# Applications open for £5 million Postcode Lottery Dream Fund 2026

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2026/03/30/applications-open-for-5-million-postcode-lottery-dream-fund-2026/
- Published: 2026-03-30T10:38:43+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**The People’s Postcode Lottery has opened applications for its 2026 Dream Fund,
offering a single £5 million award to help bring an ambitious, collaborative project
to life.**

Announcing the launch at _Anthropy UK_, **Clara Govier**, Managing Director (Chair)
of People’s Postcode Lottery, described the fund as a catalyst for “game-changing
ideas” capable of transforming communities across Britain.

Now in its 15th year, the Dream Fund continues its tradition of supporting **large-
scale, cross-sector collaborations** that push beyond what individual charities 
or organisations can achieve alone. Since it began, the fund has backed wide-ranging
projects — from reintroducing wild bison to restore natural woodland ecosystems 
to improving early diagnosis of dementia through innovative blood tests.

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Govier highlighted that these initiatives demonstrate what is possible when partners
think beyond conventional boundaries. She said:

> “Some ideas feel ‘too big’ until they aren’t. That’s why the Dream Fund exists—
> to give organisations the freedom to think bigger, partner more creatively, and
> take forward ideas that might otherwise sit on the shelf.”

The **2026 Dream Fund** invites partnerships led by registered charities and involving
at least two organisations, with projects designed to create **long-term social 
or environmental impact**. One project will receive the full **£5 million award**
to deliver its vision over multiple years.

The call for entries follows a panel discussion at _Anthropy UK_ featuring **Dame
Ellen MacArthur** and **Kate Lee**, both previous Dream Fund recipients, alongside
Govier and chaired by **Iain Anderson FRSA**. Together, they reflected on how the
Dream Fund’s backing has propelled pioneering collaborations from concept to reality.

The Dream Fund forms part of the Postcode Lottery’s broader commitment to community
transformation through its network of funded charities. Its structure encourages
organisations to collaborate across sectors, from conservation and health research
to education and social inclusion, to tackle pressing challenges at scale.

[Applications for the 2026 Dream Fund](https://www.postcodedreamfund.org.uk/dream-fund)
are now open.

Interested organisations are encouraged to submit “bold, innovative ideas with potential
for lasting impact and genuine collaboration”.

## WATCH: Dreams Can Come True

 * **[£3 million 2019 Dream Fund opens for applications](https://fundraising.co.uk/2019/09/02/3m-dream-fund-open-for-applications/)(
   2 September 2019)
 * **[People’s Postcode Lottery offers £1 million Dream Fund](https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/09/02/peoples-postcode-lottery-offers-1m-dream-fund/)(
   2 September 2014)
 * **[People’s Postcode Lottery launches £3 million Postcode Recovery Fund](https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/10/01/peoples-postcode-lottery-launches-3-million-postcode-recovery-fund/)(
   1 October 2020)**