Government plan for new lottery body welcomed by merging good causes

3 July 2003

Government plan for new lottery body welcomed by merging good causes

The Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund jointly welcomed today's White Paper announcement of the creation of a new community distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, formed by a merger of the two Funds.

The Funds, which both focus on disadvantage and improving the quality of the life of communities, warmly endorsed Secretary of State Tessa Jowell's intention that the new distributor will have a lead role in promoting joint working and good practice across all distributors and the guarantees she has given on the funding stream for the voluntary and community sector.

Diana Brittan, Chair of the Community Fund and Jill Pitkeathley, Chair of the New Opportunities Fund, said: "We will build on the strengths of both our organisations, but the new distributor must be more than the sum of the parts. It will focus on the benefits the Lottery can bring to communities, making funding more accessible and putting the customer first".

"We will also explore a range of funding mechanisms - open programmes, reflecting the way in which the Community Fund currently funds the voluntary and community sector, strategic and transformational programmes, delivery via award partners and funding allocations. Wherever possible, we will encourage communities to determine their own priorities, and delegate decision-making to the local level".

"We welcome the proposal to raise the ceiling on the 'Awards for All' programme and the pilot scheme for micro grants under £500, which will increase the ease and speed with which communities can get money for worthwhile projects".

"Partnership working across sectors and complementing Government priorities will also be key themes - all the more important if the new distributor is given the powers to deliver non-Lottery funding. There will be opportunities to fund the voluntary sector and its infrastructure in new and exciting ways which we know will be welcomed."

"We are also delighted that there will be a 12 week consultation period in which the various sectors and the general public can put their views across. We will support and facilitate that consultation".

"Both Funds are looking to the future with an open mind. It is important that we now make progress quickly to set up the new distributor."

Notes to Editors:

New Opportunities Fund:

1. The New Opportunities Fund is the biggest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, providing National Lottery funding for health, education and environment projects across the UK, with a particular focus on improving quality of life, particularly in disadvantaged communities.
2. Since its launch in 1998, the New Opportunities Fund has committed £2.1 billion to initiatives with national, regional and local partners from the public, voluntary and private sectors. Its work has been focused on the needs of people who are most disadvantaged in society, delivering programmes supporting health, education and environment which complement the national, regional and local priorities.

Community Fund:
1. The Community Fund gives out money raised by the National Lottery to charities and to voluntary and community groups. Out of every £1 spent on the National Lottery the Community Fund gets 4.7 pence.
2. Since 1995 the Community Fund has awarded more than £2.5 billion worth of grants to more than 55,000 UK charities and voluntary groups.
3. The legal name of the Community Fund remains the National Lottery Charities Board. The National Lottery Charities Board was set up in 1994 and changed its operating name to Community Fund - Lottery money making a difference in April 2001.

For further information or to arrange interviews ring the NOF Press Office on 020 7211 1888 or Out of Hours media line on 07867 500572,
the Community Fund Press Office on 020 7747 5352 or Out of Hours media on 07957 357285.

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