usually takes us around 12 weeks.

If you're successful, it normally takes 2 weeks to pay the money to you.

You can only have one Awards for All grant at a time

You can only hold one grant, for each different country in the UK, at a time.

If you want to apply for a new grant – you’ll need to wait until your last grant with us is closed. You will not be eligible if you’ve already sent an application for National Lottery Awards for All funding and are waiting for a decision.

If you want to reapply for more money, we can only fund your organisation for a maximum of £20,000 within a 12-month period.

We only have a certain amount of funding to award

We get a lot of applications, and many of them are for really worthwhile projects. This means we have to make some tough decisions around which projects we can fund, when reading all the applications we’ve received. So there are often lots of projects we cannot fund, even the good ones.

What information you need to apply

You can see a full list of questions from the application form.

We ask for the contact details, home addresses and dates of birth of two different people from your organisation. We need a different email address for each person.

One person should be someone we can talk to if we have any questions about your project. The other should be a senior member of your organisation. Both need to live in the UK.

These two people cannot be related. Related can mean:

  • related by marriage
  • in a civil partnership with each other
  • in a long-term relationship with each other
  • related through a long term partner
  • living together at the same address
  • related by blood.

We ask for the legal name of your organisation. And its address. And what type of organisation it is

Check these details before applying. Also check any registration numbers if you have them – like a charity number or company number. It will slow down your application if these details are not right.

We ask for information about your organisation’s accounts

We want to know the date your accounts wrap up each year and how much income you have.

If you do not have yearly accounts because you’re a new organisation (less than 15 months old) that’s OK. We can still look at your application.

We ask for a bank statement from the last 3 months

It should show:

  • the bank logo
  • your organisation's legal name
  • address the statements are sent to
  • your bank's name
  • the account number and sort code
  • date the statement was issued.

Here’s a picture of the kind of bank statement we’re looking for.

We ask you for information about what sort of project you’d like to do

And how your project will help and involve your community.

We ask you if your project will focus on particular people - for example people of a particular age, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

It’s fine if you do not target any of these groups in particular. We do not use this information to decide if you get the funding.

But this information is still important to help us monitor who benefits from our National Lottery funding.

For more help view this short video on telling us whether your project will focus on particular groups of people (2 minutes, YouTube).

We also ask you to read and agree to our terms and conditions

You can have a look at the terms and conditions.

If you’re not sure about the sort of things we ask for when you apply

Contact us to talk about the things we ask for when you apply.

What happens after you apply?

  1. You send us your application – we'll aim to get back to you with a decision in around 12 weeks. During these 12 weeks we look at your idea and we look at your idea and we carry out checks on the information you provide us. You can find out more about the checks we'll carry out on your information.
    We might give you a call within those 12 weeks, to talk a little more about your idea, or ask for more information.
  2. If your application is successful – we'll send you an email with the good news! You can start your project as soon as you get this email, if you want to. And we’ll put the funding in your bank account within 14 days (or sooner, if possible)..
  3. You can start spending the funding on your project – you should spend the funding the way you said you would in your application (unless we’ve agreed to something different first). We might check in from time to time – to see how things are going. Find out more about how to manage your funding.
  4. Share your story – you can tell your local community, share your good news on social media, or get in touch with local newspapers. There’s some information about how to promote your project. We’ll make a press announcement and share your story too. To show you have received funding you can also download the National Lottery Awards for All Scotland logo (PNG, 396 KB).

Reduce your environmental footprint

The National Lottery Community Fund cares about our environment and are always striving to manage our environmental impact. We encourage and support projects and communities to do the same. Learn more about how you can make your project or event more environmentally sustainable and perhaps save money at the same time in our guidance on reducing your environmental footprint.

British Sign Language (BSL) video - how to apply

Watch BSL interpretation of how to apply to National Lottery Awards for All Scotland (YouTube):

Who can apply

Who can apply

You can apply if your organisation is a:

  • voluntary or community organisation
  • registered charity
  • constituted group or club
  • not-for-profit company or Community Interest Company
  • school (as long as your project benefits and involves the communities around the school)
  • statutory body (including town, parish and community council).

If you’re a smaller organisation

We’re keen to fund smaller organisations too. So we’ll look at your income when we’re making a decision.

You need at least 2 board or committee members who are not related

Related can mean:

  • related by marriage
  • in a civil partnership with each other
  • in a long-term relationship with each other
  • related through a long term partner
  • living together at the same address
  • related by blood.

All companies who apply must have at least two directors who are not related in any of these ways. This also applies to companies that are also registered as charities.

Who cannot apply

Who we cannot accept applications from:

  • individuals
  • sole traders
  • companies that can pay profits to directors, shareholders or members (including Companies Limited by Shares)
  • organisations based outside the UK
  • organisations that have already sent a National Lottery Awards for All Scotland application and are waiting for a decision
  • one organisation applying on behalf of another
  • organisations that currently have a National Lottery Awards for All Scotland grant which is not finished (or two grants that are not finished, if one of them is to help respond to the cost-of-living crisis).

We do not accept applications written for you by private businesses or consultants

Be careful of businesses or consultants who say they can support you with your funding applications. They might say they’re acting on the Fund’s behalf, or they’re a preferred supplier of the Fund. They could even offer to write an application for you.

We do not accept applications from these types of businesses or consultants.

But it’s ok to get help from support organisations - like your local authority or Third Sector Interface (TSI)

They may be able to give you support and advice on writing your application.

You can only have one Awards for All grant at a time

If you want to run an arts or sports project, we can fund you for a maximum of £10,000 at a time. And we can support your project for up to 12 months.

You can only hold one grant, for each different country in the UK, at a time.

If you want to apply for a new grant – you’ll need to wait until your last grant with us is closed. You will not be eligible if you’ve already sent an application for National Lottery Awards for All funding and are waiting for a decision.

If you want to reapply for more money, we can only fund your organisation for a maximum of £20,000 within a 12-month period.

If you’re a school or an organisation working with a school

Your project should involve and benefit the community outside of the school

Not just teachers, pupils, and parents of pupils.

We do not usually fund activities in schools that:

  • improve school facilities or equipment
  • help with staff training
  • are part of the school curriculum
  • the school should already be doing (like teaching reading during school hours)
  • take place during teaching times (lunch breaks, or before and after school might be OK).

If you’re not sure if you can apply

Contact us to find out if you can apply.

British Sign Language (BSL) video - who can apply

Watch BSL interpretation of who can apply (YouTube):

The projects we fund

The projects we fund

We can fund projects that’ll do at least one of these things:

  • bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities
  • improve the places and spaces that matter to communities
  • help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage.
  • support people, communities and organisations facing more demands and challenges because of the cost-of-living crisis

Your project should involve your community

People know best what’s needed in their communities. It’s important to involve your community from the start - in the design, development and delivery of the activities you’re planning.

We want to fund projects that are connected to local people and their communities, and use their existing skills and experience.

Find out what's important to the people in your community

You could do a survey, have a meeting, make telephone calls, or talk to other organisations and people that are important to your community.

Involve the people your project helps in running your organisation and making decisions

Think about if the people you help could volunteer with you, join your board or committee, or get a job with you.

We look for extra things when it comes to sports and arts projects

Sports

For sports we’ll prioritise projects that involve:

  • young people from deprived areas – so places where there might be social and financial restrictions to sport and physical activities, lack of facilities and equipment to enable participation, or issues connecting young people with crime
  • girls and young women
  • young people with disabilities.

A strong application will clearly show how your project will increase participation and access to your sport or reduce barriers for these priority groups to engage in your sport or physical activity. If your project does not specifically address one of these priority groups, you can still apply but you need to be aware that we will prioritise applications that do.

Arts

For projects focussed on arts, film or other creative areas, we will prioritise work which removes barriers and increases access for people across all parts of society, and widens the reach of our funding across Scotland and into diverse communities.

We will not prioritise applications:

  • requesting equipment and materials only although you can include costs for equipment and materials as part of a wider project budget.
  • that do not evidence a rate of pay for artists which is at least the recommended industry rate. Creative Scotland is committed to promoting fair pay, conditions and employment opportunities across the creative sector, which means ensuring arts and professionals in the creative community are paid fairly and appropriately for their time and effort. Guidance on rates of artist pay is available on the Creative Scotland website.

If your group has existing funding from Creative Scotland Regular Funding or Culture Collective programmes you should email communities@creativescotland.com for advice before applying.

If you’ll be working with children, young people or vulnerable adults

You need to have a policy in place that explains how they’ll be safe. If you get funding you’ll need to follow our expectations on safeguarding children and adults at risk.

You can find safeguarding advice and links to further information on the SCVO website.

Projects that need insurance, qualifications or affiliations to a governing body

Depending on what you want to do, your project might need:

  • public liability insurance
  • leaders or instructors with special qualifications
  • an affiliation to a governing body.

You can ask us to cover these costs when you apply for funding (see what else you can spend the money on).

If you're not sure about the sort of projects we fund

Have a look at what we've funded previously. Or you can contact us to find out what sort of projects we fund

British Sign Language (BSL) video - the projects we fund

Watch BSL interpretation of the projects we fund (YouTube):

What you can spend the money on

What you can spend the money on

This list does not include everything. So, if you're not sure, contact us to find out what you can spend money on.

We can fund:

  • equipment
  • one-off events
  • staff costs
  • training costs
  • transport
  • utilities or running costs
  • volunteer expenses
  • small land or building projects.

If you need funding for land or refurbishment projects

You need to either:

  • own the land or building
  • have a lease that cannot be ended for five years,
  • have a letter from the owner saying the land or building will be leased to you for at least five years, or
  • have an official letter from the owner or landlord that says you're allowed to do work on the building.

You should also find out if you’ll need planning permission for the work.

We cannot fund:

  • retrospective costs
  • alcohol
  • contingency costs, loans, endowments or interest
  • electricity generation and feed-in tariff payments
  • political or religious activities
  • profit-making or fundraising activities
  • VAT you can reclaim
  • statutory activities
  • overseas travel.

We can fund some political activity and campaigning

But only if:

  • the activity is not party political. This means that it must be about policy, practice, or legislation rather than opposing or supporting a political party.
  • the activity is meant to help the cause of your organisation and benefit the public or society.

We will not fund projects where political activities are the main purpose. But we can fund projects that are mainly about campaigning.

British Sign Language (BSL) video - what you can spend the money on

Watch BSL interpretation of what you can spend the money on (YouTube):

If you're ready to start your application

Apply online Continue online application

Already got funding?

Download the National Lottery Awards for All Scotland logo (PNG, 396 KB)



The programme is a partnership between The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland, sportscotland and Creative Scotland.

Logos for The National Lottery Community Fund, sport scotland and Creative Scotland.