In this blog, our Wales Director, John Rose, outlines our funding priorities over the coming year, as we look to support projects that help communities to be environmentally sustainable, and those with the most need.  

It’s been two years since we launched our 2023-2030 strategy, It starts with community. This set out our vision for funding community activity and focusing on four key missions, supporting communities to: bring people together, be environmentally sustainable, help children and young people thrive, and enable people to lead healthier lives. 

Alongside this, we set out our values and our approach, committing to a greater focus on supporting communities affected by poverty, discrimination, and disadvantage; supporting communities to build from their strengths; using learning to improve impact; and using a flexible grant making model. 

In that time, we’ve made strong progress. We’ve increased the maximum grant size on National Lottery Awards for All to £20,000, doubling its budget to support around 50% of all applications. We’ve refreshed our People and Places funding to align more closely with our four missions, whilst asking all applicants to show how they will manage their environmental impact regardless of the focus of their project. Through our Supporting Great Ideas programme, we’ve backed innovative projects like Promo Cymru’s Third Sector Digital Support initiative, and distributed over £17 million via the Dormant Assets Scheme to tackle the climate and nature emergencies, and support young people into green careers in areas across Wales, from Pembrokeshire to Gwynedd. 

So what’s next? 

While we have achieved some real success, we also know there is room for improvement. 

In 2025/26, we’ll be placing greater emphasis on supporting projects that advance our environmental sustainability mission. We’re particularly keen to support organisations delivering environmental projects that achieve multiple outcomes — for example, Toybox Project CIC, which recycles used toys, saving them from landfill, before distributing them for free to children in need across South Wales. To fulfil our ambitious funding targets, we are looking to distribute 15% of our funding this year to projects focused on environmental sustainability.  

We also want to focus more on projects that build on the strengths and ingenuity within communities affected by poverty, discrimination and disadvantage. We are aiming to allocate over 50% of our funding to these communities with the most need and would love to hear from organisations with ideas rooted in and drawing  on the strengths of their communities. In particular, we welcome applications from areas where we haven’t funded as much as we would like, including, but not limited to, Flintshire, Merthyr Tydfil and Neath Port Talbot.  

Our fantastic Funding and Advice teams are here to help you, particularly if you are focusing on the priorities above. Thanks to players of the National Lottery, we can continue to fund projects that make a positive difference to people and the planet.  

Find out more about our funding programmes and how to apply here.