New £3 Million Fund to Support Youth Led Social Action

The National Lottery Community Fund, in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), has launched the #iwill Fund 2025, making £3 million available to support youth-led social action across England.

The programme will fund four to six major initiatives, with a strong emphasis on projects rooted in local communities and designed with young people at their heart. Applicants must be able to match the Fund’s investment with at least £200,000, either in cash or in-kind contributions such as services, equipment, or facilities.

Eligible applicants include funders, voluntary and community organisations, and statutory bodies. The Fund specifically seeks to support initiatives engaging young people up to 20 years old, or up to 25 for those with additional support needs. The focus will be on creating opportunities for young people, particularly from low-income communities, to take action on issues that matter to them locally.

The programme aims not only to broaden access to youth social action but also to embed youth voice in project design, encourage participation from those who have not previously been involved, and build sustainability beyond the grant period.

The type of projects and activities that could be funded include:

• Youth-led environmental projects
• Peer mentoring programmes
• Campaigns to improve local health or wellbeing
• Tackling food insecurity in deprived neighbourhoods
• Supporting intergenerational projects in rural communities
• Targeted initiatives for young carers
• Work with young people with disabilities
• Structured volunteering linked to skills development
• Creating new youth networks

Expressions of Interest must be submitted by 24 September 2025, with successful projects expected to run until March 2027.

For more information click here.