Grant News
The Postcode Innovation Trust has announced that applications are open to its Dream Fund, a major collaborative grant programme offering a single £5 million award for an ambitious, innovative project tackling social challenges across Great Britain. The trust is funded by players of Postcode Lottery and supports large-scale charitable projects with potential for transformational impact.
Eligible applications must involve a partnership of two to four organisations. The lead applicant must be a registered charity with annual income of at least £5 million, while partners can include charities, universities, companies, local authorities, research institutes and other not-for-profit bodies.
Proposals should be focused on the funding themes of the nine UK focused Postcode Trusts. These can include health, wellbeing, families, children, environmental conservation, biodiversity, wildlife and animals, culture and heritage and others.
Projects can run for between one and five years and must be based in, and delivered in, one or more parts of England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Funding can cover revenue, core and capital costs directly linked to the project, including staffing, utilities, rent, insurance, communications and PR, with at least 5% of the budget reserved for comms activity
The application process is three-stage. Stage 1 expressions of interest are open from 25 March to 31 July, with shortlisted applicants invited to submit a business plan in Stage 2 and final presentations taking place in January ahead of an award announcement in March 2027.
Examples of projects funded through the Dream Fund include:
Blood Biomarker Challenge
Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK received £5 million for a project designed to improve dementia diagnosis by developing a blood biomarker test for use in the NHS. The aim is to enable faster, earlier and more accurate diagnosis in healthcare settings.
A Wilder Blean
This project received £1.125 million to support the reintroduction of wild European bison to West Blean and Thornden Woods in Kent
The SMART Suit
Led by Duchenne UK in partnership with Spinal Muscular Atrophy UK and the University of Liverpool, this project received £1.25 million to develop an assistive suit for young people with muscular dystrophy who have lost the ability to use their arms. The project focuses on restoring arm function and increasing independence.
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