NAAFI Fund

Funding is available for all UK Armed Forces personnel and their families - wherever they are in the world.

Charities and other organisations are not eligible to apply for this programme, however military units are welcome to work together with a charity or other local organisation as part of their project.

Personnel and their units can submit multiple applications for funding, however each individual application must not exceed £50,000. To avoid duplication, we ask applicants to check with other members of their squadron/unit to ensure funding applications have not already been submitted for the same project.

The NAAFI Fund supports a variety of projects from mountain bikes and paddleboards to enhancing and refurbishing indoor and outdoor spaces. We want to hear from you, whatever your vision is! You can browse previous projects below for inspiration about how you can improve the lived experiences of your unit.

There are only three things the NAAFI Fund doesn't support, these are:

• Events such as family days, dinner evenings and short breaks. We want the items purchased from grants to have longevity in improving the lives of Defence Communities.
• Subscriptions such as Peleton and Sky. We love to measure the long-lasting impact and the amount of people who benefit from our funding.
• Vehicles such as motorhomes, caravans and minibuses, to avoid potential future fees, putting the units we support under extra pressure after their project is completed.

To ensure a smooth application process, please ensure you have the following requirements prepared:

• Project Plan: You must have a full understanding of your project scope and a detailed breakdown of all costs involved.
• Formal Authorisation: Before applying, you must secure all necessary permissions from your local facilities management teams. This includes any required structural approvals or technical assessments.
• Letter of Endorsement: Every application requires a formal Letter of Endorsement from the senior authority of your unit (Commanding Officer, Officer Commanding, or equivalent), confirming their full support for the project.
• Realistic Timelines: Please ensure your project is manageable and can be fully completed within a 12-month period. When planning your schedule, please remember to account for external factors such as international shipping and delivery lead times for items being sent abroad.

We aim to see all projects completed within 12 months of approval. This timeframe allows our team to provide dedicated support to current projects while ensuring we are ready to assist with future applications. 

We recognise, however, that unexpected situations can occur, from supply chain issues to personnel changes. In these instances, we kindly ask that you notify us as soon as a potential delay is identified.  We will always work to accommodate your project and provide extensions where possible, provided we are kept informed of the revised schedule.

When setting your initial timeline, please ensure you have accounted for logistics such as international shipping or specialised installations to stay as close to the 12-month goal as possible.

Congratulations! If your application is successful, we provide comprehensive support to help you bring your project to life. To ensure everything runs smoothly, we have developed a Step-by-Step Guide available for download here.

This guide outlines exactly what is expected from you as the Project Lead and details the specific order of operations.

We understand that personnel changes occur. If you are unable to complete the project rollout and are passing the responsibility to a successor, please notify us immediately. We ask that the new Project Lead receives a full handover of the project status and a clear briefing on any outstanding requirements in the process. If your successor requires a copy of the original application form for their records, please let us know and we will be happy to provide it.

To maintain financial integrity and ensure a transparent audit trail, please note that funds can only be transferred into an official unit bank account. 

Please ensure that your unit has a suitable bank account available prior to applying, as this is a mandatory requirement for the release of any successful grant funding.

Unfortunately, funds cannot be transferred to a personal bank account.

Yes, NAAFI can certainly help. We work closely with our preferred suppliers to ensure your project receives the maximum value possible. If your project is identified as one where we can provide procurement support, it could significantly increase the amount of items you get with your grant funds. 

It is important to note that your grant allocation will not decrease if we source items at a lower cost. You will still receive the full awarded amount to spend on your project. For example, rather than purchasing 8 mountain bikes with your grant, our supplier rates might allow you to secure 10 bikes or include essential safety equipment within the same budget.

If your unit wishes to take advantage of NAAFI’s supplier rates to purchase additional items beyond the grant (to be invoiced directly back to the unit), please contact us to discuss the options.

The NAAFI Fund team is always on hand to help.

We understand that navigating grant applications and project management can be complex, and we believe that no question is too small!

Whether you need assistance with the initial application or guidance through the process after a successful grant award, please reach out to us via email funding@naafi.co.uk

We pride ourselves on being a supportive partner for your unit, so please do not hesitate to contact us at any stage of your project's journey.