Lead the Change

Purpose of the fund:

Lead the Change is a new, three year initiative launched by BBC Children in Need, in partnership with Co op Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Henry Smith Foundation, Joseph Levy Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Postcode Justice Trust, UK Community Foundations and The National Lottery Community Fund. The programme supports young people to play a leading role in strengthening relationships, fostering understanding and building belonging in their communities.

Research shows that many young people feel disconnected, less heard by decision makers, and increasingly cautious about expressing themselves – especially online, where exposure to harmful or misleading content can be common. Combined with financial pressures facing families and communities, these factors can deepen isolation and weaken young people’s sense of belonging.

Lead the Change responds by investing directly in youth leadership, community connection and opportunity. The programme enables youth led projects, creates safe spaces, strengthens relationships across communities, and helps young people build skills, including navigating online information and shaping positive narratives.

Lead the Change aims to support young people most impacted by xenophobia, racism and Islamophobia.

This could be through:

• Strengthening community connection and safety.
• Empowering young people as leaders, storytellers and changemakers.
• Supporting young people to build digital literacy and challenge harmful narratives.
• Increasing opportunity through skills and leadership pathways.
• Building a national movement for youth led connection and change.

Lead the Change will fund work that strengthens local relationships, builds confidence and belonging, and gives young people the tools to lead change.

We are keen to fund organisations that will support young people to drive positive change in their communities informed by local priorities.

Projects could include:

• Safe spaces for young people to meet and connect – youth clubs, sports, creative and cultural spaces.
• Youth led community action and resilience – codesigned projects, leadership development, intercultural initiatives to bring people together.
• Pathways to opportunity – skills development, mentoring, training and connection to training or apprenticeships.
• Narrative change and digital literacy – tackling misinformation and disinformation, storytelling and youth-created content.
• What Applicants Must Demonstrate  Close alignment with the aims of Lead the Change
• A track record of working within their community and ability to show how their project will create meaningful, measurable change for local children and young people.
• The strength of youth leadership and voice within their organisation (in design and/or delivery and/or governance)
• Relevance to target communities (young people impacted by xenophobia, racism, and islamophobia) and programme aims.
• Safeguarding and trauma-informed practice, capacity to deliver and sustain impact and a commitment to the six principles of high-quality youth social action
• We particularly welcome applications from organisations led by people most impacted by xenophobia, racism and Islamophobia.
• Strong local connections, including lived experience, community leadership, or volunteer involvement from the children, young people, and families they support
• Capacity to deliver safely and sustainably

Who can apply

Lead the Change is open to registered not for profit organisations in the UK (in the 27 specified places) that:

• Have an annual turnover of no more than £2m, unless you are a domestic abuse refuge or hospice
• Be based in and deliver work in Belfast
• Work with children and young people aged 18 years and under
• Work in the heart of their communities and are trusted by young people
• Put the voices, experiences and skills of children and young people at the centre of everything they do, from design to delivery
• Can demonstrate strong safeguarding and trauma informed practice
• Are keen to keep learning about and developing their work with children and young people
• Have at least three unrelated board/governing body members

Grant size:

£123,353 per organisation  – there will be one grant issued in Northern Ireland

What we can't support:

The Community Foundation will not fund organisations or activities which promote causes that are contrary to our purposes. Causes and activities that are contrary to our purposes include, but may not be limited to, those outlined in our investment policy.  We will not therefore fund organisations or activities which we determine are linked to the promotion of armaments, alcohol, human rights abuses, tobacco or pornography.

In addition, the Fund will not support:

• The advancement of religion. This includes organisations whose purposes include advancement of religion;
• Promotion of political activity, including any flags and emblems associated;
• The establishment of endowment of any school or institution providing further education within the meaning of the education and libraries (Northern Ireland) order 1972;
• The provision of assistance to any Housing Association within the meaning of the housing (Northern Ireland) order 1976;
• Core costs (reasonable evidenced overheads are OK as part of the budget for your project application)
• Individuals
• Organisations without adequate safeguarding, governance or financial processes
• Companies limited by shares or any profit making non-charitable entity
• Local authorities, schools, NHS bodies, hospitals, prisons or other statutory agencies
• Housing Associations
• CICs limited by Shares (or any non-charitable CIC)
• Work that statutory bodies have a duty to fund
• Medical treatment or research
• Pregnancy testing or advice, information, or counselling on pregnancy choices
• Any political activity or direct lobbying
  Political Parties
• Awareness-raising work, except where targeted at children or young people most at risk
• Capital costs for large items, renovations, refurbishments or building projects (small project related capital items are acceptable, but cannot form a significant portion of the budget)
• Bursaries, sponsored places, fees, or similar costs
• Trips abroad or any activity taking place outside of the UK
• Holidays
• Retrospective costs (any work that has already taken place, or costs incurred, prior to the date of your grant offer letter)
• Unspecified expenditure
• General appeals, endowments or debt repayment
• Projects unable to start within three months of the grant award date
• Projects already funded through other means
• Any activity that is already being funded through another CF or CIN grant. We cannot fund the same activity twice. All applications should clearly demonstrate that they are either for different work, or for work with a different cohort of children and young people

Application process

The community foundation will award one grant of £123,353.

Stage 1: Expression of Interest (EOI)
Opens: 1 April 2026
You will have 4 weeks to submit your EOI. The closing date will be Wednesday 29th April at 1 pm.

The EOI is short. You’ll be asked for basic organisational information, a brief overview of your proposed work, and initial safeguarding confirmation. You will be contacted by 13 May if you have been invited to make a full application.

Stage 2: Full Application (Invitation Only)
Invitations sent to successful applicants in May.
You will have at least four weeks to complete the full application and you’ll be told the deadline when you receive the invite.

Full applications ask for more detail about your project, youth leadership, safeguarding, governance, finances and delivery plan.

Stage 3: Panel Review
Applications will be reviewed by the CiN Youth Panel, Steering Committee, and Impact Committee as part of the third stage of the assessment process.

You will hear the outcome in late August.

If You Are Funded 

• You will receive a grant letter and funding agreement.
• Projects are expected to start as soon as possible.
• You will join a national learning community and take part in shared learning and youth focused activities.
• Your Community Foundation will support you with monitoring and reporting.

It is recommended that you read the Lead the Change FAQs before applying.

Please read the following text before beginning your application:

• You are a locally based not-for-profit, voluntary or community group working in Northern Ireland to improve the quality of life for local people;
• You have an active management committee, with no two related cheque signatories;
• You have a governing document, i.e. Constitution in the name of the applicant organisation;
• You have a current bank account in the name of your organisation;
• You have up to date annual accounts;
• You have complied with the conditions of previous grants including submission of monitoring returns.

Please note: The Community Foundation now uses a new Fundseeker Portal for all applications and monitoring. If this is your first time applying, or your first time accessing the portal, we recommend reading the ‘How to Apply’ guide before starting your application.

For further information and to find out if you are eligible, please contact the grants team on 028 9024 5927 or email applications@communityfoundationni.org.