What organisations are funded

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Organisations must be non-profit entities working for the public good in order to be considered for funding from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF).  This covers a wide range of organisations, including non-profit organisations (NPOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Section 21 companies, public benefit trusts, municipalities, sporting bodies and sports clubs, educational institutions, recreational clubs and cultural bodies.

Eligible organisations range from national structures right down to small community groups. We not only welcome applications from small organisations, but actively encourage them.

The NLDTF is required by law to spend 95% of available funding on organisations working in the following three sectors:

• Arts, culture and national heritage.
• Charities.
• Sport and recreation.

Only 5% of total funding is reserved for miscellaneous activities outside these three sectors.

Within each of the three main funding sectors, certain kinds of activities are prioritised for funding. These are described below.

Arts, Culture and National Heritage Sector

Generally this sector funds the development of the arts and the preservation of South African culture and national heritage. The concept of national heritage is a broad one, which includes our natural environmental heritage as well as historical and architectural heritage.

In general, applications are welcomed from organisations that:

• Enable people across the country to enjoy a range of arts activities.
• Make the arts accessible to more people.
• Improve facilities so people get more enjoyment from the arts.
• Provide arts facilities outside major cultural centres.
• Promote art forms that are not adequately supported.
• Preserve and promote awareness of culture and our historical, natural and architectural heritage.

Regulations published in July 2010 require the Arts, Culture and National Heritage Distributing Agency to allocate at least 50% of available funds to organisations involved in the following priority activities:

• Protecting and promoting traditional knowledge and cultural expressions.
• Promoting arts and crafts produced by groups of women and people with disabilities.
• Developing and preserving cultural heritage sites as a way to generate revenue and develop communities.
• Providing training and support for women farmers.

Within this framework, the emphasis may shift slightly from one call for applications to the next. Organisations wishing to apply should read the wording of each call for applications carefully.

Charities Sector

The Charities Sector receives the largest share of funds and covers a wide range of organisations in the social welfare, community health, literacy, and social development fields.

In general, organisations can apply for funds if their activities:

• Improve the quality of life of the community as a whole.
• Assist disadvantaged or excluded groups, such as the elderly, people with disabilities and vulnerable children.
• Provide facilities or services for the underprivileged.

Regulations published in July 2010 direct the Charities Distributing Agency to allocate at least 50% of the money available for distribution to this sector to organisations involved in:

• Expanding home-based care services through training and developing infrastructure for the care of old people, sick people and vulnerable groups, including orphaned children.
• Providing educational facilities for early childhood education and adult literacy, and undertaking vocational training and mentoring for skills development through programmes that include people with disabilities.

Within this framework, the emphasis may shift slightly from one call for applications to the next. Organisations wishing to apply should read the wording of each call for applications carefully.

Sport and Recreation Sector

Equity, access and development are key themes in this sector, which accepts applications from national sporting bodies, through regional bodies, to local sports clubs, recreational clubs and schools.

Generally, the Sport and Recreation Distributing Agency considers funding for organisations that:

• Enable more people to become involved in sport and recreation.
• Assist disadvantaged communities to participate in sport and recreation activities.
• Provide sport and recreation facilities that are accessible to communities.

In July 2010, regulations were published that require 50% of funding available for this sector to be directed to organisations that:

• Develop sport and recreational facilities in order to nurture talent in rural areas.
• Increase accessibility to sport and recreation facilities for all, including people with disabilities.

Within this framework, the emphasis may shift slightly from one call for applications to the next. Organisations wishing to apply should read the wording of each call for applications carefully.