The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has launched the first round of funding from the Government and the National Lottery Community Fund’s Million Hours Fund . The fund was announced in March as part of the Prime Minister’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, and will provide £11 million of funding for youth services. The fund aims to facilitate an additional one million hours of positive activities from youth services.

Prospective applicants are now able to apply for grants from £300 up to £10,000. This will allow youth organisations to offer additional opportunities through the 2023 school summer holidays, giving young people aged 11 to 18, and those aged up to 25 with disabilities and special educational needs, greater access to activities such as educational trips and days out.  Bidding is open to VCS organisations, schools and statutory bodies.

To be eligible to apply, your project must:

  • Take place in, and/or benefit young people living in, one of these eligible wards in England. Eligible wards have been determined by allocating wards to each Police Force Area (PFA) based on youth population, and then selecting those with the highest reported number of antisocial behaviour incidents from within the PFA.
  • Deliver additional youth provision (existing provision is not eligible).
  • Start during, or before, the 2023 school summer holidays (24 July to 3 September 2023).
  • Primarily benefit young people aged 11 to 18, and up to 25 for young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
  • Effectively engage with young people at risk of antisocial behaviour.

The Lincolnshire Eligible Wards are –   

E05009628         Skirbeck                                              Boston     

E05009640         Gainsborough East                               West Lindsey

E05009642         Gainsborough South-West                    West Lindsey

E05010163         Grantham St Vincent’s                          South Kesteven

E05010164         Grantham St Wulfram’s                        South Kesteven

E05010784         Abbey (Lincoln)                                     Lincoln

E05010785         Birchwood (Lincoln)                              Lincoln

E05010786         Boultham                                             Lincoln

E05010787         Carholme                                             Lincoln 

E05010791         Minster                                                Lincoln

E05010792         Moorland                                              Lincoln

E05010793         Park (Lincoln)                                      Lincoln

You must also meet the National Lottery Community Fund’s Awards for All England criteria, which includes that you must not currently be in receipt of a National Lottery Awards for All England grant which is not finished, and you must not be waiting for a decision on a previous application for a National Lottery Awards for All England grant.

The remaining £8 million from the fund will open for applications from the autumn, with further details to be announced in due course.

Million Hours Fund from DCMS