The National Lottery was introduced in 1994 and since then, more than 280,000 grants have been awarded.
Grants from £300 up to £10,000 are awarded to sport, heritage and community activities and projects that go towards promoting education, health and the environment in local communities.
Depending on what the project is will determine which Body you need to apply for to get a Lottery funded grant. There are currently six different bodies: Sports Council; Arts Council; Heritage Lottery Fund; Big Lottery Fund; NESTA; and Awards for All.
Sports Council
The Community Investment Fund is the National Lottery funding available from the nine regions of Sport England (formerly Sports Council for England).
Sport England funds projects that help people get involved in sport and physical activity. The money received can be put towards refurbishment costs, the building of new facilities, or used to develop activities that improve help and education within local communities
There is, however, a very complex application process for this form of funding, and the final decision is made by the Sport England Board. This is mainly because of the large amount of money being given, the minimum grant being £10,000.
Arts Council
The Urban Cultural Programme provides around £19.5 million of funding for cultural projects in 19 urban areas across the UK, including 14 in England.
Projects that could be eligible for the funding are required to demonstrate how culture and the arts contribute and influence the lives of those in an urban area.
Tell us what you need funding for and we will match you with the types of UK grant most likely to accept your application.
Try our Grant Eligibility Finder free, here on this site →Heritage Lottery Fund
Money that is raised through the national lottery is used by the Heritage Lottery Fund to help sustain our heritage, including various museums, historic places, parks and archaeology.
Big Lottery Fund
The Big Lottery Fund is the largest Lottery distributor responsible for giving out half the money raised by the National Lottery for good causes: 14 pence of every pound spent on a Lottery ticket.
These grants cover health, education, environment and charitable purposes with a focus on the difference that the funding makes to communities, as opposed to the specific organisations that receive the money.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
NESTA
New ideas often fail due to a lack of funding. NESTA uses National Lottery funds to encourage the exploration of new idea, development of new products, or other projects that use the arts, technology and science to encourage creativity.This grant is not just available for groups or organisations, individuals can also apply for help.
The funding starts from £500, and awards of more than £85,000 can be made to worthy applicants.
Awards for All
If you have a project in mind that will bring people together to take part in community activities, then you could benefit from this fund.
Specifically designed for those projects that help to improve the lives of individuals, boost creativity or encourages more people to get involved in local communities, the fund can supply anything from £300 to £10,000.
There are lots of lottery funds available that cover such a wide remit, and there are a lot of projects eligible to receive some help. There is more information on each specific fund and the requirements for applications available at
Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Grant Eligibility Finder lets you tell us what you need funding for and we will match you with the types of UK grant most likely to accept your application. Try it now →The Next Step
Best wishes.
John
I have a severely disabled son, he has autism epilepsy atrial fibrillation and a severe learning disability
He lives at home with both myself and my husband. He needs constant supervision/observation.
He spend most of his time in our conservatory as he likes his own space, the conservatory is just off our living room so we can keep an eye on him at all times, but allowing him to have his own space. My son is 29yo and he is 6ft 6inches tall. the conservatory is small and old and cold. Are there any grants available to add an extra room on to our living room, I have a small amount of money that i have saved to go towards the cost.
Graham 90.
I also have two teenage children of my own and privacy is paramount to them.
I was wondering if there was any funding of re-homing so we can continue to work with our local city council and provide a warm safe environment for the children that come into the system through no fault of their own.
I don't know if we fit into a "category" for any help, but I see and read about so many benefit large family's being granted bigger homes to house all their children, and I just want to help make a difference to a child's life without being limited on space as there's no limit to the time and love that my family give to these children.
I await any advise, help and reply.
Thank you for your time.
thank jackie
if we take a 500kwh wind turbine and take off the wind blades and take away
the tower. then put the alternator along with a number of other alternators in to
a small local work unit. my methiod the generators will operate each other.
I am looking for some one with knolage of the industrial generation just to talk to. with the vue to helping develop this idea.
low cost electric is the most impotant power sause in the world
Bill welsby
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