Final chance to bid for large scale Youth Investment Fund projects 

The Youth Investment Fund, funded by the UK Government, is transforming out-of-school opportunities for young people in the most underserved areas in England. The Youth Investment Fund, launched in August 2022, will come to an end on 31 March 2025.

The Youth Investment Fund has been popular and heavily oversubscribed. Grants can only be awarded to youth projects that can deliver their capital project by 31 March 2025, given large scale capital projects take a significant amount of time to complete.

To ensure the success of funded youth projects, the main Youth Investment Fund programme for large capital projects will close at midnight on 1 June 2023. Eligible youth services across England who wish to apply for a capital project of over £150K are strongly encouraged to submit their application by 1 June 2023. It is a great opportunity for youth services to transform and expand their service and drive positive outcomes for young people, including improved mental and physical wellbeing, and skills for life and work.

Social Investment Business, who are delivering the Youth Investment Fund, is keen to hear from organisations within regions which have not received a Youth Investment Fund grant or have a clear need for additional investment. We are also keen to hear from organisations who may wish to consider an application for a Modern Methods of Construction build.

Youth services can find out if they can apply by using the eligibility checker. Youth services are encouraged to review all Youth Investment Fund requirements before they begin an application.

The first two rounds of the Youth Investment Fund awarded grants worth over £90 million to 43 youth services across England which will support thousands of young people to have improved mental and physical wellbeing, and skills for life and work. The funding will create new opportunities and activities for young people and will reach an additional 16,500 young people aged 11 to 18 once complete (up to 25 for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities). The outcome of the next two rounds will be announced in early summer 2023. If youth services have already applied, their grant application will be assessed by the team in the coming period.

Whilst the main Youth Investment Fund application window for large capital projects closes on 1 June, all eligible youth services in England can still apply for a Refurbishment Grant of up to £150K to help youth services reach more young people and ensure youth services are there for future generations. The next Refurbishment Grant window opens on 30 May and will close on 9 June 2023. It is a great opportunity for youth services that only require modest investment to expand and broaden what they provide.

Refurbishment Grants are for youth services who do not require planning permission. A Youth Investment Fund Refurbishment Grant could cover a wide range of renovations and refurbishments, including work to improve accessibility, insulation, plastering, roof repairs, asbestos removal, damp proofing, fitting a new boiler, electrical works, or anything else that will improve youth services. Find out more about the Refurbishment Grant Fund here.

The Youth Investment Fund is funded by the UK Government and is delivered by the Social Investment Business, in partnership with the National Youth Agency, Key Fund and Resonance.