About the programme

View Neighbourhood Challenge projects in a larger map

View all 17 projects on our interactive map

The Neighbourhood Challenge is a programme from NESTA and the Big Lottery Fund, to support community-led innovation. It aims to show how community organisations – when equipped with the right skills, practical tools and small, catalytic amounts of money – can galvanise people to work together to create innovative responses to local priorities, particularly in neighbourhoods with low levels of social capital.

Each of the 17 chosen groups are trialing their approach to stimulating and supporting community led action in a way that suits their particular local circumstances. Some have chosen to apply specialist methods of community organising or campaigning, others are working to develop social or community enterprises, others are working to trial challenge prizes which aim to provoke and reward community led action.

NESTA is also providing the practical tools and high-quality training needed for participating organisations to help people to address their passions and priorities. We also provide micro-finance to support the development of local projects and establish local challenge prizes to incentivise community-led innovation.

Read the full list of Neighbourhood Challenge projects