At The National Lottery Community Fund, we know that the best projects bring people together, build on their strengths, and create lasting connections.   

When applying for our funding, we want applicants to consider how their project can bring out the best in their communities, helping people reach their potential through shared knowledge, skills, and experience.  

When applying for our Community Action, Fairer Life Chances or Young Start programmes, the three key things we want you to focus on is telling us how your project will:  

• involve the people you support in how it’s developed, delivered and led  

• make use of their existing skills and interests  

• complement and make connections with other services that support them.  

To help you think about what this looks like, at the bottom of this page, we’ve linked blogs with examples of projects which demonstrate these well.  

For our new funding programmes, Community Action and Fairer Life Chances, we also have an overarching focus to support people most affected by poverty, disadvantage and discrimination.  

So in your application we’ll want you to tell us:  

• who the people you are working with are  

• what’s happening in their lives  

• what challenges they are dealing with  

• how do you engage with and support them.  

To find out more about our open funding programmes in Scotland, and what we’re looking for, visit our Scotland page on our website.