Levelling the Field

Funding opportunities available for UK and international projects.

Comic Relief was established in 1985 to raise funds and change lives in the UK and abroad. Since 1988 the charity has used the iconic ‘Red Nose’ to raise awareness of the work it does. By 2015 the organisation had raised over £1 billion for good causes.

In partnership with the Scottish Government and the UK Treasury, Comic Relief have developed the ‘Levelling the Field’ initiative to support projects using sport to create change for women and girls. This supports the role that sport can play in the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality.

Projects can be based in the UK or one of the following countries:

Malawi

Zambia

Rwanda

Colombia

India

Levelling the Field, UK

This is a £1 million initiative funded by Comic Relief and the Treasury to support projects in the UK. Applications are welcome for a minimum of £30,000 and a maximum of £250,000, over a period of between 12 and 36 months.

Comic Relief encourage a variety of different types of projects. This could be a pilot for an innovative piece of work or the continued development of a proven piece of work. Funding is available for project delivery, research, or for a campaign.

Comic Relief will only accept applications from organisations working in partnership. The partnership must include a track record of working with women and girls, and using sport as a tool for change. There must be one lead organisation which must have at least one partner, however Comic Relief expect both/all partners to play a role in project delivery. Comic Relief will require the lead organisation to upload a partnership agreement for each partner as part of the application process. More detail is provided in the guidance notes with the application form.

Proposals are accepted from 5 January 2017 to midday 16 March 2017.

Visit the Comic Relief website to learn more about ‘Levelling the field, UK’.

Levelling the Field, International

This is a £2.2 million initiative funded by Comic Relief and the Scottish Government. Grants made in Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda (partner countries for the Scottish Government’s International Development Fund in Sub-Saharan Africa) will be joint funded by Comic Relief and the Scottish Government. Grants made in Colombia and India will be funded by Comic Relief only. Comic Relief will make the grants under this initiative in two rounds. A second round of funding will be announced later in 2017.

Applications are welcome for up to £150,000 over a period of 36 months.

Comic Relief are encouraging a variety of different types of projects. This could be a pilot for an innovative piece of work or the continued development of a proven piece of work. Funding is available for project delivery, research or for a campaign.

Proposals are welcomed from both UK based organisations working in partnership with a local organisation leading the delivery of the project, and from non-UK organisations playing this role directly. Applications are particularly encouraged where the local organisation delivering the project is embedded in the communities where the work will take place.

Applicants should have been registered for at least 3 years and have a turnover of at least £100,000.

Proposals are accepted from 5 January 2017 to midday 16 March 2017.