Applications to Postcode Lottery’s £5 million Dream Fund close this month
Howard Lake | 8 July 2026 | News
Charities have until Friday 31 July to submit their ideas to the Postcode Lottery’s Dream Fund, which awards £5 million to a single collaborative project.
The Dream Fund was created to fund the projects an organisation has always dreamed of delivering: the ambitious, creative ideas that have not yet had the right opportunity to come to life. Over the past 15 years it has backed work ranging from pioneering dementia research to transformational conservation initiatives.
Ahead of this year’s deadline, Laura Chow, Head of Charities at the Postcode Lottery, has answered the questions she is asked most often by charities considering applying.
Advertisement
What is the Dream Fund?
The Dream Fund was created for the projects your organisation has always dreamed of delivering. The ambitious, creative ideas that haven’t quite had the right opportunity to come to life yet.
Over the past 15 years, it has helped bring some truly extraordinary work into the world, from pioneering dementia research to transformational conservation initiatives.
Who can apply?
The fund is open to charities across the UK, but applications must be for a collaborative project involving two to four organisations. The lead must be a registered charity with an annual income of at least £5 million, and partners can include not-for-profits, companies, universities, or local authorities.
How much funding is available, and for how long?
The successful project receives £5 million, which can fund the project in full or contribute to something larger. Projects can run for anywhere between one and five years, giving you the space to create something with real, lasting impact.
What does the process look like?
There are three stages. You start with a brief Expression of Interest: your vision, the innovation behind the idea, the impact you’re hoping to achieve, and the legacy you want to leave. If that’s successful, you’ll be invited to develop a more detailed project plan. Finalists then present directly to the Dream Fund Assessment Panel.
The best advice I can give is don’t overthink the first stage. Tell us what excites you about this idea and why your partnership is the one to make it happen.
What makes a strong application?
Ambition. Genuine collaboration. A clear sense of the difference this project could make that no other funding has made possible before.
The Dream Fund isn’t looking for safe bets – it’s looking for ideas that could change things.
Applicants can submit their ideas to the Postcode Dream Fund before the deadline of Friday 31 July 2026.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.