Magic Little Grants 2021

2020 was our biggest programme to date, seeing us distribute £500 grants to 938 charitable organisations delivering sports or physical activities across the UK. With the support and contributions from the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery. 45% of groups who received Magic Little Grants were brand new organisations to our platform. 

We are delighted to announce that our 2021 programme promises to be even bigger and better than ever. This programme is now live and accepting applications until 31st October 2021 (application deadline). Not only are we partnering with our usual funding trust, Postcode Community Trust, but we are also partnering with 5 additional funding trusts to distribute £1m pounds worth of funding to 2,000 charitable organisations on Localgiving. The 6 funding trusts from the People’s Postcode Lottery who we will be collaborating with to administer our biggest ever Magic Little Grants in 2021 are:

Apply for Magic Little Grants 2021

This year we will be funding over double the amount of organisations that we ever have before and we will still be spreading this funding out far and wide across the country. Not only this, but we have expanded our eligibility criteria. In previous years, funding had to go towards projects that were delivering sports or physical activities. But this year funding can go towards any of the below projects:

1. Improving mental wellbeing
2. Enabling community participation in the arts
3. Preventing or reducing the impact of poverty
4. Supporting marginalised groups and promoting equality
5. Improving biodiversity and green spaces
6. Enabling participation in physical activity
7. Responding to the climate emergency and promoting sustainability 
8. Increasing community access to outdoor space

If your organisation is carrying out a project within these themes, make sure to get your applications in as the campaign is now live. The application process is short and simple, taking 10 minutes to complete. Each organisation may only apply once in 2021.

If your Magic Little Grant application is successful, alongside the £500 grant you will also be awarded a year of free membership (funded by the player’s of the People’s Postcode Lottery) meaning you will not have to pay the £80 + VAT membership fee, but you will still be required to set up a direct debit upon registration. All applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application, regardless of whether they are successful or not, within two months of their submission.

Please note that this year charitable organisations that are schools or connected to schools are eligible to receive funding. Groups in Northern Ireland are not eligible to apply for this funding. 

If you have been awarded a Magic Little Grant in previous years, you will need to have completed and returned your monitoring forms for those years before you can receive another grant. For the 2019 monitoring form, click here. For the 2020 monitoring form, click here.

Apply for Magic Little Grants 2021

Magic Little Grants 2019

In our biggest programme to date, we distributed £458,500 to 917 local charities and community groups delivering sports or physical activities across the UK.

Flamingo Chicks, who received a grant to provide sensory kits for disabled children to attend dance classes, said: “The grant had a huge impact! It's a great scheme. We love Localgiving, it’s so easy to use and has been instrumental in our organisation’s success.”

Featherstone Rovers Foundation, who received a grant to deliver a range of activities to encourage more young people to try Rugby League, said: “It’s a breath of fresh air to be able to complete a straight forward funding application and reporting process!”

Magic Little Grants 2018

In 2018, £215,000 in grants was delivered to 430 small charities and community groups delivering sports or physical activities across the UK.

Leith Community Archers, who received a grant to help them purchase new archery equipment, said: “It has been tremendous, one of our members who uses a wheelchair has progressed to be an instructor through use of the equipment. This has inspired other members to want to do the same.”

Happy Wanderers Ambulance Organisation used their grant to provide free transport for older people and wheelchair users to access local physical activities, responded: “It is so good to have grant funding earmarked specifically for the very small charities in the community and open to requests for core funding”.

Magic Little Grants 2017

In 2017, £100,000 in grants was distributed to 205 local charities and community groups. Grants, of £250 and £500, were given to projects that seek to increase participation in exercise and healthy activities.

LEGS (London Exercise Group for Stroke), who received a grant to increase access to physical activities for stroke survivors, said "We are so grateful for the funding we have received and it was such a smooth process with great communication from you at all stages."

The 2000 Club, a disability focused sports group in Heston, added "Everything that [Localgiving] promised to do from applying to receiving the funds went through smoothly.”