13 June 2001

Community Fund to consult the public about how it gives out Lottery money

The Community Fund, a distributor of National Lottery good cause money, is looking for a wide range of views about its future funding of charities and voluntary and community groups.

This consultation exercise will help it draw up a five year funding plan for 2002-2007.

The Community Fund believes that it is crucial to target its funds at priority areas and address long term needs. It is committed to identifying parts of the country which have so far missed out on their fair share of funding and groups of people with long-term needs.

Over the next few years the Community Fund will have less money to distribute than in its first five years. As well as being more targeted it will reduce its administrative costs to ensure it remains an effective funder of the charity and voluntary sectors.

Consultation documents are being sent to voluntary sector organisations and other interested bodies from 13 June and must be returned by 14 September. Meetings will be held in all parts of the country at which views will be collected. The results will be assessed and fed into the Community Fund's draft Strategic plan, which will be published before Christmas.

'We believe that we will be more effective if we shift to being more strategic and long term in our grant making,' said Diana Brittan, Chair of the Community Fund. 'As was said during the election campaign, the challenge we face is to identify and help specific areas of need, particularly those which have received fewer grants than they deserve, while still assisting a wide range of charities and voluntary groups throughout the country.

'I am sure we will rise to this challenge and participate in any new community focused initiative.'

The consultation documents are available on this website by clicking here

Media enquiries: Robert Blow, 020 7747 5227