The National Lottery Community Fund is investing £2 million into this second round of funding to fund hundreds of ‘microgrants’ between £300 and £2,500, so small, local organisations (with an annual income of £50,000 or less) can bring people and communities together.

If you received funding in Round 1, you will not be eligible for funding in Round 2.

What the funding's for

The funding is aimed at bringing people together in safe and secure ways, making people aware of what services are available to reduce loneliness and to build lasting connections to help make:

• people and communities feel more connected
• individuals feel supported and less lonely or isolated
• people more aware of services available that help them to connect with others and get involved

As the COVID-19 restrictions start to ease, we want to change the focus of this funding for Round 2. We know the dangers of COVID-19 are still present, so it’s important applicants demonstrate how they can adapt to meet any restrictions which may be put in place at short notice. For Round 2, we want to focus on:

• activities which physically brings people together in a safe and secure way
• remote activities but where this is the best or only way to build connections for that particular community - this might work well for people who are geographically isolated, those with illnesses or disabilities, or those who are not quite ready to meet people face-to-face
• helping individuals to get out of the ‘lockdown mentality’ and meet people in their communities again for activities which will be a positive experience for people
• helping organisations who work to reduce loneliness restart activities - this might be getting volunteers or service users to clean and refresh their meeting space or grounds, or refreshing materials and ensuring equipment is ready to be used.

Applications close - 6 August 2021 at 5pm

https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/local-connections-fund-round-2