Grants of up to £500

The number of good causes and community groups benefitting from the North Kesteven Community Lottery is set to expand.

Lincolnshire Community Foundation and North Kesteven District Council continue to work together to identify and invite local charitable organisations to apply for grants of up to £500. The aim is to target and support smaller, volunteer-led, non-profit organisations operating across North Kesteven for the benefit of local residents.

The application process is straightforward and help is available at every step (eligibility, structures, governance etc) from our team. Funds should be used to ensure the good health and mental wellbeing of residents; to promote connectivity (digital/peer support); to host community/cultural activities and events that bring communities together; to support youth activities including uniformed groups.

Examples of the type of project costs that can be requested include volunteer expenses, resources and equipment, event costs, premises costs, sessional fees, running costs, insurance and annual subscriptions.

The closing date for receipt of applications is on 1st March 2024, with decisions notified within 6-8 weeks.

Details are available on the Lincolnshire Community Foundation’s Grants Page at www.lincolnshirecf.co.uk.

If you have an idea and want to speak to Grants staff at the Lincolnshire Community Foundation before applying, please call 01529 305825.

Councillor Sally Tarry, who has overview of community initiatives at North Kesteven District Council, said that the entire ethos of the NK Community Lottery was to connect communities to the good causes operating locally and to make it easier for them to access small funding opportunities.

“Small regular sources of funding can be the difference between a community group surviving and flourishing. With this fund meeting both running costs, overheads and general expenses as well as specific expenditure linked to any projects, we anticipate it making an enormous difference to the vibrancy and variety of community life within North Kesteven.

“When the 500 or so players of the NK Lottery buy their tickets weekly, they are not only doing so in the hope of winning up to £25,000 for themselves, but also in the knowledge that most of their £1 ticket purchase will directly benefit good causes locally. Being able to re-distribute some of that money in grants of up to £500 each is a wonderful way of ensuring maximum benefit across the broad sweep of community organisations, operating in support of community cohesion and the District’s ongoing wellbeing.

The NK Community Lottery was launched in December 2021, offering players the opportunity to win up to £25,000 from a £1 ticket. When buying a ticket at www.NKlottery.co.uk players can choose to nominate one of the 72 good causes currently signed up to receive a 50p share of the £1 stake. A further 10p goes into a general good causes fund, or 60p if no specific cause is nominated. It is that general good causes fund that is now available for redistribution to eligible community groups.

Hayley Crawford, Grants Manager at Lincolnshire Community Foundation says: “The Fund is a wonderful opportunity for the community to apply for funding to receive support in continuing making North Kesteven prosper. I’d encourage any group interested in applying, but not sure whether they might be eligible, to contact us at LCF”.

For an application form and more information: Contact hayley@lincolnshirecf.co.uk Telephone (01529) 305825, or download an Application Form from our Grants Page at www.lincolnshirecf.co.uk