Localgiving to award over £200,000 to local charities through Magic Little Grants fund

• Localgiving to provide grants of £500 to small charities and community groups thanks to support from the players of People’s Postcode Lottery
• This fund will support sports and physical activities which help to overcome barriers to participation and increase social cohesion
• Applications take just 10 minutes and over 400 charities and community groups will be able to access a grant.

Localgiving has launched its Magic Little Grants 2018 fund (thanks to funding from Postcode Community Trust, a grant-giving charity funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery) to provide grants of £500 to small, local charities and community groups across Great Britain.

This fund will provide local charities and community groups with unrestricted funding to deliver engaging sports and physical activities which help to overcome barriers to participation and increase social cohesion.

There are over 400 grants available and the fund will be open to applications until 31st October 2018. Organisations wishing to apply can find out more here: https://localgiving.org/what-we-do/magic-little-grants/.

Through the Magic Little Grants fund, Localgiving delivers small grants on behalf of grant-makers to local charities and community groups to support their vital work. With its simple and intuitive application process, the Magic Little Grants fund aims to reduce the work required for grassroots, often volunteer-led, organisations to access fund.

Applicants must either be in their first year of operation or have an annual income under £50,000 - priority being given to organisations with an annual income under £20,000. Preference will also be given to projects that encourage social cohesion and help vulnerable or hard to reach groups to overcome barriers to participation in physical activities. Funding can be used to launch new projects, support existing ones or simply to cover core costs associated with ongoing work.

As well as receiving a Magic Little Grants, successful organisations are also awarded a free annual membership with Localgiving worth £96. This gives them access to Localgiving’s online fundraising platform, numerous fundraising resources and regular match fund campaigns.

Last year the Magic Little Grants Fund supported 204 organisations delivering a wide range of projects. Such as chair based exercises for stroke survivors, free sports sessions for young people and walking football for over 50’s.

Aberdeen Boxing Club, a 2017 Magic Little Grants awardee said:

“(Magic Little Grants) is a very simple and accessible way of getting funding for small projects. I would definitely recommend this funding to anyone in need"

Chris Dormer, Head of Business Development at Localgiving said:

“Sports and physical activities are not only essential to our physical and mental wellbeing but also help to bring communities together. Many of these activities are being delivered by small grassroots organisations and our research has consistently shown that finding suitable funding can be a real challenge for them. Our Magic Little Grants fund is aimed at addressing this issue and we have found a brilliant partner, in the People’s Postcode Lottery, who share our vision. The application process is as simple and intuitive as possible. Moreover, the grants are unrestricted enabling awardees to use their funding for core costs.”

Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery said:

“We’re delighted Postcode Community Trust is funding Magic Little Grants for a second year, providing the chance for our players to support grassroots wellbeing and sports activities. This fund will reach communities across England, Scotland and Wales, helping engage more people in health and wellbeing projects..”

To find out more and apply groups can visit:

https://localgiving.org/what-we-do/magic-little-grants/

For more information please visit Localgiving.org, email help@localgiving.org or call 0300 111 2340.

- ENDS-

For more information please contact:

Lewis Garland, Communications Manager - lewis.garland@localgiving.org

About Localgiving

Localgiving is the UK’s leading membership and support network for local charities and community groups. It aims to empower grassroots organisations to fundraise online, connect with supporters and take control of their financial future. In addition, it provides advocacy for the local voluntary sector and works to secure third party funding for its members. It provides free training opportunities, fundraising resources and regular incentivised giving campaigns to help groups raise funds online.

About People’s Postcode Lottery
• People’s Postcode Lottery is a charity lottery. Players play with their postcodes to win cash prizes, while raising money for charities and good causes across Great Britain and globally
• A minimum of 31% goes directly to charities and players have raised £301million for good causes across the country
• £10 for 10 draws paid monthly in advance with prizes every day. For further prize information visit: www.postcodelottery.co.uk/prizes
• Maximum amount a single ticket can win is 10% of the draw revenue to a maximum of £400,000
• Players can sign up by Direct Debit, credit card or PayPal online at www.postcodelottery.co.uk, or by calling 0808 10-9-8-7-6-5
• Postcode Lottery Limited is regulated by the Gambling Commission under certificate nr 000-000829-N-102511-011 and 000-000829-R-102513-010. Registered office: Titchfield House, 69/85 Tabernacle Street, London, EC2A 4RR
• People's Postcode Lottery manages multiple society lotteries promoted by different charities. For details on which society lottery is running each week, visit www.postcodelottery.co.uk/society