Newport City Council has launched the No One Left Behind (NOLB) Duffryn Project Fund 2026, a targeted grant programme focused on reducing poverty, inequality and exclusion through early intervention, prevention and place based action in Duffryn. The fund follows Cabinet approval in October 2025 of a £500,000 pilot focused on the Duffryn estate in the Tredegar Park ward, following evidence of high deprivation and historic underinvestment.
The fund is designed to support VCSE organisations and social enterprises delivering impactful, community focused work in Duffryn. According to the guidance, that includes projects that reduce poverty, improve skills and confidence, create pathways into employment, strengthen wellbeing, improve safety and environment, and build trusted community infrastructure.
What funding is available?
Grants start at £1,000, with a standard maximum of £30,000. Applications above £30,000 may still be considered in exceptional circumstances where there is significant evidenced need, where outcomes could not be achieved at a lower cost, where the organisation can demonstrate strong capacity, or where the proposal involves meaningful multi partner collaboration. Applicants seeking more than £30,000 must provide clear justification and detailed reasoning.
Who can apply?
The fund is open to VCSE organisations and social enterprises with recognised legal status. Applicants must deliver services within Duffryn or directly benefit Duffryn residents, demonstrate a strong track record in community engagement or social impact, and be able to manage public funds responsibly. The criteria also state that organisations must have appropriate financial controls, annual accounts, and relevant safeguarding, GDPR, and health and safety compliance in place.
Collaborative applications are encouraged, particularly for larger bids. Where organisations apply together, they must identify a lead partner responsible for finance and reporting, provide a clear partnership agreement, demonstrate added value, and ensure all partner activity aligns with the overall project outcomes.
What kind of projects is the fund looking for?
Projects must align with at least one of five intervention areas: Safe Communities, Healthy, Safe and Valued Environments, Adults: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty, Children and Young People: Preventing the Cycle of Poverty, and Community Infrastructure and Access. The summary guidance notes that each area includes defined outcomes and example eligible activities.
The detailed criteria give examples of the kinds of activity that could sit within those themes. These include youth work, family safe space sessions, community mediation, environmental action, nature based wellbeing, digital skills, employability support, homework and creative clubs, and projects that strengthen access to trusted local services and shared community spaces.
How do organisations apply?
Applications must be submitted through the whatimpact.com grant platform before 1pm on 3 April 2026 https://app.whatimpact.com/grant-makers/W06000022/grant-schemes. The process is set out as three steps: create an organisation profile, describe the project, and complete the application form, including due diligence and budgeting.
The evaluation process is split into two phases. First, applications are reviewed for eligibility and due diligence by the whatimpact grant management team. Applications that meet the criteria then move to a Newport City Council steering group for scoring through a dedicated evaluation dashboard.
Applications are scored across five categories on a scale of 1 to 5, giving a maximum score of 25 points. The minimum required score is 17 points overall, with a minimum of 3 points per category. The guidance also states that each score is supported by qualitative feedback, and that feedback may be provided to strengthen borderline applications where appropriate.
A place based fund with reporting built in
All funded projects will report outcomes through the whatimpact.com platform using clear KPIs, participant feedback and impact tools. Quarterly cumulative reporting will support monitoring, transparency and accountability across the pilot scheme.
Taken together, the guidance describes the NOLB Duffryn Project Fund as a targeted, place based investment designed to help break cycles of poverty and strengthen long term resilience within Duffryn.
View the full grant criteria and apply here: https://app.whatimpact.com/grant-makers/W06000022/grant-schemes
