The National Lottery Community Fund - Digital Fund
The National Lottery Community Fund distributes over £600m a year to communities across the UK, raised by players of The National Lottery.
Overview
Total reviews: 14
Median 38.5 hours
Latest Reviews
Jan 31, 2020
applied in 2019
My guess is that they're looking for projects that affect a narrow group of people in a deep way, not a broad group of people in a shallow way. Take evidence of impact with a community.
Pros
Friendly
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Average
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Average
I thought it might be more radical and excitingly digital, but it seems to be just doing more of the same lottery projects with some digital paint on.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
The initial application steps / sift was extremely quick and easy.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
I liked the idea that there's no giant form to fill in... but ultimately we just ended up replicating a giant form with our own made-up Google Doc structure. It perhaps took longer in back-and-forth with the grants manager than it would have done to simply fill in a big form (once into the second round)
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Is there anything else that's be useful for others to know to understand this funder?
It's almost the government... it's a risk averse funder, and the clues in the name: its about community above all. (And TNL's definition of 'community', not yours!)
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Nov 27, 2019
applied in 2018
This refers to the Digital Fund. Ensure you get a full breakdown of how the application process is structured and how the success factors are likely to be judged. Try and set up a main point of contact who you can talk to about the best approach for an application.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
What year was this experience?
2018
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Bad
The first stage application process for the Digital Fund when it was first released at the end of 2018 lacked clarity and provided very little opportunity to describe what we wanted to achieve and why - with a word limit of 100 words and one main 'question' stating 'Tell us what your organisation does and what significant changes you've been thinking about'.
We had spent over 6 months researching our digital project (using funding from Big Lottery) with over 100 end users and 50 staff involved in shaping the idea to match the needs of the client group.
However, there was no opportunity to share this research or communicate with anyone about the best approach for application. We received a vague response stating we didn't fit the success criteria and that we wouldn't receive any further feedback.
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Average
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Provides significant sums of money to grantees allowing them to progress larger programmes and initiatives and take more positive risks.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
The process for applications being confirmed can be extremely slow (depending on the fund) and can leave organisations in a tricky place when looking at forecasts and budget setting. Be more transparent about when people will hear and then keep to those deadlines.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Bad
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Nov 26, 2019
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2019
We applied for an Awards for All grant. Speak to tnl in advance and make sure that your bid meets the criteria. You will need addresses, telephone numbers and home addresses for two people, we used our bid writer and the Chair of Trustees. Make sure that you have the exact costings to make the project succeed. Take care to make sure that you are clear who will benefit and why.
Pros
Understands nonprofits and issues
Openminded
Responsive
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
The turnaround from application to funding was really good at under two months and the full amount given,
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Speed of assessment.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Nov 24, 2019
applied in 2019
The funder will meet with you to discuss your idea and the process. There is no application form and you need to provide lots of detail. The funder will answer your questions and you should utilise their knowledge.
Pros
Gives more than money
Insightful
Friendly
Builds relationships
Likes site visits
Understands nonprofits and issues
Openminded
Responsive
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Grant currently pending
If you were funded tell us the outcome
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Previously had a negative experience that almost put us off applying again. Glad it didn't, this experience has been very positive with the funder being very supportive throughout the process.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Provides face to face meetings during the process so that a relationship is established.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Keep on doing this! To be able to have a relationship with a funder is so helpful and makes the process a lot easier.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Nov 24, 2019
applied in 2018
This will take up a huge amount of time depending on your grant manager. Ours was very slow coming back to us but when they did wanted a turn around of information in very short timeframes which caused us some real difficulties as we are a small team. The process took far longer than we were led to believe it would too. At stage 2 we submitted everything yet it didn't go to panel until 7 months later, was sat with grant manager which was incredibly frustrating. The outline also said we would get to meet the grant manager to discuss the application, this never happened. They were too busy to meet us which felt a huge disadvantage instead they did a telephone call which wasn't very helpful.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
What year was this experience?
2018
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Bad
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Average
It seems to depend on who you are allocated. Currently going through the process with a different grant manager and it is a very positive and different experience which I will also review
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Provides feedback as you progress your application.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Look at consistency of your staff.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Bad
Is there anything else that's be useful for others to know to understand this funder?
The feedback was a call too and left us not really sure about why we didn't get funded. The follow up letter was also vague which isn't helpful moving forward.
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Jan 31, 2020
applied in 2019
My guess is that they're looking for projects that affect a narrow group of people in a deep way, not a broad group of people in a shallow way. Take evidence of impact with a community.
Pros
Friendly
Cons
Pros
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Average
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Average
I thought it might be more radical and excitingly digital, but it seems to be just doing more of the same lottery projects with some digital paint on.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
The initial application steps / sift was extremely quick and easy.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
I liked the idea that there's no giant form to fill in... but ultimately we just ended up replicating a giant form with our own made-up Google Doc structure. It perhaps took longer in back-and-forth with the grants manager than it would have done to simply fill in a big form (once into the second round)
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Is there anything else that's be useful for others to know to understand this funder?
It's almost the government... it's a risk averse funder, and the clues in the name: its about community above all. (And TNL's definition of 'community', not yours!)
Nov 27, 2019
applied in 2018
This refers to the Digital Fund. Ensure you get a full breakdown of how the application process is structured and how the success factors are likely to be judged. Try and set up a main point of contact who you can talk to about the best approach for an application.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
What year was this experience?
2018
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Bad
The first stage application process for the Digital Fund when it was first released at the end of 2018 lacked clarity and provided very little opportunity to describe what we wanted to achieve and why - with a word limit of 100 words and one main 'question' stating 'Tell us what your organisation does and what significant changes you've been thinking about'. We had spent over 6 months researching our digital project (using funding from Big Lottery) with over 100 end users and 50 staff involved in shaping the idea to match the needs of the client group. However, there was no opportunity to share this research or communicate with anyone about the best approach for application. We received a vague response stating we didn't fit the success criteria and that we wouldn't receive any further feedback.
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Average
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Provides significant sums of money to grantees allowing them to progress larger programmes and initiatives and take more positive risks.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
The process for applications being confirmed can be extremely slow (depending on the fund) and can leave organisations in a tricky place when looking at forecasts and budget setting. Be more transparent about when people will hear and then keep to those deadlines.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Bad
Nov 26, 2019
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2019
We applied for an Awards for All grant. Speak to tnl in advance and make sure that your bid meets the criteria. You will need addresses, telephone numbers and home addresses for two people, we used our bid writer and the Chair of Trustees. Make sure that you have the exact costings to make the project succeed. Take care to make sure that you are clear who will benefit and why.
Pros
Understands nonprofits and issues
Openminded
Responsive
Cons
Pros
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
The turnaround from application to funding was really good at under two months and the full amount given,
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Speed of assessment.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Nov 24, 2019
applied in 2019
The funder will meet with you to discuss your idea and the process. There is no application form and you need to provide lots of detail. The funder will answer your questions and you should utilise their knowledge.
Pros
Gives more than money
Insightful
Friendly
Builds relationships
Likes site visits
Understands nonprofits and issues
Openminded
Responsive
Cons
Pros
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Grant currently pending
If you were funded tell us the outcome
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Previously had a negative experience that almost put us off applying again. Glad it didn't, this experience has been very positive with the funder being very supportive throughout the process.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Provides face to face meetings during the process so that a relationship is established.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Keep on doing this! To be able to have a relationship with a funder is so helpful and makes the process a lot easier.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Nov 24, 2019
applied in 2018
This will take up a huge amount of time depending on your grant manager. Ours was very slow coming back to us but when they did wanted a turn around of information in very short timeframes which caused us some real difficulties as we are a small team. The process took far longer than we were led to believe it would too. At stage 2 we submitted everything yet it didn't go to panel until 7 months later, was sat with grant manager which was incredibly frustrating. The outline also said we would get to meet the grant manager to discuss the application, this never happened. They were too busy to meet us which felt a huge disadvantage instead they did a telephone call which wasn't very helpful.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
What year was this experience?
2018
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Bad
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Average
It seems to depend on who you are allocated. Currently going through the process with a different grant manager and it is a very positive and different experience which I will also review
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Provides feedback as you progress your application.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Look at consistency of your staff.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Bad
Is there anything else that's be useful for others to know to understand this funder?
The feedback was a call too and left us not really sure about why we didn't get funded. The follow up letter was also vague which isn't helpful moving forward.