1. DCMS is providing up to £2,600,000 of grant funding to a delivery partner/consortium to provide a learning and development service that strengthens the knowledge, capability and confidence of organisations and stakeholders to design and deliver Social Outcomes Partnerships through the Better Futures Fund.

2. DCMS is seeking to select a single grant recipient, which could be a single organisation, or a consortium (with a lead partner making the application). The successful bidder will deliver this funding between October 2026 and March 2031. This funding can only be used for activity in England.

3. The following funding is available: 

   • Up to £300,000 in financial year 2026/27

   • Up to £550,000 in financial year 2027/28

   • Up to £550,000 in financial year 2028/29

   • Up to £600,000 in financial year 2029/30

   • Up to £600,000 in financial year 2030/31

4. The deadline for applications is 11:59 on 10/08/2026.

Background to the Better Futures Fund

1. The £500 million Better Futures Fund (BFF) will support up to 200,000 children, young people and their families over the next 10 years. It will do this by bringing together government, local communities, charities, social enterprises, investors and philanthropists, to deliver place-based solutions to complex social problems. The funding will primarily be for the commissioning of Social Outcomes Partnerships (SOPs), with government payments tied to the achievement of measurable improvements in people’s lives, such as school attainment, improved youth employment, and reduced youth reoffending. The fund will aim to raise up to an additional £500m in match funding for outcomes over the full duration of the programme, working with partners including local government commissioners and philanthropists. It will also bring in additional upfront funding from social investors creating total funding of up to £1 billion.

2. The BFF will fund projects which support the government’s ambitions to tackle the structural and root causes of poverty for children, young people and their families - projects that reduce the short or longer term impacts of poverty on the life chances and outcomes for children. The specific outcomes the fund will look to deliver are currently being determined. The specific metrics will be decided in local places, aligned to local needs, but will be guided by an overarching set of outcomes that align with evidence on tackling child poverty.

3. DCMS is anticipating a two-stage roll out. DCMS are currently running a competition to select a grant recipient to deliver the first round of the BFF. Round 1 is expected to invite bids in Summer 2026, supporting projects with demonstrable prior experience in delivering a SOP. Further details on applying for Round 1 will be released this summer once a delivery partner has been appointed.

4. Subsequent rounds that will cover the remainder of the BFF’s funding will be from 2027 onwards, designed to significantly scale up the number of SOPs and widen participation across the market. These will be open to all applicants, including new applicants who may not have experience of SOP delivery. Policy officials are currently in the design process of the fund, and working in close collaboration with a range of stakeholders from across local government, Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs), the impact economy, and civil society. Officials are exploring the role and capacity of local and regional government to deliver the BFF in their localities. This is in keeping with Government principles of  devolution, and prioritises a place-based approach to the Fund’s delivery. 

5. The UK is a leader in the international SOPs market, with 100 partnerships launched to date. The BFF follows the success of other SOP funds, such as the Life Chances Fund (2016 to 2025), which supported more than 50,000 people in areas like youth unemployment, mental health and homelessness. Building on this experience and a comprehensive evaluation exercise, the BFF will be the largest outcomes fund of its kind in the world.

The Learning and Development Programme

1. The requirement for a learning and development programme is informed directly by these previous experiences, alongside stakeholder engagement undertaken during the design of the Better Futures Fund. As the Fund seeks to significantly scale the use of SOPs, it will engage a wider range of Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations, local and regional commissioners, potential funders (i.e. philanthropists), and investors, many of whom may have limited experience of developing and delivering SOPs. Stakeholders have identified a need for accessible guidance, both as an entry point for organisations exploring SOPs and participation in the BFF, and as a source of practical learning and expertise for those developing and delivering projects through the different stages of the SOP lifecycle. Previous evaluations have also highlighted:

• How organisations often dedicate significant time to building understanding of SOPs among partners and stakeholders, taking away time from frontline delivery

• Learning on effective SOP design and delivery is often fragmented

• There is value in being able to learn from peers and share good practice to support successful delivery.