Our targeted projects funding is for programmes that don’t fit into our themed rounds or place-based funding, but are widely used or promising with the potential to scale. We’ll provide the resources to fund, evaluate and learn from them.
We are only likely to make up to five targeted project grants each year. Applications will be therefore assessed both individually and competitively against other proposals submitted during the same rolling period.
We will prioritise applications from organisations that:
• Are reaching, or have the potential to reach, the highest number of children across multiple regions.
• Are ready for large scale trials earlier.
• Have the greatest potential to achieve change at scale. This could be through you directly scaling up your programme, others learning from what you do or by your programme leading to a change in the system.
• Have secured significant match funding.
Organisations can apply for targeted projects funding against two strands of activity. Across both strands there is a requirement for organisations to have significant match funding. This can include in-kind contributions or previously secured grant funding.
Strand one
To fund and evaluate popular and commonly used interventions and approaches to better understand their effectiveness. Projects applying under this strand must:
• Be able to clearly explain what the project involves and how the activity achieves its intended impact. This is sometimes called a theory of change, which is a method to help describe long-term goals and map backwards to explain how an intervention will get you there.
• Be actively reaching hundreds of children each year in England and/or Wales.
Strand two
To fund and evaluate promising interventions and approaches that draw on good evidence and have the potential for impact at scale. Projects applying under this strand must:
• Be able to draw on evidence to clearly explain what the project involves and how the activity achieves its intended impact (a theory of change).
• Be willing and likely to deliver to hundreds of children within two years in England and/or Wales.
To find out more about our targeted projects, please read our guidance.
Due to our approach to evidence and understanding, the application process can take up to six months to complete. If your project is time sensitive (for example, if you’re only applying for evaluation costs for a programme due to begin within the next six months), please email us to arrange a call to discuss your proposal before applying.
To find out whether our targeted project funding is right for your organisation, please complete our online eligibility checker.
If you would like to talk to a member of our targeted projects team, please click here.