Luton Rising Youth Fund
Please read the criteria document here before applying.
The Luton Rising Youth Fund is administered by the Bedfordshire & Luton Community Foundation (BLCF), on behalf of Luton Rising.
This fund provides a £250,000 investment (each year for 2 years) into improving outcomes for young people across Luton. The fund will be targeted at supporting young people between 10-18 years with preventative and early intervention approaches that help young people thrive, particularly those facing multiple disadvantages. This fund will create opportunities, provide support, empower and help young people in Luton to make positive life choices.
Grants of up to £50,000 per year for 2 years (max £100,000 total per grantee) are available to support children & young people who live in Luton.
Funding must be spent between May 2026 – May 2028.
For more information, please read the criteria document here.
Grants Available
Fund Priorities
Please read the criteria document carefully before submitting your Expression of Interest.
The main objectives (summarised) for this fund are:
- Preventing serious violence, gang involvement and criminal exploitation through early intervention and prevention activities.
- Safeguarding young people from serious violence and sexual exploitation, by promoting safety, resilience and trusted relationships with professionals and mentors.
- Programmes helping young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) to develop work-ready behaviours, employability skills and confidence.
- Alleviating the effects of poverty and educational disadvantage by supporting young people’s wellbeing, engagement, and educational outcomes.
Applicants will need to demonstrate that their project clearly meets one of the fund priorities outlined above. For more detailed information about these objectives, please read the criteria document.
Meet the Funder
Please join us for our next online Meet the Funder on Wednesday 28th January at 11:45am – book in here.
Expressions of Interest
If you are interested in applying to this fund, please complete the Expression of Interest form HERE.
The deadline for Expressions of Interest is Thursday 5th February 2026 at 12pm midday (decision-making panel meets late April).
Next Steps
Following the Expression of Interest deadline, and if it is deemed appropriate, a member of the Grants Team may contact applicants to discuss a possible application.
Organisations with prospective applications which most closely align with the fund priorities will be invited to make a full application for funding (subject to available funds).
The outcome of these full applications will be decided by a panel made up of adults and young people from Luton with an interest in youth work.
