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Volunteering Futures

Through National Lottery Project Grants, Arts Council England are working with Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to create more and better volunteering opportunities for young people and others who experience barriers to have high quality opportunities.

Volunteering Futures will enable people to get involved in volunteering activities across the arts, heritage, museums, libraries, sport and physical activity, youth and other community settings.

We want to create more and better volunteering opportunities for people:

  • who experience loneliness
  • who experience barriers to volunteering
  • in areas where there are fewer volunteering opportunities

We particularly welcome applications for projects that:

  • are between 12 and 24 months long. Project should start no earlier than 1st April 2022 and finish no later than 31st March 2024
  • seek to create or build on partnerships between arts and cultural organisations (including museums and libraries), heritage, sport, and physical activity, youth and other community sectors
  • create significant numbers of volunteer opportunities in projects focused on creativity and culture
  • will improve access to volunteering
  • support young people
  • support individuals who face barriers to volunteering
  • create a demonstrable, lasting benefit for participating groups, and communities, especially those heavily impacted by the pandemic
  • explore, expand or scale innovation in volunteering practice that may have emerged during the pandemic

 How to apply

To apply to Volunteering Futures, your project needs to be for £100,001 or over. There is no maximum threshold for the fund.

The total amount available for this time-limited priority is £4.7 million.

You must submit an expression of interest by the 7th December. If successful, you will be invited to complete a full application in January.

It takes 1-2 working days to validate applicant profiles, therefore make sure you submit your profile as soon as you can so you are validated in time to make an application for the fund.

Information Sheet

Read more about this fund

About Us

Warrington Voluntary Action supports the development of a vibrant, thriving and sustainable VCSE sector to meet the diverse needs of local communities.