Changing Futures 2026-29: Learning and Support Grant
This grant will fund a national learning and support provider to strengthen delivery, partnership working and cross-area learning across the next phase of the Changing Futures Programme.
- Opening date:
- Closing date:
Contents
Summary
Changing Futures is a £55.8 million cross-government programme that builds on the learning from the first phase of Changing Futures, which was delivered over five-years in 15 areas. The programme demonstrated the value of a place-based, whole systems approach in improving outcomes for people experiencing multiple disadvantage and reducing repeat demand on public services.
The next phase of Changing Futures targets 18 of the most deprived upper-tier areas across England, comprising a mix of areas from the first phase of the programme and new areas. This phase aims to build on existing learning by providing a stronger framework and guidance to help areas go further on systems change.
The grant competition will appoint one learning and support provider to play a critical role in supporting delivery across the next phase of the programme, as well as maintaining networks and learning exchange with the 8 areas which only received funding in phase 1. The provider will be expected to work with local authority-led partnerships at different stages of system maturity, tailoring support accordingly, and supporting shared learning across areas.
The learning and support provider will work closely with the national lived experience support provider (funded through a separate grant) to maintain a coherent national offer and ensure lived experience continues to play a central role in programme design, delivery and systems change. This is expected to include regular coordination, joint planning of learning activity, alignment of engagement with local areas, and mechanisms to ensure lived experience insight informs learning outputs and programme improvement.
The provider will also work with the central government team, which may include third-party research partners, to use and disseminate existing evaluation findings and support feedback loops into national policy, programme development and evaluation.
We encourage applicants to consider how their proposals will support effective coordination, clear communication, and targeted, purposeful activity that is responsive to local need and avoids placing unnecessary burden on areas.
The provider should expect to deliver a mix of support approaches, including significant targeted in-person engagement, recognising that some areas, particularly those newer to this work, may require more intensive support at certain points. Applicants should therefore consider travel, regionality and capacity to work alongside areas on the ground as part of their delivery approach. In person engagement will include regular events for all programme members to come together and share learning, problem solve and strengthen networks, including some areas not funded through the second phase.
Where activity is delivered online, applicants should demonstrate how they will ensure accessibility and inclusion, recognising that digital access and confidence may vary across partners and participants. Proposals should show how activity will be clearly communicated, well signposted and coordinated to avoid duplication or overburdening areas.
Eligibility
For this grant, your organisation must be a voluntary, community or faith sector (VCFS) organisation, operating in England, and established for charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes. You can apply if your organisation is one of the following:
• A Company limited by guarantee registered with Companies House
• A Charity registered with the Charity Commission or recognised as an exempt charity
• A Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with Companies House and with the Charity Commission
• A Community Interest Company (CIC) registered with Companies House
• A Community Benefit Society (CBS) or Co-operative Society registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
• A Parochial Church Council (PCC)
You cannot apply if you are:
· An individual
· A sole trader, partnership, or for-profit company
· An unincorporated or informal group
· A public sector organisation (such as a statutory body, local authority, school, college, university, educational trust, MAT, museum or NHS body etc)
· Not registered with the appropriate regulator for your organisation type
· An organisation primarily engaged in political activity
In addition to being the type of organisation listed in the eligibility criteria above you must as part of your application submission:
· demonstrate that the grant aligns with the organisation’s core purpose, complements the wider multiple disadvantage system, supporting change, learning and improvement at local and national levels
· demonstrate a minimum of three years' experience of working within, or supporting, the multiple disadvantage landscape, including experience of learning, policy development, system change, partnership working and national support activity relevant to local authority led delivery
· demonstrate an understanding of the policy and delivery context for multiple disadvantage and an ability to keep learning and support offers under review as policy, evidence and local practice evolve.
· Demonstrate experience of organising interactive in person learning events and facilitating stakeholder workshops, actional learning sets and mentoring schemes.
· operate in England
The eligibility lists are not exhaustive. Clarification should be sought from MHCLG if a potential applicant believes that the status of their organisation is not listed
As part of our standard processes, we will conduct full due diligence checks on applicants before any funding is confirmed.
Organisations may submit only one application. If an organisation makes multiple applications, then we will assess the first one that is submitted. Please note that once an application has been submitted, it cannot be withdrawn and will be regarded as your only submission.
The full scoring and assessment process is set out in the “Changing Futures Learning & Support grant: Scoring Framework” document which details the criteria that will be used to assess all eligible application.
Objectives
We are seeking proposals to:
1. Strengthen delivery and partnership working across Changing Futures areas through high quality learning and support, including networks involving participants from both phases of the Changing Futures programme and some areas involved in Multiple Disadvantage Public Service Reform Programmes.
2. Enable shared learning and problem solving across areas to support whole-systems approaches to multiple disadvantages
3. Support local authority-led partnerships at different stages of system maturity through tailored, responsive learning and support
4. Provide a coherent national learning offer that is clearly articulated, well signposted and accessible to different roles and audiences
5. Support the effective integration of lived experience into delivery and systems change, working in close collaboration with the national lived experience support provider
6. Capture, synthesise and disseminate learning from delivery to inform local practice and national policy development
7. Support coordination and sense-making across national activity to reduce duplication and avoid unnecessary burden on local areas
The learning and support provider will play the central convening role in supporting delivery of these objectives, bringing together programme areas, partners and stakeholders to share learning, address common challenges and support collective progress against the objectives.
The learning and support provider will also be expected to work within the emerging Multiple Disadvantage System Maturity Framework being developed through the Changing Futures programme. The framework is intended to support local authority-led partnerships to understand and reflect on their progress in developing mature, whole-systems approaches to multiple disadvantage, based on learning from Changing Futures and predecessor programmes. This will inform how they prioritise resource and focus throughout the programme and is likely to influence the issues areas require support with. Maturity themes are expected to be Leadership & Governance, Data & Insight, Lived Experience & Co-production, Workforce, Funding & Commissioning, and Coordinated Support.
We encourage providers to consider how their proposed learning and support offer would be tailored to partnerships at different stages of system maturity, focusing on providing the right type and intensity of support at the right time rather than a one-size-fits all approach. We are also interested in how providers would manage the dynamics of relationships and participation in a programme network where many of the members have existing, close relationships with each other and the national team as well as extensive Changing Futures experience, while others are completely new to the programme. Moreover, some members of the Changing Futures network will no longer be receiving funding and will therefore be receiving a less intensive learning offer. We want the learning organisation to provide safe, inclusive and welcoming spaces where all programme stakeholders can build confidence and thrive.
Dates
Competition launch
30 March 2026
Competition end
21 April 2026
Moderation of applications
May 2026
Due diligence checks
May 2026
Issuing of grant funding agreements
June 2026
Lauch and mobilisation
July 2026
How to apply
Apply for funding
Applications will open for this fund on 30 March 2026
Full details, including how to apply, are available in Learning and Support prospectus at GOV.UK
Contact us
If you have any questions, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions or contact us at cfp@communities.gov.uk.