Lead the Change is a new, three year initiative launched by BBC Children in Need, in partnership with Co op Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Henry Smith Foundation, Joseph Levy Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Postcode Justice Trust, UK Community Foundations and The National Lottery Community Fund. The programme supports young people to play a leading role in strengthening relationships, fostering understanding and building belonging in their communities.

Lead the Change responds by investing directly in youth leadership, community connection and opportunity. The programme enables youth led projects, creates safe spaces, strengthens relationships across communities, and helps young people build skills, including navigating online information and shaping positive narratives.

Lead the Change aims to support young people most impacted by xenophobia, racism and Islamophobia.

This could be through:

Strengthening community connection and safety.
Empowering young people as leaders, storytellers and changemakers.
Supporting young people to build digital literacy and challenge harmful narratives.
Increasing opportunity through skills and leadership pathways.
Building a national movement for youth led connection and change.

Lead the Change will fund work that strengthens local relationships, builds confidence and belonging, and gives young people the tools to lead change.

We are keen to fund organisations that will support young people to drive positive change in their communities informed by local priorities.

Projects could include:

Safe spaces for young people to meet and connect – youth clubs, sports, creative and cultural spaces.
Youth led community action and resilience – codesigned projects, leadership development, intercultural initiatives to bring people together.
Pathways to opportunity – skills development, mentoring, training and connection to training or apprenticeships.
Narrative change and digital literacy – tackling misinformation and disinformation, storytelling and youth-created content.
What Applicants Must Demonstrate  Close alignment with the aims of Lead the Change
A track record of working within their community and ability to show how their project will create meaningful, measurable change for local children and young people.
The strength of youth leadership and voice within their organisation (in design and/or delivery and/or governance)
Relevance to target communities (young people impacted by xenophobia, racism, and islamophobia) and programme aims.
Safeguarding and trauma-informed practice, capacity to deliver and sustain impact and a commitment to the six principles of high-quality youth social action
We particularly welcome applications from organisations led by people most impacted by xenophobia, racism and Islamophobia.
Strong local connections, including lived experience, community leadership, or volunteer involvement from the children, young people, and families they support
Capacity to deliver safely and sustainably

Who can apply

Lead the Change is open to registered not for profit organisations in the UK (in the 27 specified places) that:

Have an annual turnover of no more than £2m, unless you are a domestic abuse refuge or hospice
Be based in and deliver work in Belfast
Work with children and young people aged 18 years and under
Work in the heart of their communities and are trusted by young people
Put the voices, experiences and skills of children and young people at the centre of everything they do, from design to delivery
Can demonstrate strong safeguarding and trauma informed practice
Are keen to keep learning about and developing their work with children and young people
Have at least three unrelated board/governing body members

Grant size:

£123,300 per organisation  – there will be one grant issued in Northern Ireland

Application process

The community foundation will award one grant of £123,300.

Stage 1: Expression of Interest (EOI)
Opens: 1 April 2026
You will have 4 weeks to submit your EOI. The closing date will be Wednesday 29th April at 1 pm.

The EOI is short. You’ll be asked for basic organisational information, a brief overview of your proposed work, and initial safeguarding confirmation. You will be contacted by 13 May if you have been invited to make a full application.

Stage 2: Full Application (Invitation Only)
Invitations sent to successful applicants in May.
You will have at least four weeks to complete the full application and you’ll be told the deadline when you receive the invite.

Full applications ask for more detail about your project, youth leadership, safeguarding, governance, finances and delivery plan.

Stage 3: Panel Review
Applications will be reviewed by the CiN Youth Panel, Steering Committee, and Impact Committee as part of the third stage of the assessment process.

You will hear the outcome in late August.

For more information please visit Lead the Change - Community Foundation Northern Ireland