Who can apply:

Constituted grass roots community and voluntary groups

Criteria:

Priority will be given to applications from small groups, typically with an annual income of less than £200,000, as evidenced in most recent set of accounts
Projects must aim to directly support one of the following specific groups:
- Young people
- Older people
- People with disabilities
The Fund will not support projects targeting all ages.
Priority will be given to projects that will benefit groups dealing with disadvantage (e.g. rural isolation, low income, social exclusion, reduced access to services), and projects that involve the beneficiaries in their development and delivery.
In the event of oversubscription, priority will be given to lower income organisations

Examples of types of projects that may be supported within Fund themes:

Community education and training opportunities
Communication and leadership skills
Local initiatives to improve resources and community facilities
Creativity and self-expression through drama, music or a range of arts activities
Inclusion and involvement of disadvantaged communities
Out of school projects for young people

The Foundation will not fund organisations or activities which promote causes that are contrary to our purposes. Causes and activities that are contrary to our purposes include, but may not be limited to, those outlined in our investment policy. We will not therefore fund organisations or activities which we determine are linked to the promotion of armaments, alcohol, human rights abuses, tobacco or pornography.

The Fund will also not support organisations who advance religion, including those who have purposes within their governance to advance religion, or who seek financial support for any projects aimed at advancing a particular religion.

Examples of previously funded projects:

A 6 week programme of music therapy for children with autism.
A creative arts and crafts programme for older people.
The provision of an afterschool homework club in conjunction with a youth club.
A 12 month drama therapy programme for adults with learning disabilities.
A six week youth programme to design and produce outside art in the playground.

Please note that this is a competitive process and that The Openreach Community Fund (previously the Telecommunity Fund) is normally significantly oversubscribed. Under the most recent funding round (January 2024) – 14% of applicants were successful.

Applying for The Openreach Community Fund (previously the Telecommunity Fund)

This round of the Openreach Community Fund (previously the Telecommunity Fund) will close for applications at 1:00pm on Tuesday 28 May 2024 .

It is recommended that you read our Grant FAQs before starting your grant application. Should you have any further questions please contact the Grants Team on 028 9024 5927.

For more information, please visit Openreach Community Fund (previously the Telecommunity Fund) - Community Foundation Northern Ireland (communityfoundationni.org)