Call for Applications: Involving Young People Fund (£10,000 grant available)

Apply now for £10,000 youth project funding in Barnsley and Wakefield, United Kingdom via the Involving Young People Fund 2025!

About Involving Young People Fund

Opportunity Details

Date Published: May 12, 2025
Application Deadline: June 03, 2025
Category: Grants
Oppotunity Locations: United Kingdom
Eligible Locations: United Kingdom

The Involving Young People Fund is a partnership between HUDL, The Youth Association, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and Leeds Community Foundation, which aims to support initiatives that address key challenges faced by young people in their communities. We welcome a wide range of ideas but priority will be given to projects that focus on mental health and wellbeing, homelessness, and/or LGBTQIA+ inclusion.

Location

Barnsley and Wakefield

Duration

1 year

Sponsor Organisation: Leeds Community Foundation

Benefits of Involving Young People Fund

Grant size

£10,000 (fixed amount)

Involving Young People Fund Requirements

They encourage applications from under-served and/or under-represented communities across all our funding opportunities
The young people you work with will be aged between 11 and 25
Organisations will need to clearly demonstrate how young people have/will be involved in design, delivery and decision making of their project
Organisations must have an income under £750,000 in the most recent financial year
Organisations based in Barnsley or Wakefield will be prioritised. If the organisation is outside these areas, they must demonstrate a clear link and track record to the area
Grants can cover core costs and/or project costs
Only one application per organisation can be considered

EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITY THAT CAN BE FUNDED

Activities that provide mental health support services, and reduce stigma associated with mental health issues among young people
Activities that support and provide resources for homeless youth, including temporary housing, access to education and employment opportunities, and long-term housing solutions.
Activities that promote acceptance and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ youth, provide support services, and create safe spaces.
Activities that address the intersectionality between 2 or more of the above themes.
Activities that do not meet the above themes are eligible to apply if the applicant demonstrates how this work will ensure meaningful change and amplify youth voice and involvement of young people in the design, delivery and decision-making of the project.

WHAT CAN’T BE FUNDED?

Activity and costs that have already taken place
Activity which might be regarded as discriminatory and/or excludes some people without good justification
Activity that promotes a particular political or religious point of view
Activity primarily for the benefit of animals
Capital appeals for building projects
Grant-making to other organisations and/or individuals, or applications from individuals
Statutory organisations or activity
Overseas organisations, expeditions or overseas travel
Unregistered organisations as the grant size is £10,000 (please see below eligibility)

WHO CAN APPLY?

Grants of £5,000 or less

Not-for-profit incorporated Community Organisations from the third sector such as CIO, CIC limited by guarantee, or a charitable company. You will be registered with the Charity Commission, Companies House or Mutual Public Register (FCA).
Charities that are registered with the Charity Commission but are not an incorporated structure. These organisations cannot use grant funds towards PAYE staff cots, but funds can be used towards freelance staff costs.
Small unincorporated and unregistered Community Organisations can only apply if your annual income is less than £10,000, and if securing the grant would not take you above this threshold for current financial year.

Grants of over £5,000

Not-for-profit incorporated Community Organisations from the third sector such as CIO, CIC limited by guarantee, or a charitable company. You will be registered with the Charity Commission, Companies House or Mutual Public Register (FCA).
Charities that are registered with the Charity Commission but are not an incorporated structure. These organisations cannot use grant funds towards PAYE staff cots, but funds can be used towards freelance staff costs.

For-profit organisations, statutory organisations or activity (e.g. schools and hospitals) and overseas organisations cannot be funded.

All organisations, regardless of size and structure, must have:

At least three Trustees/Directors/Committee Members (whichever is applicable, depending on your organisation’s legal structure) who are independent and unrelated. For registered charitable companies, limited companies and CICs you should be limited by guarantee without share capital, and there should be no registered Persons with Significant Control
A governing document e.g. constitution or memorandum and articles of association that show how your group is managed and includes a dissolution clause/asset lock
A bank or building society account in the name of your organisation with a minimum of two unrelated authorised signatories on the mandate and transactions requiring authorisation by at least two of those authorised signatories
Accounts or a record of income and expenditure for your organisation (if you are a new organisation, you will need to provide a bank statement and a project budget)
A relevant safeguarding policy, if your organisation works with children or vulnerable adults (you can find information and advice on writing a safeguarding children policy here, and a safeguarding adults policy here)

YOU SHOULD CONSIDER

Full Cost Recovery, including a relevant portion of management costs and overheads
Paying at least the real Living Wage for any staff
How your costs may increase during the timeframe of the grant, for example making sure you budget for pay increases each year
How to ensure the activity is fully inclusive and accessible for your communities, particularly during the cost-of-living crisis (for example providing transport, food, childcare)
Any relevant insurance (for example for public events), health and safety, food handling and preparation, and other local and national statutory regulations for your activity

Application Date and Process

Click on the link to the application website to apply.

Please note they have limited funding available, and they are not able to fund every application we receive. They expect to be able to fund around 9 applications. The second stage, if you are eligible, will be an interview with the youth panel and representatives. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The decision made by the grants panel is final.

Before you start your application, please read their full grant-making process and their guidance on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in applications and reporting.