Clothworkers' Foundation to Pause Applications from 16th June to 2nd July

The Clothworkers’ Foundation has announced there will be a temporary suspension of applications from 16 June while it takes its grant portal offline to enable it to make updates to the application system and website.

The new website will launch and the grants portal will reopen on 2 July 2025. Please note there will be no change to eligibility criteria. The Foundation says there is no advantage for groups who are considering applying to submit an application before the changes have been made.

The Foundation offers capital grants to UK registered charities working in the UK in one of the following areas:  communities experiencing racial inequalities, disabilities, domestic and sexual abuse, economic disadvantage, homelessness, LGBT+ communities, older people facing disadvantage, prison and rehabilitation, substance misuse and addiction, and young people facing disadvantage.

UK registered charities, community interest companies, and other registered UK not-for-profit organisations (including special schools) with an annual income under £10 million can apply.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate that the work of their organisation fits within one or more of the Foundation's programme areas and that at least 50% of service users benefiting from the capital project are from one or more of those groups.

Funding is available for capital costs. This means tangible items or work, including:

• Buildings – purchase, construction, renovation and/or refurbishment.

• Fittings, fixtures, and equipment – this includes but is not limited to office equipment/furniture, sports/gym equipment, digital/audio visual equipment, software and websites, garden equipment, specialist therapeutic (excluding medical) equipment.

• Vehicles – includes (but is not exclusive to) minibuses, cars, caravans, people-carriers, 4x4 and boats. The Foundation is unlikely to fund the total cost of a new vehicle or award funding to an organisation that already owns a large number of vehicles.

The Foundation now offers one-off grants to support costs for some types of digital software and products.

For larger projects (more than £100,000), the foundation generally funds 10% or more of the balance to be raised. For example, if the project cost was £200,000 and £150,000 still had to be raised, the grant award would be at least £15,000. The larger a project, the larger the grant is likely to be.

For smaller projects (with a balance of less than £15,000), the foundation generally funds between 50% and 100% of the balance.

Groups who wish to submit an application using the current application forms must do so before 16 June (17:00). Please visit Homepage | The Clothworkers' Foundation

MSE Charity's Summer Application Round to Open 1st July

Funded by Money Saving Expert, the MSE Charity offers a small number of grants twice a year to small not-for-profit organisations based and working in the UK.

The funding is to help them deliver activities within the UK that improve people’s ability to become more financially capable in their present and future circumstances.

Grants of between £2,000 and £10,000 can be used to support activities such as:

• Money management workshops.

• Training volunteers to deliver workshops or to provide peer-support to others.

• Upskilling existing staff to access financial capability training to support their end-users directly.

• Provide access to financial inclusion activities for people who are disadvantaged in anyway such as by age, disability, ethnicity or gender.

The funding is to be used for specific activity costs related to financial capability projects only.

UK registered charities, community interest companies (CICs), credit unions, not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee, and social enterprise companies can apply.

To be eligible, applicants must be based in the UK, looking for funding for UK based activities, and meet the following criteria:

• Have a total annual income of between £10,000 and £600,000.

• Hold between one- and six-months running costs in free reserves.

• Been established and active for at least 18 months.

• Have a governing document (a constitution, rules, or articles of association).

• Have a governing body of at least three unconnected individuals.

• Have a  bank account in the group’s name.

There are two funding rounds per year (winter and summer).

The first step is to take the Eligibility quiz which is now open for the summer 2025 round. Groups who have successfully completed the quiz will receive an email on 2 July with a link to access the online application form

Applications open on 2 July and close on 10 July 2025. Please visit Home

Aviva Community Fund’s Crowdfunding Scheme Accepting Applications

Launched in March 2015, the Aviva Community Fund is provided by Aviva plc, a British multinational insurance company headquartered in London.

Aviva continues to offer match funding grants of up to £50,000 per project through its partnership with Crowdfunder.

The funding is for projects that align with one of Aviva's funding areas:

• Financial Wellbeing - helping people take control of their wellbeing by giving them the tools to be more financially independent and ready for anything.

• Climate Action - promoting healthy, thriving communities by preventing, preparing for and protecting against the impacts of climate change.

All beneficiaries of the project must be in the UK.

Aviva will match each donation up to £250. For example, if someone gives £5, Aviva will double it to £10. If they give £250, Aviva will match it, so the cause gets £500. Organisations can receive up to £50,000 in match funding. In addition, the Aviva Community Fund also gives causes access to volunteers, as well as tools and resources to help build their capabilities and achieve long-term sustainable success.

Charities, Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs), Community Interest Companies (CICs), Companies Limited by Guarantee (CLG) and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASC) can apply.

To be eligible, organisations must be based in the UK, have been operating for at least 12 months at the time of submission, have an annual income of no more than £2 million, and have a UK bank account in their own name.

The first step is for applicants to set up a crowdfunding campaign on Crowdfunder.

Applications are open all year. There are no deadlines. Please visit Apply | Aviva Community Fund

Funding for Projects Supporting Those in Need of a Safe and Secure Home

The Leeds Building Society Foundation offers grants to UK registered charities for projects which address one or more of the following themes:

• Financial stress - projects that help with bills or debt stress.

• Security and refuge - projects that support emergency accommodation.

• Quality and suitability of housing.

• Health and wellbeing support for those experiencing homelessness if it is part of wraparound support and the application also meets at least one of the other themes.

Applications are welcome from those who take a Housing First and/or relationship-based approach. Applications should show evidence of:

• Strength-based practice

• Trauma-informed care

• Psychologically informed environments.

Depending on their annual turnover, UK registered charities can apply for:

• Small Grants of between £250 and £1,000 to charities anywhere in the UK that have a turnover of less than £1 million. The funding is to be used for projects that support those in need of a safe and secure home. Grants are only for capital expenditure (that is, to purchase items used to directly help those in need).

• Large Grants of between £25,000 and £100,000 for charities with a turnover of £5 million or less who are based in or delivering work in Yorkshire and/or the North East of England. The grant can be a one year grant, or split across two or three years and can support new work or existing work and fund core, project and/or capital costs.

There are two more small grants application windows in 2025. Applications will next open on 30 May and close on 11 August.

There is one more large grants application window in 2025 which is currently open.

The deadline for Expressions of Interest for Large Grants is 11 August 2025.

For more information, please visit About Charitable Foundation | Leeds Building Society

Funding for Projects to Support Rural Communities Across the UK

NFU Mutual Charitable Trust is offering grants for organisations working in agriculture, rural development, and insurance across the UK to deliver projects and activities across one or more of the Trust’s main objectives:

• To advance the education of the public using research and the dissemination of information concerning agriculture.

• To advance the education of young people within rural areas.

• To relieve poverty within rural areas.

• To promote the benefit and social welfare of inhabitants of rural communities by associating together with the inhabitants and local authorities, voluntary and other organisations to advance education and leisure.

• To promote research into agricultural-associated activities.

• To advance the education of the public using research and the dissemination of information concerning insurance.

Priority will be given to larger initiatives that would have a significant impact on rural communities, as well as initiatives in the areas of education of young people in rural areas, relief of poverty within rural areas, and support for the next generation of farmers.

Funding is at the discretion of the Trust. However, most grants fall within the range of £1,000 to £50,000.

Trustees met twice a year to consider applications, typically in June and November.

The next deadline for applications is 10 October 2025. For more information, please visit Applications for Funding | Charitable Trust | NFU Mutual

Ireland's Shared Island Civic Society Fund Open for Applications

Funding is available to support community-focused organisations in developing new cross-border links, further strengthening existing partnerships, or creating or broadening cross-border connectivity on issues of concern across the island of Ireland.

The Shared Island initiative prioritises enhancing cooperation and understanding across communities based on the Good Friday Agreement. A key strand of the initiative is the Shared Island Civic Society Fund, which invites project funding applications from civic societies, business and trade union representative groups, and other regional or national representative bodies, including those representing underrepresented voices such as women, young people, older people, ethnic minorities, and LGBTQI+ individuals.

All applications must have a clear North South dimension. Only applications from civic society organisations based in the South engaging in new project/programme work with a partner(s) in the North or civic society organisations in the North engaging in new project/programme work with a partner(s) in the South will be considered. East/West dimensions and partners to such projects will also be welcomed.

A total of €6 million will be available from 2025 to 2027. It is anticipated that a total of up to €2 million will be made available in this funding round to support successful projects.

The maximum grant awarded to any project is €50,000. The average grant awarded in previous rounds was just under €30,000.

The deadline for applications is 27 June 2025. For more information please visit Shared Island Civic Society Fund

Co-op Foundation’s Future Communities Fund 2025

The second round of the Future Communities Fund opens for applications on 15 May 2025.

Unrestricted grants are available to support not-for-profit organisations that are helping young people with experience of the youth justice system to re-build their lives and settle back into their communities within the UK.

A total of £1.75 million is available for this round. Grants of up to £30,000 per year for five years (a maximum value of £150,000 over the five years) are available. It is anticipated that around 10 organisations will receive a grant.

Applications will be accepted from not-for-profit organisations:

• With an annual income of £250,000 or less.

• That are registered and operate exclusively in the United Kingdom.

• Have two or more unrelated directors or trustees on the Board.

• That primarily support justice-experienced young people aged 10-25 years old.

• Which have a sole purpose of supporting justice-experienced young people to re-engage with their community.

In order to be successful, organisations should be able to demonstrate that they:

• Support young people to navigate the social stigma which can be associated for those with experience of the justice system.

• Have strong, existing relationships with referral agencies to ensure a smooth transition out of the justice system.

• Have experience of developing routes for young people transitioning from the justice system into training and employment.

• Have experience of supporting young people to develop skills that help them feel empowered to make positive changes in their lives.

• Value lived experience and have justice experienced young people involved in their governance and/or service delivery.

• Have experience of building flexible, consistent, positive relationships with young people.

Full details will be available once the Fund opens for applications.

Applications will be accepted from 15 May 2025 to 12 June 2025. For more information please visit The second round of our Future Communities Fund opens today | Co-op Foundation

Funding to Connect Communities to Nature (UK)

Charities, social enterprises, community groups, voluntary organisations, small grassroots groups and businesses who are working to connect their communities to nature can apply now for a grant of up to £5,000.

The funding is intended to encourage nature connection initiatives within the local community, such as:

• Arts and cultural activities.

• Community gardening.

• Green gyms.

• Eco anxiety and mental health.

• Training a community with green skills.

• Conservation volunteering.

• Urban nature programmes.

• Social prescribing.

• Access to nature.

• Community wildlife surveys.

• Nature mindfulness.

Applicants must be entirely based in the UK and have a website or social media presence.

The deadline for applications is 15th July 2025. For more information visit The Naturesave Trust - Naturesave Insurance

Funding to Provide Musical Moments of Joy for People Living with Dementia (UK)

Music for All is offering grants of up to £2,000 to local organisations that use music making to support people living with dementia and their carers. This is only open to applicants working with underrepresented communities, including those from racially minoritised communities throughout the UK.

The Power of Music Fund aims to allow more people living with dementia and their carers to be linked up with music projects and activities in their communities in order to improve quality of life. The funding needs to provide a musical moment(s) of joy for a person or people living with dementia.

The funding can be used to support any type of ensemble including choirs, drumming circles or informal groups.

The grants should be put towards the purchase of instruments, equipment, specialised support/teaching/coaching/leading specifically designed to support the establishment and/or continuation of music groups for these groups.

The application can support costs associated with rehearsals/performance(s) including transport for participants.

Groups should have some level of co-production and lived experience built into the organisation and their planning, and their activities should be culturally appropriate. There is also an expectation that links will be formed to Social Prescribing networks locally, if they are not already in place.

The deadline for applications is 16 June 2025. For more information, please visit The Power of Music Fund | Music For All

Women’s Health Community Fund Accepting UK Applications

Working in partnership with Holland & Barrett for a third year, the charity Wellbeing of Women is offering grants of up to £5,000 to small, grassroots organisations and community groups to deliver health information and support to women, girls and people from underrepresented groups in the UK.

The funding is for projects that address the following key points:

• Improving information, education or support for menstrual health, menopause and/or related gynaecological conditions e.g. PCOS, endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids, PMDD.

• Supporting people and groups that are often excluded in mainstream healthcare, including those from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, LGBTQ+ communities, people living with disabilities, those experiencing homelessness, addiction, or living in areas of economic deprivation.

Activities must focus on women’s health in one of the following areas:

• Periods

• Menstrual health

• Perimenopause and menopause

Activities should aim to improve health outcomes through promoting positive and healthy conversations, knowledge sharing, education and/or training.

Grants of up to £5,000 are available to spend within 12 months. Funds will be distributed in two parts: 50% at the beginning of the project and 50% upon receipt of a six month report.

Applications will be accepted from small, grassroots organisation (registered charity, non-profit, or community interest company) operating in the UK with an income of less than £250,000 per year or fewer than 5 FTE staff, providing services in a local or regional community to minoritised groups.

The deadline for applications is 15 June 2025. For more information please visit Women’s Health Community Fund - Wellbeing of Women

The 2025 Rosa Rise Fund

Rosa’s Rise Fund provides organisational development funding for Black and racially minoritised-led women’s and girls’ organisations across the UK. 

Through this fund, we offer two-year grants of up to £40,000 to organisations with an income of between £30,000 and £300,000.  

The funding is for organisational development work relating to areas such as strategy, governance, leadership, alliances and partnerships, funding, demonstrating impact and systems and processes.

Please read the Rise Fund Application guidance for a full list of eligibility criteria.

For more information, please visit The 2025 Rosa Rise Fund - Rosa

Application Deadline: 23/06/2025

Societe Generale UK Foundation - Bright Futures Grants

Closing date 03/06/2025

Unrestricted grants are available for registered charities and charitable organisations for projects and initiatives across the UK which directly support people from marginalised groups to be empowered and equipped to access education and employment.

The grants are designed to support organisations which are providing opportunities to develop aspirations, confidence, and mental health, helping individuals from marginalised communities to build brighter futures and contribute meaningfully to society.

The funding is for projects that develop key skills, attitudes and attributes to foster equitable education and employment outcomes nationwide. Funded initiatives must demonstrate a clear and measurable impact, ensuring that individuals from marginalised communities are supported to meet one or more of the following goals:

• Pursue and sustain their aspirations.

• Enhance their confidence and self-belief.

• Strengthen their mental health, wellbeing, and resilience

One-year grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 are available during the first year.

Multiple year funding may be available after the pilot year.

Applicants should not apply for a grant that exceeds 30% of the last year’s income of their organisation.

UK registered charities or organisations with a recognised charitable purpose may apply.

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be located in the UK and support UK based beneficiaries.

• Have a governing document.

• Have a bank account in the organisation's name.

Unrestricted grants are available.

The funding must further a recognised charitable purpose. This might include advancing education, relieving unemployment, prevention or relief of poverty, advancement of health, relief of sickness or relief of need because of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage.

The following are examples of projects that use their expertise to deliver activities that help people from marginalised groups develop aspirations, confidence and mental health:

• Youth Mentorship and Career Development Programs (Aspirations & Confidence)

• The project supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with mentors who provide guidance, encouragement, and exposure to career pathways, helping them set goals and build confidence in their abilities.

• The project supports young people from underprivileged communities to access higher education through academic support, mentoring, and career workshops.

• Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Initiatives (Mental Health & Confidence)

• The project works to improve mental health outcomes for Black communities through culturally appropriate services, advocacy, and peer support networks.

• The project is an online community offering mental health support and reducing social isolation for marginalized individuals.

• Employment and Skills Training Programs (Confidence & Aspirations)

• A project that provides free coding training for refugees, asylum seekers, and individuals from low-income backgrounds, equipping them with tech skills and pathways to employment.

• A project that supports women, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to gain skills, qualifications, and job placements in the construction industry.

•  Social Enterprises and Community-Led Initiatives (Aspirations, Confidence, Mental Health)

• The project helps young people facing barriers to employment by offering entrepreneurship programs, vocational training, and confidence-building workshops.

• The project employs refugees and young people seeking asylum as market stall vendors, helping them build work experience, financial independence, and social connections

The information pack and frequently asked questions can be found on the SG UK Foundation website. Expressions of Interest are to be submitted on the CAF online portal.

There is a two stage application process:

• The first stage is to submit an Expression of Interest by the deadline of 3 June 2025. Applicants will be notified of the outcome on 25 June 2025.

• Those who are successful will be invited to submit a full application form and will be able to access CAF’s online portal to start their application. The deadline for applications is midday on 31 July 2025 (midday). Applicants will be notified of the outcome in early October 2025. For successful organisations, the majority of funding awards will be granted from mid-October onwards.

Organisations who are not successful in the first funding round will be able to submit an Expression of Interest in the next calendar year’s Bright Futures Grants funding round. Further information will be shared nearer the launch date, expected in spring annually.

Contact CAF for further information.

Bright Futures Grants - Societe Generale United Kingdom

Tesco Stronger Starts – Cooking for All Fund

Closing date 30/05/2025

A limited number of one-off grants are available for not-for-profit organisations and schools for projects in local communities across the UK that grow children and young people’s knowledge of food and cooking skills.

The funding is intended for any not-for-profit organisation or school in local communities with a priority on supporting children and young people up to the age of 16 with access to healthy, nutritious food, and educating them around food, particularly how to cook.

The total funding pot is £150,000.

150 grants of £1,000 each are available and will support 100% of costs.

Match funding is not required.

Applications are open to any not-for profit organisation or school who support young people up to the age of 16 around nutrition, healthy eating and cooking.

 Organisations that are eligible to apply are:

• Schools

• Nurseries

• Youth groups

• Brownie/Guide/Scout groups.

• Voluntary/community organisations

• Registered charities

• Social enterprises

• Community Interest Companies (CIC’s) more than two years old.

• Community councils

• Mutuals

• Housing organisations.

The grants are to be used for project costs.

Examples of projects with a focus on food security, children and young people could be:

• A school providing pupils with food for breakfast clubs or snacks throughout the day.

• A school wanting to buy equipment for outdoor or indoor activities.

• A school wanting to develop a food growing area.

• A school supporting an after school club.

• A voluntary organisation working with families to run a food bank.

• An organisation addressing holiday hunger.

• A healthy eating project that supports families to cook healthy meals on a budget.

• A Brownie or Scout group needing funding for new play equipment or activities.

The deadline for applications is 30 May 2025 (noon).

Guidance notes and an online application form are available on the Tesco Stronger Starts website.

Contact the Groundwork Tesco Programme team for further information.

Cooking for All –

Social Justice Small Grants Programme

Closing date 13/06/2025

Grants are available for locally based community organisations and 'communities of interest' in Northern Ireland to support projects that give voice to excluded groups, and work to advance a fairer and more equal society where the human rights of all are protected.

The funding is intended to support local community groups running projects and initiatives that contribute to peacebuilding, tackle the impact of poverty and austerity measures and/or give voice to excluded groups.

Grants of up to £5,000 are available.

In some instances, the panel may consider grants of up to £15,000.

Locally based community groups and locally based 'communities of interest' are eligible for funding.

The group must:

• Be constituted and based in Northern Ireland or working towards being constituted.

• Have an active committee and current bank account.

• Maintain financial records and present accounts to its AGM.

• Provide minutes of committee meetings.

• Have at least three cheque signatories who are unrelated.

• Have an income of £1.5 million or less.

Eligible CICs must have at least three unrelated committee members and/or the majority of the committee unrelated.

The funding is to be used for costs associated with projects that address at least one of the following objectives:

• To give voice and power to those whose human rights are most at risk and to support them to challenge inequality, exclusion, and unfairness.

• To provide groups and communities with support to challenge, monitor and remedy inequality and rights violations.

• To increase awareness of and contribute to building a culture of rights within and between communities, particularly those most marginalised from decision making

• To support communities and marginalised groups to find solutions to contentious issues.

In addition, applicants must show how they will advance and adhere to the values of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Fund (NIHRF):

• Inclusive - drawing on human rights expertise, including those with lived experience, to develop NIHRF's strategy, grant making and learning.

• Applying a rights-based approach - adhering to the principles of participation, accountability, non-discrimination, empowerment, and legality.

• Collaborative - the essence of the NIHRF is partnership and collaboration based on mutual trust which draws on the strengths of the partners who will work together to advance the NIHRF's purpose.

• Encouraging Learning - the NIHRF will support learning between all partners, actively encouraging, listening and being open to responding and adapting.

• Courageous - groups will approach complexity with courage and ambition and be open to new solutions to entrenched problems.

There is particular interest in projects which focus on peacebuilding/legacy, racial justice, gender, health, socio-economic rights, tech, and digital rights, (including the need for accountability and safeguards), and climate.

Examples of project ideas that can be funded include:

• Rights/Culture/Identity Projects.

• Anti-Poverty Initiatives.

• Projects which contribute to Peace Building.

• Projects which tackle digital justice, environmental justice and feminism.

The deadline for applications is 13 June 2025 (13:00).

Guidance notes and the online application form can be found on the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland website.

Available Grants - Community Foundation Northern Ireland

Arts Council of Northern Ireland - National Lottery Project Funding

Closing date 06/06/2025

Grants are available to organisations in Northern Ireland for projects that will contribute to the growth of arts in the community and which reflect the diversity of Northern Ireland's society and culture.

The funding is intended to aid organisations in delivering arts projects that foster the growth of arts in the community, catering to new and existing audiences while reflecting Northern Ireland's societal and cultural diversity. Its aim is to support activities benefiting the people of Northern Ireland or assisting arts organisations in fulfilling their missions.

In addition, the Arts Council wishes to support programmes which:

Encourage the involvement of children and young people, older people, or people with disabilities with organisations and artists of the very highest professional standards across the disciplines.

Encourage proposals which will deliver high quality programming in rural areas.

Encourage the involvement of, and applications with a focus on, the following:

Minority Ethnic artists

D/deaf, neurodiverse and disabled artists

Emerging artists

Working-class artists

LGBTQIA artists.

Promote innovative, original work by Northern Ireland artists across all art forms.

Grants of between £10,001 and £75,000 are available. The applicant should be realistic in terms of their expectations and budgets, bearing in mind that the Arts Council may choose to fund specific project elements rather than the entire project costs.

The following criteria apply:

Grant allocations can be used to cover the gross costs of any salary directly related to the project and its duration, ie including recruitment costs, ENIC, pension and expenses.

Organisations may claim full cost recovery of overheads that can be attributed to the funded project.

Organisations receiving any other Arts Council revenue or Lottery grant should be able to demonstrate that the costs are additional to any programme that has been already funded.

Any accessibility costs for the proposal should be included in the budget and may be requested as an element of the overall request from the Arts Council.

Applicants are required to provide a minimum of 10% of total project costs from non-Lottery, non-Arts Council sources. This may be comprised of cash and/or in-kind funding.

If the applicant is a statutory body, then the minimum partnership funding that should be sought is 50% of total project costs.

Applications are invited from a wide range of legally constituted organisations. Applicants whose projects benefit individuals categorised under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 are particularly welcome.

Eligible applicants include:

Registered charities and other organisations that do not distribute profits.

Local authorities - however, these are considered low priority.

Commercial organisations - but only if the project is primarily for public benefit rather than commercial interests.

Public sector agencies outside of their statutory remit.

Groups of organisations that work together in order to deliver specific projects.

The following additional eligibility criteria apply:

The applicant does not necessarily have to be an arts organisation; however, the project focus must be upon arts activities.

If the organisation has a limited membership, or is a school, college or university, then the applicant must show that the project will benefit the wider public.

In most cases it is expected that the activity will take place within Northern Ireland. However, organisations based outside of Northern Ireland may apply when they can show substantial benefit to the people of Northern Ireland.

The 2025/26 funding programme relates only to those proposals that will take place between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026.

Music and Drama applications:

Applicants may apply for commissioning and production costs within the same application. However, they will be expected to submit the script or score for Arts Council approval before any production contracts are entered into or before the production is advertised in any way.

The applicant should allow a two-month time period between submitting the script to the Arts Council and entering into a production contract. If the Arts Council is not satisfied with the script quality, then permission to enter into production will be withheld. If the applicant proceeds to enter into production contracts before the Arts Council has given permission, the production element of the grant will be withheld.

How To Apply

The deadline for applications is 6 June 2025 (noon).

Guidance notes and the online application form can be found on the Arts Council of Northern Ireland website.

https://artscouncil-ni.org/funding-for-organisations/national-lottery-project-funding

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council launch fresh round of Community Investment Fund

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council have launched a fresh round of its Community Investment Fund (CIF) to support ambitious community projects across the area.

Organisations can now apply for grants of up to £350,000 to support transformative projects that will make a lasting difference to local communities – whether through new buildings, upgraded facilities, or innovative outdoor spaces.

The funding forms part of the Council’s Connect – Invest – Transform Investment Plan, which champions Sustainable Development, Equality, and Participation.

Applications opened on Monday 12th May and will close at 4pm on 4th June. For more information and to apply click here.

For more information, please contact Community Services or telephone 028 9244 7713.

Barclays Community Sport Fund

The Barclays Community Sport Fund, delivered in partnership with Sported, helps to reduce inequalities in sport – with a focus on football, tennis, and cricket.

The fund supports community groups and grassroots sports organisations who are working within the most deprived areas of the UK and are making sport more accessible to women and girls, as well as engaging people from other underrepresented groups including people with disabilities, from racially diverse communities and from the LGBTQ+ community.

The programme will support thousands of community groups across the UK with a total investment of £1.4million a year over three years.

*Eligibility criteria apply. UK only. Grants subject to availability. This is a three-year funding programme running from April 2025 until December 2027.

Sport opens doors to skills that last a lifetime. That’s why Barclays is giving grants to community sports groups who need it most.

In partnership with Sported, the Barclays Community Sport Fund offers grants, bespoke support, and exclusive ticketing opportunities to make football, tennis, and cricket more accessible in communities across the UK*.

Since the fund’s inception in 2022, we’ve helped over 3,500 community groups to make sport more accessible, with over 550,000 young people supported by the fund so far. 

The Barclays Community Sport Fund will be open for applications from 22 April 2025 to 22 June 2025.

How can my club or group apply?

The £1.4 million-a-year fund provides grants to community groups that are:

• Making football, cricket, or tennis more accessible to women and girls

AND

• Operating in areas of high deprivation

What can I apply for?

• A £1000 grant to help sustain and increase access to football, tennis, and cricket for women and girls (as well as engage people from other underrepresented groups, such as people with disabilities, those from racially diverse communities and those from the LGBTQ+ community)

• Funding for football, tennis, and cricket coaching courses to help increase the number of female coaches delivering sport to girls

If successful for funding, your group will be able to access:

• Exclusive match tickets, mascot places, and promotional opportunities

• Access to advice and support and signposting to training and resources

Apply now

PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme

Applications are now OPEN for the PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme (cross-community projects)
 
The programme will distribute €40 million over the next three years to support people-to-people projects on a cross-community and/or cross-border basis, delivering awards of up to €100,000 directly into communities. 
 
Currently, Tier One Funding for Empowering Communities has just been launched and is a rolling programme (with no deadlines).  Funds of up to €20,000 are available to community and voluntary groups and other organisations to deliver projects with a strong focus on improving cross-community relationships.
 
To find out more and/or apply click here and/or see information below

Change Makers Small Grants Programme
Change Makers Small Grants Programme FAQ's
Change Makers Presentation 

Grants for Community Photography

Grants are available to support the provision of participatory projects in the UK which seek to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people under 25. The use of photography must be a core element of the project.

The funding is intended to support children and young adults under the age of 25 to take part in organised activities that allow them hands-on experience of photographic techniques.

Activities must have the ultimate aim of achieving a beneficial therapeutic effect on the children's or young people's physical and/or mental health and wellbeing.

Grants of between £500 and £1,500 are available.

Normally, projects benefitting from these grants would be expected to last for up to one year's duration, and be implementable within the year of the grant being awarded.

The Foundation can fund up to 100% of costs, but normally expects its contribution to be matched either by other funding or in-kind contributions.

Applications can be made by the artist or photographer who will be leading the project or by charitable organisations on their behalf.

Projects must take place in the UK.

Only one application may be submitted per year.

The funding is used to support projects including those which might be a single workshop or event, or a programme of linked activities and might involve working with the participants solo or in groups. Examples of activities that might be included are:

• Outings with a photographer to learn how to take pictures of people or landscapes using digital or analogue film.

• Dark room experiences.

• Creating images using techniques such as cyanotype or pinhole cameras.

• Learning printing techniques using a range of media.

 Closing date is 2nd April 2026

Grants for Community Photography — Richard and Siobhán Coward Foundation

Holiday Grants for Children

Grants are available for schools, youth groups, not-for-profit organisations, and charities to provide access to one-off recreational trips or holidays for groups of children aged 13 years and younger who experience disadvantage or disability and live in an area of high deprivation.

The Charity aims to provide children aged 13 years or younger who are disadvantaged, disabled or from areas of high deprivation with a short recreational holiday or outing they would not otherwise have the opportunity to experience.

Grants of between £500 and £2,750 are available. Match funding may be required as the Charity may not be able to award successful applicants the full amount requested.

Schools, youth groups, not-for-profit organisations and charities in the UK are eligible to apply.

Priority will be given to projects that will benefit disadvantaged and disabled children in the most deprived areas in the UK. This means areas that fall within the bottom 20% according to the National Indices of Deprivation. For groups of children with disabilities, more flexibility will be given regarding the level of deprivation.

Applications can be made for grants towards a single trip, which could be a day trip or a longer residential of up to seven days in length. This could be to a countryside or city location but must be outside the children's immediate locality. Day trips should not involve a disproportionate amount of time spent travelling.

The funders will consider trips which are more local but these should have an emphasis on providing a new experience for the children and broadening their horizons. Examples include camping, trips to adventure activity centres or the seaside.

The funders will sometimes consider applications for groups of children living in deprived circumstances within more affluent areas. In this case, it is essential that the need for support is clearly explained.

Grants are only available to support children who are aged 13 and under.

This fund is open for applications three times a year and applications are accepted based on when the trip is happening. The next rounds are:

• 20 March 2025–21 July 2025 (for trips taking place 1 May–31 August 2025).

• 22 July–19 November 2025 (for trips taking place 1 September–31 December 2025).

Grants are made on a first come, first served basis until the available funding for that round has been fully allocated. All applications should be received at least five weeks before the date of the trip to allow for administrative processing and decision making.

An online application form and a set of guidelines can be found on the Charity's website.

Holiday Grants for Children - The Henry Smith Charity