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We’re making some changes to the fund, so it can even better help us achieve our vision that everyone across England has the opportunity to be creative, and has access to a range of high-quality cultural experiences. 

Thinking of applying? Read on to find out how our refreshed fund will work from 22 November 2021.

What can I apply for?

National Lottery Project Grants is about bringing creativity and culture to the public. It supports projects that focus on: Combined Arts including festivals and carnivals, Dance, Libraries, Literature, Museums, Music, Theatre or Visual Arts. 

By ‘project’, we mean a series of activities or a piece of work that has a start and end date and a set of measurable aims that you’d like to achieve in that time.

Whatever your background, the size of your organisation, or the stage you’re at in your career, this grant can help you reach communities with your work.

Grants usually range from £1,000 to £100,000 and the fund is always open - so you can apply at any time.

What is changing on 22 November 2021?

The refreshed National Lottery Project Grants will have a new guidance document and application form. The new form will ask you to talk about how your work aligns with our Outcomes and Investment Principles so that we can better delivery our strategy, Let’s Create.

You can find full details and eligibility criteria in the guidance document, but the key changes are: 

• From 22 November, you’ll be able to apply for up to £30,000 and get your decision within 8 weeks. This will help us support more ambitious activity, more quickly.
• We’re improving support for individuals at the start of their career. We’ll do this by targeting some of our advice giving at people who might not have previously applied for funding from us.
• Support for museums. More museums will be eligible to apply, including those who are non-Accredited. We’ll support them to unlock their collections and make them more relevant, inclusive and accessible.
• It’s still open to libraries who can continue to apply for activity that aligns with any of the four Universal Library Offers; 
  • Creativity and Culture
  • Reading
  • Information and Digital
  • Health and Wellbeing

Got a Project Grants application currently in progress?

If you're planning to apply soon, you’ll need to submit your current application by 19 November 2021. If you’re not ready to submit by then, you can wait and apply using the new application form and guidance from 22 November 2021.

We’ve published the new guidance so you can check if your current project fits with our updated eligibility criteria, and then you’re ready to get started when the application portal opens on 22 November.

READ THE GUIDANCE

Have a question? 

The first step is to read the guidance in full before deciding if this is the fund for you.

How to apply: £30,000 and under - PDF, Easy Read

How to apply: over £30,000 - PDF, Easy Read