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Local Initiatives Fund (LIF)

Local ward councillors have an annual budget of £14,000 per ward for small grants that deliver benefit to the residents of their ward (subject to the final agreement of the Voluntary and Community Sector Committee).

They can go towards a variety of locally run activities like:

  • sports clubs
  • local festivals
  • youth activities
  • estate community events
  • environmental improvements
  • education and training classes 
  • pensioner outings and day trips

Update: Temporary Revised Measures for LIF Funding due to Coronavirus (Covid-19 ) - To take effect from 19 May 2020 until further notice

The Council has updated the VCS webpages with guidance and support available for the voluntary sector during this time here. As a funder, Islington Council has signed a commitment to support organisations with any changes or developments relating to funding which may result from the Covid-19 crisis. For more information visit Covid-19 funders.org.uk 

We have implemented temporary revised measures for LIF funding so that we can support the sector during the coronavirus pandemic. We recognise many organisations may now be responding to Covid-19 , with projects and activities changing, stopping or being postponed. As a funder we want to show flexibility and support to the organisations we fund.

2021-2022 Application Deadlines

During this time there will be an open programme for Local Initiatives Funding with no deadlines for applications in order to ensure that the process of awarding funding is not delayed. We will aim to communicate decisions to applicants within two months of receiving your application.

Please refer to the application form and guidance available for information on how to apply.

Please note that priority for decisions will be given to those applications directly responding to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Previously funded projects

We are contacting LIF projects which are currently funded and running, asking organisations to update us on changes to the use of funding, postponements or cancellations to projects. We appreciate that at the present time organisations may not be able to accurately predict how or when projects will run, however, we do require organisations to notify us of any changes.

How to apply

We strongly advise you to try to contact your local ward councillor(s) and discuss your project before making an application. We would recommend you email all three councillors of the ward you wish to apply to, rather than just one.

We will continue to update this website with guidance about LIF funding, or please contact localinitiativesfund@islington.gov.uk with any queries.

Previous grants

Please email localinitiativesfund@islington.gov.uk if you would like information on previous grants. 

Alternatively, please see the Democracy webpage here for the decisions made by the Voluntary and Community Sector Committee who formally agree all LIF grants.

Further information

Email: localinitiativesfund@islington.gov.uk

Please also use the above email address if you have difficulty contacting a councillor.




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