Aims/priorities: The funding is for organisations to give extra support to young people in areas with higher rates of anti-social behaviour. The funding is for extra hours of youth work to give these young people more places to go and positive things to do. These extra hours could be used for things like learning, arts, and playing sports, or for activities like mentoring, and developing social or life skills.
To be eligible, projects must:
- Benefit young people aged 10 to 18, or up to 25 if they have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND)
- Effectively engage with young people at risk of taking part in anti-social behaviour
- Deliver more hours of youth work than currently provided
- Involve young people in decisions about the work
- Deliver youth work that is open to as wide a range of young people as possible (known as ‘open access’)
- Be run by trusted adults such as qualified youth workers, youth support workers, or experienced volunteers.
The extra youth work being delivered must help young people:
- Have improved emotional wellbeing
- Have improved life and practical skills
- Feel safer and have access to trusted relationships with adults.
The eligible wards for this round are based on the youth population and levels of antisocial behaviour recorded by the police.
Organisations can only apply for the Million Hours Fund if their work either:
- Is in an eligible ward area, or
- Will benefit young people living in one or more eligible ward areas.
Who can apply? Applications will be accepted from eligible organisation within England working in or working with young people from one of the eligible local areas. The list of eligible local areas can be found on NLCF website.
To be eligible, organisations must be one of the following:
- Not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee
- Charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs)
- Community interest companies (CICs)
- Registered co-operatives or community benefit societies
- Schools
- Statutory bodies (including local authorities, town, parish or community councils)
Applications will be accepted from partnerships, as long as each partner is one of the eligible organisation types listed above.
Organisations must have an asset lock if they are a:
- CIC
- Company limited by guarantee that is not a registered charity
- Community benefit society
- Co-operative society
Grant amount: Between £30,000 and £100,000 are available.
Because of the way this funding is divided, most of the funding needs to be spent and most activities run by 31 March 2026.
The funding is divided with:
- £12 million from DCMS, to be spent by 31 March 2026.
- £7 million from the Fund, to be spent by 31 March 2027.
Application process: Guidelines and the online application form can be found on the National Lottery Community Fund website.
Note: Groups are encouraged to apply as soon as they are ready and not wait for the deadline as the programme may close before the deadline if more applications are received than expected.
Applications will be assessed as soon as they are received.
Deadline: Wednesday 22 October 2025, (12 noon).
Contact information: Email: general.enquiries@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk
Website: Million Hours Fund | The National Lottery Community Fund