The National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) has pledged to be “more equitable and inclusive” in a new five-year strategy.
As part of NLCF’s Evidence and Impact Strategy, published today, the funder plans to create “the UK’s largest community learning bank” to allow sharing of best practice between community organisations.
It has also pledged to create a new diverse panel of community advisors from across the UK and improve access for charities to networks, coaching and mentoring opportunities.
Barriers to funding
NLCF has pledged to work with grant holders, funding staff and applicants to create a new data service to identify the communities most in need, with a focus on those experiencing poverty, disadvantage and discrimination.
It intends to commission research to identify the barriers grant recipients face as part of its plans to become “a more equitable and inclusive funder”.
NLCF also intends to use evidence and learning to direct its funding “where significant challenges exist for communities”, particularly those in the most disadvantaged areas.
“Where we support innovative approaches, we’ll ensure they go hand in hand with generating new evidence,” the strategy says.
“Our environmental mission will be at the forefront of this work as we seek to fund impactful projects that matter to local communities.”
A ‘proportionate and purposeful’ funder
To demonstrate its impact, NLCF said it will publish an annual report about the difference it makes with communities and collect “consistent foundational evidence” across its funding.
It pledged to communicate clearly with grant holders about the evidence it needs and why, providing support where needed.
“We’ll be proportionate and purposeful, making the best use of evidence grant holders already collect and sharing what we learn,” the strategy says
“We’ll commission and publish independent impact evaluations for a more significant proportion of our funding investment.”
In summer 2026, NLCF plans to start building a community learning panel, for which it will regularly ask grant holders about their learning needs.
It also plans to improve access to existing learning opportunities across the sector, including networks, training, toolkits and mentoring and coaching initiatives.
Its interactive community learning bank is set to launch by spring 2031 and intends to help community organisations find new ideas, evidence and real-life examples of best practice.
‘We’re rarely the expert’
Tom Walters, deputy director of evidence and impact at NLCF, said his organisation wants to work with voluntary organisations to gather “clear and robust evidence and take collective action to transform society”.
“Each year, thousands of people talk to us about what’s important to them and their communities. The issues they face. The solutions they have.
“We know from these conversations – especially with smaller organisations – that reporting impact, managing data, and accessing learning can be challenging – and we want to help to fix that.”
He added: “While we’re the largest funder in the room, we’re rarely the expert. Especially when it comes to lived experience.
“That’s why we’re making a promise to ourselves, too. To put in place better systems and processes needed to listen to what our communities tell us. To grow from it. As a whole organisation. And then, to share this with others.”
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