The Young Foundation is a research and action based institute with a track record of confronting inequality. The Foundation works across the UK and internationally to create insight and innovations which put people at the heart of social change. It does this through research, work with communities and social innovation.
The Foundation's Community Knowledge Fund is a new fund available to community groups and local organisations throughout the UK. It aims to develop and test new ideas and different approaches to creating, sharing and using community knowledge to make progress on local and national challenges. Funding is intended to turn ideas into action and build stronger community connections to research and innovation.
The Community Knowledge Fund is an open fund with a particular focus on the two following themes:
1. Community resilience and safety, and
2. Environment and sustainability.
The Fund, which has a total grant budget of £950,000, is expected to provide up to 34 grants to grassroots community groups and local organisations across the UK in 2 phases, follows:
o Phase 1: Groundwork and Early-Stage Testing Grants. These are development grants of up to £10,000 to support grantees to create the conditions for research and innovation and to develop and begin early testing of their ideas.
o Phase 2: a smaller number of larger grants from £50,000 up to £100,000 will be awarded to develop proposals.
In addition to funding, there is a bespoke support package that includes a learning programme, coaching support and events for community groups and organisations to share learning, draw on the skills, knowledge and expertise from across the Fund’s participants, and to develop new relationships and networks.
Further information, guidance and an Expression of Interest form for Phase 1 application is available on the Foundation’s website.
The application deadline for the submission of Expressions of Interest is Monday 7th November 2022.
The dates and application process for Phase 2 are expected to be announced in early 2023.
