Key Changes to the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Communities Buildings Fund
The Reaching Communities scheme provides funding for projects that improve or replace existing buildings where a wide range of community activities take place and it funds those that are most in need. The scheme will only support buildings or sites based in the most deprived ‘Lower Super Output Areas’ (LSOAs) in England.
Following a review of the programme late last year, the following changes have been made:
- Eligible areas are now based on 2010 deprivation figures.
- The percentage of eligible urban areas has been increased to 20% (an increase of 5%).
- The scheme will run for an additional two years. It is now projected to end in March 2015 (two years beyond the original date).
Although there are currently no application deadlines, this is subject to change and eligible groups are urged to get their applications in as soon as possible.
Further information on the Reaching Communities scheme can be found on the Big Lottery Fund website.
The Big Lottery will be completing a detailed review of how it can best support community buildings and capital projects in the future. To that end, it seeks the views of national, regional and community level stakeholders to help shape this future funding. The Big Lottery would like to know how its current funding offer could be improved to better meet the needs of people and communities with a limited amount of funding.
To register an interest in this discussion, please email rcbreview@biglotteryfund.org.uk.
