PLEASE NOTE: APPLICATIONS TO THIS FUND ARE NOT SUBJECT TO DEADLINES AND ARE ACCEPTED ON A ROLLING BASIS.
The Youth Fund supports organisations whose main purpose is about helping young people (aged 14-25) in the most precarious positions, where making the transition to adult independence is most challenging, and those who are most vulnerable. The Fund supports organisations which work with young people in a way that recognises and builds on their strengths and potential. Through this fund we want to promote a way of working where young people’s voices, influence and ideas are central. It aims to enable those with innovative and influential ideas or outstanding practice to sustain and prepare to grow their impact.
Organisations may be planning to grow their impact by:
- Replicating a programme or service
- Widening the reach of an idea or innovation
- Spreading a technology or skill
- Advancing policy or enhancing its implementation
- Influencing attitudes
The Fund will provide core funding to organisations within the youth sector and outside. This is a direct response to what we heard in our strategy consultation – that, in order to achieve greatest positive impact in the lives of young people, organisations need to achieve a balance of stability, continuity and flexibility.
We welcome applications from organisations who meet the following criteria:
- Not-for-profit
- Work in the UK
- Work at either local, regional or national levels, or at more than one level
- Provide direct services and/or second-tier support
- Work predominantly with 14 – 25 year olds.
Size of award: Between £10,000 and £60,000 in total
Duration: Normally two years, with the possibility of renewal in some cases
What we will fund: We will pay for core operating costs to help grow an organisation’s impact. Examples of things you might put the money towards include:
- Part-fund the salary of a key individual, whether the Chief Executive or a post such as a Head of Operations/Finance
- Policy work
- Additional fundraising or income generation capacity
- Upgrading IT systems or website to reach young people online
- Installing a new database to capture data on the organisation’s impact
- Staff training or development
- Running costs such as utilities and other bills
Regardless of how you choose to spend the money, we will want to see that your plans to make use of it are realistic and fit for purpose, that it will benefit the organisation (e.g. it will not commit the organisation to much higher costs long term) and that you have thought about what will happen after our funding ends.
Expected number of grants per year: We expect to make around 30 awards per year.
For guidance, more information and to apply please visit the website.
