This programme is provided by UnLtd, a registered charity that promotes social entrepreneurship in the UK.
The next application round will open on 6 January 2027 and close on 1 March 2027.
Objectives of Fund
The funding is intended to support social entrepreneurs develop their social ventures and create positive social impact.
UnLtd is committed to allocating 50% of its Awards to Black, Asian and minority ethnic social entrepreneurs and/or disabled social entrepreneurs across its programmes.
Value Notes
The following levels of funding are available:
- Starting Up – funding of up to £8,000 for social entrepreneurs with an idea for a social venture that has not yet started trading, or whose venture has been trading for less than one year.
- Scaling Up – funding of up to £18,000 for social entrepreneurs whose social venture has been trading for between one and four years.
Alongside funding, Award recipients will be supported through one of the following programmes, depending on their age and the focus of their social venture:
- Funding Futures Programme – for social entrepreneurs aged 16 to 30 with ideas or ventures that address financial exclusion, either directly or indirectly.
- Millennium Awards Trust – for social entrepreneurs aged 16 and over working in any sector.
Who Can Apply
Applications are open to social entrepreneurs aged 16 and over who are the founder or leader of a social venture, are currently living in the UK and have the right to work in the UK. Funding Futures Programme applicants must be aged 16 to 30.
The social entrepreneur must:
- Be seeking funding to create long-term social impact.
- Be the founder or leader of the social venture.
- Need both financial and non-financial support from UnLtd.
The social venture must:
- Have a clear social purpose and demonstrate a clear need for its activities.
- Mainly benefit people or places within the UK.
- Have activities that have been running for less than four years.
- Be either not incorporated or incorporated for less than four years at the time of application.
- Have a turnover of less than £250,000 in the last financial year.
- Have the potential to become financially sustainable with UnLtd’s support.
- Not have previously received the same Award type for the same social venture.
For Starting Up Awards, the venture must be either not trading or have been trading for less than one year. For Scaling Up Awards, the venture must have been trading for between one and four years and have earned at least £18,000 in the last 12 months.
Restrictions
The following social ventures are not eligible for funding:
- Those that mainly benefit people or places outside the UK.
- Organisations that have been incorporated for four years or more at the time of application. UnLtd also considers the history of the activity itself, including where a venture has changed legal structure or developed from an existing organisation.
- Those with a turnover of over £250,000 in their last financial year.
- Those involved in political or religious campaigning.
- Those involved in activities outside of the law, against public policy, or could cause harm or division between people or communities.
- Those whose focus is predominantly on raising awareness of social issues.
- Those without potential to become financially sustainable with UnLtd’s support.
The following social entrepreneurs are not eligible:
- Applications that do not seek to create long-term social impact.
- Requests primarily to fund formal or academic qualifications.
- Requests primarily to fund overseas travel.
- Applications where others would undertake most of the work on the applicant’s behalf.
- Applicants who have previously received the same Award type for the same social venture.
Eligible Expenditure
Funding for Start Up ventures can be used for social venture costs, including essential start-up and running costs, but cannot be used to pay for the applicant’s own time.
Funding for Scaling Up ventures can be used for social venture costs, living costs or salary, or a combination of these.
How To Apply
The next application round will open on 6 January 2027 and close on 1 March 2027.
Due to high demand, UnLtd now limits each funding round to 650 submitted applications. Once this cap is reached, the portal closes until the next round.
Applicants must first complete the online eligibility checker. Eligible applicants will then receive access to the application portal, guidance and resources to help prepare their application.