What is it? The Big Lottery Fund’s Fulfilling Lives: A Better Start programme aims to improve the life chances of 10,000 of England’s most vulnerable babies. It is designed to change the way prevention services are used to support children from birth to three years old by providing substantial long-term grants to partnerships of voluntary sector organisations, councils and health authorities.
How much is on offer? A total of £165m. Big Lottery is planning to invest between £30m and £50m in three to five local authority areas over the next 10 years. Each area must have a population of 50,000 and meet certain criteria around poverty, unemployment and crime levels to apply. Funding will be provided to consortia of voluntary sector organisations, the local authority and the NHS.
What will it fund? It is intended to support projects that give children the best possible start in life and reduce future spending on social problems. Projects must be able to show how they improve language development, social and emotional development, and diet and nutrition in the early years. Councils are being invited to make a preliminary application. Around 30 local authorities will then be invited to complete a formal “stage one” application. Big Lottery will shortlist 10 to 15 areas, providing them with a development grant to help create sustainable plans to bid for the cash. It will award the money to the five successful areas in 2014.
When is the deadline? 22 February 2013.
Find out more www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/global-content/programmes/england/fulfilling-lives-a-better-start
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