Uniformed Youth Fund Waiting Lists
Grants of up to £3,500 for new Scout Troops and Explorer Units in England
We secured a £5.8 million grant from the Department for Media, Culture and Sport to support our effort over the next few years for impactful inclusive growth. This means not just recruiting and growing the areas where Scouts already thrives, but also within communities that are new to Scouting.
The funding provides grants to Scout Troops and Explorer Units to reduce their waiting lists and improve the wellbeing of young people in the sections.
Scout Troops and Explorer Units established between 15 November 2022 and 31 March 2025 may be eligible to apply for a £500 Start Up Grant followed by a further £3,000 Programme Activity Grant.
Our Growth & Communities Team supports volunteers to grow and develop Scouts locally. If you've already set up your section, we can support you to apply for the grants. If you need some advice or help setting up your new section, we can do that too!
Express interest using this form and a Local Growth Officer (LGO) or Growth Recruitment Officer (GRO) will get in touch to see how we can best support you.
Applicant
The section to which the Grant is allocated for undertaking the Project.
Grant
The sum of money awarded through the Grant Scheme.
Grant Scheme or Scheme
The programme through which financial support is awarded for an agreed purpose.
Project
The tasks, activities, services, or other purposes for which the Grant is provided.
Staff Contact
The Local Growth Officer (LGO) or Growth Recruitment Officer (GRO) who supports the Applicant to undertake its Project.
Volunteer Contact
The lead volunteer with whom we'll correspond about the Grant and can act with relevent or designated authority on behalf of the Applicant.
The following sections can be funded if they were or will be established as a result of a ‘waiting list’ and are located in England:
-
Scout Troops in IMD 1 to 5 areas
-
Scout Troops in IMD 6 and 7 areas where over 50% of its young people are from IMD 1 to 5 areas
- Scout Troops in Youth Investment Fund areas
-
Explorer Units in any IMD area
- Where eligibility is borderline, we will take a decision in line with the funding conditions
Waiting lists show demand for a new section. They don't need to have been formalised at Census and can reflect current circumstances across a wider geographical area such as a district.
To receive funding through this grant scheme, all new sections must be opened by the end of March 2025.
The Start Up Grant is for £500 towards venue hire, uniform, clothing, badges, membership fees, equipment, and programme resources. This grant must be spent within six weeks of approval.
Completion of the Start Up Grant makes you eligible to apply for the Programme Activity Grant.
The Programme Activity Grant is for £3,000 towards developing a highly engaging programme. This grant must be spent within six months of approval.
Eligible sections that are already established can use the grants to reimburse purchases and fees already paid for.
Scout Troops must have approval from their Group Chair and District Commissioner as per POR 5.5.10.2.c.
Explorer Units must have approval from their District Chair and County Commissioner as per POR 5.5.10.2.d.
Where one of the roles named above is vacant, approval should be sought from the relevant activing volunteer as per POR 16.6.
Demographic data for your section including ethnicity, age, and gender for each young person and volunteer must be provided upon request.
Grants must be paid into a Scouting bank account. This doesn't have to be the Applicant's.
Purchases can be made by the Applicant or any other local section, group, or district as long as the young people in the Applicant's section have primary benefit.
Start Up Grants must be spent and a report provided that evidences spend and usage within six weeks of approval.
Programme Activity Grants must be spent and a report provided that evidences spend and usage within six months of approval.
- You express interest
- If eligible, the Staff Contact applies on behalf of the Applicant
- We offer you the grants
- You accept (or decline!) our offer, which contains our terms and conditions
- We approve the grant and make payment for the £500 Start Up Grant
- Up to six weeks later, you submit a brief report about how you used the money and who benefitted
- We approve your report and make payment for the £3,000 Programme Activity Grant
- Up to six months later, you submit a brief report about how you used the money and who benefitted
- We approve your report
As part of this project, DCMS has engaged Ipsos to carry out monitoring and evaluation of the use of the grants. If your section gets selected by Ipsos, we will let you know by email before Ipsos themselves reach out to you. By accepting our Grant Offer, you agree to support Ipsos with their evaluation process if you are selected.
To express interest, complete the Growth and Communities Project Request Form.
Ideally this should be the Applicant's Lead Volunteer.
The Lead Volunteer for Squirrel to Scout sections is the Group Scout Leader and for Explorers is the District Explorer Scout Commissioner.
IMD Postcode Log
Use this spreadsheet to provide evidence of IMD eligibility where the meeting place falls in IMD 6+ but 50% or more of the young people come from IMD 1-5. The spreadsheet should be submitted in your application.
Receipts Record
Use this spreadsheet to provide details of your spending. The spreadsheet should be submitted alongside receipts when reporting.
This grant scheme is wholly funded by our partnership with the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS). Changes to the Grant Scheme's purpose, limits, and restrictions may be made in accordance with amendments to the Grant Agreement between Scouts and DCMS.
This grant is available only through Scouts. Please do not apply to DCMS directly.
Growth & Communities Team Project
Express your interest