The Solidarity Fund from The National Lottery Community Fund is now open, offering major grants of £1 million to £5 million for organisations in England working to address the root causes of poverty, disadvantage and discrimination. This fund aims to strengthen long-term, systemic change, especially work led or shaped by people with lived experience.
The fund supports projects that:
- Are led by lived experience – with communities directly affected leading the work and shaping decisions.
- Create systems change – focusing on shifting power, influencing policy and embedding long‑term solutions.
- Work in solidarity – uniting people and groups across issues and communities to act collectively.
- Build community power – increasing skills, confidence and influence within communities.
- Generate and share learning – ensuring the voices and insight of people experiencing inequality help shape wider change.
Because the programme offers large, long‑term investments, only a small number of organisations will be funded. Over 350 applications have already been submitted since the fund launched in 2025, and the National Lottery expects to award funding to around 10 organisations in the first year.
Applicants should carefully review the fund’s aims and criteria to ensure it is the right fit before applying. A decision takes approximately 35 weeks.
Read more and apply to the The Solidarity Fund | The National Lottery Community Fund here