Lead the Change

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Description

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 and communities across difference, and helps young people build skills, including navigating online information and shaping positive narratives.

What the programme aims to achieve

Lead the Change aims to support young people most impacted by xenophobia, racism and Islamophobia.  This can be through projects/activities that aim to:

• Strengthen community connection and safety.
• Empower young people as leaders, storytellers and changemakers.
• Support young people to build digital literacy and challenge harmful narratives.
• Increase opportunity through skills and leadership pathways.
• Build a national movement for youth‑led connection and change.

Key information

• Grant amount – One grant of £123,353 will be awarded
• Grant length – 3 years
• Project grants to support the aims and delivery of work in Nottingham City that meet the criteria set out below.
• Applicants will be required to demonstrate
  • the strength of youth leadership and voice within their organisation,
  • 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.
• You can apply if you are already funded by BBC Children in Need or a community foundation, but you cannot apply for the same work that is already funded (or any work already funded by another organisation).
• You can only apply for and hold one Lead the Change grant.

Who can apply

Lead the Change is open to registered not‑for‑profit organisations in Nottingham that:

• Have an annual turnover of no more than £2m, unless you are a domestic abuse refuge or hospice
• Deliver work in Nottingham
• Work with children and young people aged 18 years and under
• Work in the heart of their communities and are trusted by young people
• Work in and are based in Nottingham
• 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

What can be funded

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

We’re 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 – co‑designed 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 can’t be funded?

• Core costs (reasonable evidenced overheads are OK as part of the budget for your project application)
• Work that statutory bodies have a duty to fund
• Medical treatment or research
• Pregnancy testing or advice, information, or counselling on pregnancy choices
• Work promoting religion or political parties, or any political activity or direct lobbying
• 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 community foundation or Children in Need 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

What applicants need to 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

The application process

Stage 1: Expression of Interest (EOI)

Opens:   Wednesday 8th April 2026 (tbc)
Closes:   Wednesday 29th April 2026

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

Stage 2: Full Application (Invitation Only)

Invitations sent:   Wednesday 13th May 2026 (tbc)
Deadline for submission:   Wednesday 10th June 2026 (tbc)

You will have four weeks to complete the full application.

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.

Forever Notts will award one grant of £123,353 to an organisation based in Nottingham.

If you’re funded

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

Application Guidance

For full application guidance for the Lead the Change fund, please click here.

For frequently asked questions about the fund, read the Lead the Change FAQs before applying.

For more information please contact us on 01623 620202 or email enquiries@forevernotts.com

Please note:  Forever Notts is transitioning to a new platform for all new programme rounds.   As part of the new platform, we now have a new Fundseeker Portal for all application forms and monitoring reports.  The Fundseeker Portal requires you to set up a login to complete EOI’s and application forms.  If you have applied to us previously, the system should pull across your details, and you will need to check them when setting up your login and when completing new applications.  On the portal, you will have your own separate area to access available funds, your applications, and any future monitoring requirements.

Should you need any help accessing the portal or completing an application form, please get in touch.

If this is your first time applying or your first time accessing the portal, we recommend reading the ‘Fundseeker Portal – Application Guidance’ before starting your application.

Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)