BFI National Lottery Creative Challenge Fund Now Open
The British Film Institute (BFI) is inviting applications to the National Lottery Creative Challenge Fund, which provides financial support to UK-based organisations delivering creative or talent development programmes.
About the Fund
The fund is intended to support UK-based organisations in designing and delivering creative project development programmes in feature film and narrative immersive media. These programmes should benefit participants and their projects by supporting writers, directors, producers and immersive artists.
The fund also aims to tackle key industry challenges such as diversifying represented genres, creating opportunities for early-career producers, and backing projects with strong potential for scale and audience impact in the UK and internationally. It seeks to decentralise project development and strengthen the wider screen ecosystem by funding a range of interventions that reach underserved areas across the UK.
Challenge One
Through Challenge One, BFI is seeking organisations to design and run development programmes for UK creatives with narrative, documentary or animation feature film projects, as well as those working on narrative immersive media projects. These programmes are expected to offer structured development environments that help participants advance their projects and position them for future marketplace funding.
Funding Available
A total of £2.7 million is available over three years. Applicants can request between £12,000 and £150,000 for a single edition (or call) of their programme, which should run for a maximum of 12 months. BFI can consider making awards for up to three editions of a programme at no more than £150,000 per edition.
Applications for awards over £200,000 will only be accepted for programmes which demonstrate exceptional project advancement, professional development of the participants, national profile and scale, and are supported by a good range of partners. Awards over £200,000 will be rare, and BFI strongly advises that applicants discuss their project with the Creative Challenge Fund team before making an application for over this amount.
Who Can Apply
Applications are open to UK-based organisations that design and deliver creative project development programmes. Eligible applicants include production companies, film festivals, local authorities, statutory bodies, community interest companies, registered charities or trusts, partnerships, and other organisations with a track record in delivering professional or creative development initiatives. For-profit organisations can apply, provided the funded activity is not-for-profit.
Eligible Expenditure
Funding can be used for a wide range of eligible costs related to programme delivery, including staff and freelance fees, participant payments, venue and equipment hire, travel and accommodation, creative practice sessions, mentoring, access needs, and reasonable overheads not already covered by other public funding.
Application Deadlines
Applications for Challenge One funding will be accepted during the following rounds:
Round One: 12 January 2026 to 16 March 2026 (12:00) to support programme activity taking place between 9 July 2026 and 31 December 2026.
Round Two: 13 July 2026 to 9 September 2026 (12:00) to support programme activity taking place between 1 January 2027 and 30 June 2027.
Further Information
Guidance notes and application details can be found on the BFI website. For enquiries, contact the British Film Institute at creativechallengefund@bfi.org.uk.
