Pudsey Next Steps

This funding is for groups new to Children in Need i.e. those who have not had a grant with us before, and who have a turnover of less than 100k per annum. 

You can apply for project costs or core costs up to 15k per year for 3 years through our normal grant process on our website.

First step is to submit an expression of interest through link below  - you can choose project or a core grant but for core there needs to be a clear connection between the core funding requested and direct outcomes/benefit for children and young people .  Once you submit your Expression of Interest we will assign those eligible to Pudsey Next Steps, and then invite those who are successful to submit an application.

https://www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/grants/apply/

The EOI is short but you will need to have your project idea and costs thought out before you submit this.  Our Pudsey Next Steps  funding is time sensitive and we would need any Expression of Interest eligible through before the end of August. 

For more information please contact Barbara Wallace on 0303 080 0940

Power NI's Brighter Communities

Our Brighter Communities programme energises innovative and emerging community groups, teams and projects with £1000 of funding awarded each month. Since 2018 we have contributing over £40,000 to our communities and we are still going!

Applications for the month are now open, and we welcome all communities to apply using the form below. Successful applicants will be contacted using the details provided and will have 72 hours to respond and accept the £1,000 funding. All applications must comply with the Brighter Communities terms & conditions.

Brighter Communities | Community Funding | Power NI

Small Woodland Grant Scheme

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs's Small Woodland Grant Scheme is now open and will remain open until 10pm on 31 August 2023. 

Almost all woodlands in Northern Ireland are planted with some form of grant assistance. The Forest Service encourages the creation of new woodlands and the management of existing woodlands by providing grant aid towards the cost of the work.

Forests for Our Future programme aims to plant 18 million trees or 9,000 hectares of new woodland over the next 10 years to help our environment and economy. Grant funding for creating new woodlands will be via the Small Woodland Grant Scheme or the Forest Expansion Scheme.

The Small Woodland Grant Scheme is specifically for new native woodland planting of 0.20 hectares and larger. It provides a fixed area based payment for woodland establishment, a fencing grant and where eligible annual premia for a 10-year period.

Closing date: 31 August 2023 at 10pm

For more information and to apply bit.ly/3SJR418

Small Grants Programme 2023-2024

The Small Grants Programme has been set up to allow young people from Education Authority Youth Service (EAYS) registered and verified groups to apply for grants for projects to Support the Growth and Participation of young people.

The Small Grants Programme for 2023-2024 is to enable young people to apply for funding to support other young people in their communities to:

• Promote youth participation, leadership and volunteering

• Build and develop life skills

This year, there are two options. Groups can apply for a maximum of £500 for a one-off event or a maximum of £1500 for a group work programme with multiple sessions. All projects must demonstrate young people’s involvement in planning and delivery.

The closing date for applications is 20th October 2023.

Any applications received on or before 4th August will be assessed and notified by the end of August 2023. Any applications received after 4th August will be assessed and notified by the end of November 2023. All projects must be completed by 31st March 2024.

If you would like to make an application in the 2023-2024 programme, please ensure your organisation is registered with the EA Youth Service and have received a verification visit. Registration is open all year round and details on how to register can be found here.

Youth Service: Small Grants Programme
Education Authority
Grahamsbridge Road
Dundonald
BT16 2HS

Email: sgp@eani.org.uk
Phone: 02890566429

Elevate Community Mentoring & Grants Programme is returning

CDHN's Public Health Agency funded Elevate Community Mentoring and Grants Programme 2023-24 is coming back. If you are interested in being part of this year's Programme and want to find out more, sign up for an information session where the Elevate Team will provide an overview of the programme and answer any questions you have.

Monday 24 July 7pm to 8pm

Tuesday 1 August 11am to 12pm

For more information please contact The Elevate Programme – developing skills in your community | Community Development and Health Network (cdhn.org)

Small Grants Scheme 2023 - Grants opening 11th May!!

Live Here Love Here Small Grants are funded by 10 Local Councils, Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful. The Small Grants Scheme provides support to volunteer projects that:

• Contribute to the development of civic pride within a community with a focus on environmental improvement.

• Encourage actions and projects that enable Pollution Solutions, Biodiversity Recovery and Climate Action.

• Enhance the environmental management of a local area.

• Improve the health and wellbeing of communities whilst helping to improve and/or maintain public spaces.

• Improve the quality of their local environment by reducing littering and dog fouling through community Action.

• Support environmentally focused actions that help support people impacted through reduced contact with society.

Value of Grants

Grants are available between £500 - £3000. The average value of grants awarded is £1200.

Non-constituted groups can apply for a maximum of £500.

Eligibility

The Small Grants Scheme is open to:

• Community & Voluntary groups (including non-constituted groups)

• Sports clubs, churches and youth groups

• Not for profit organisations

• School and third level education organisations

Applications are particularly welcome from grassroots groups who have not previously received support through the Live Here Love Here Small Grants Scheme.

Funding is only available in the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area to projects located in Northern Ireland Housing Executive areas.

What type of projects will the Small Grant Scheme fund?

• Development of shared spaces such as alleys.

• Community food growing initiatives.

• Skill sharing in horticulture and community growing.

• Projects that tackle litter issues and dog fouling.

Litter picking equipment is not eligible for funding through this grant - please check out the Adopt A Spot project.

Need some inspiration?

Check out the documents below, they are packed with hints and tips to help with your application.

Biodiversity Recovery Project Advice
Pollution Solutions Project Advice
Tackling Textiles Project Advice

Please visit Small Grants Scheme delivered by Live Here Love Here

Community Grants Programme

The overall aim of the Halifax Foundation is:

To support charitable organisations within Northern Ireland to enable people, who are disadvantaged or with special needs, to participate actively in their communities.

The Foundation has two main target areas to which it seeks to allocate funds:

• Social and Community Needs

• Education and Training

Types of costs funded include - materials and equipment, contribution towards salary costs, overheads, transport costs, volunteer expenses, training/tutor costs, activity costs and refurbishment costs.

For more information and to apply, please visit Funding Opportunities 2023 | Halifax Foundation NI

B&Q Foundation Grants

The Foundation is an independent charity, set up in 2020, to build on B&Q’s commitment to make a positive difference in the communities we serve. Learn more about the B&Q Foundation and apply for funding.

The B&Q Foundation supports registered charities with a combination of grants, volunteering time and home improvement resources. It concentrates its efforts on local charities helping to create better, safes places for people who need them most.

The B&Q Foundation supports UK registered charities with a combination of grants, volunteering time and home improvement resources. From improving the safety of a home for someone with a disability, to providing residential support for people with no home of their own – the organisations it backs are making a difference to those who don’t have access to what most of us take for granted. And that helps build better communities for us all.

Grants of up to £5000 are available. For more information and to apply, please visit Apply For a Grant | B&Q Foundation (bqfoundation.org.uk)

The Woodward Charitable Trust - Children’s Summer Playschemes

The Summer Play Scheme grant round will open Monday 6th February 2023, the online application form will only be available after this date.  The deadline is noon on Friday 31st March 2023. The Trustees will review summer play scheme applications in May and successful applicants will be informed by the end of June 2023. 

Each year the Trustees of the Woodward Charitable Trust set aside funds for summer playschemes for children from disadvantaged backgrounds between the ages of 5-16 years.

Trustees only fund programmes that run for a minimum of 2 weeks or 10 full days or 20 half days across the summer holidays.

Grants can only be paid to registered charities, CICs, CIOs or exempt charities. If your organisation does not fall into one of these categories, please give the full name and address of a registered charity who has agreed to accept a grant on your behalf. Please note you will need to upload a copy of their most recent audited accounts at the end of the application form, if this is not available on the Charity Commission or Companies House.

Please note that Trustees will now only fund up to 50% of the total cost of a scheme. Most grants awarded are in the range of £500 to £1,000. Around 35 grants are made each year.

Preference is given to:

• small local playschemes that provide a wide-ranging programme of activities. Trustees prefer activities that are relatively inexpensive such as crafts and cooking, as well as outdoor activities and sport.

• schemes that involve a large number of children.

• schemes where past users are encouraged to come back and help as volunteers.

Exclusions

Trustees will not fund:

• trips that are only social such as to a theme park or cinema. Trustees prefer to fund trips that are educational and motivational or relate to the natural environment such as to the seaside or countryside.

• charities whose annual turnover exceeds £100,000.

• overseas projects

Application Form

The trustees receive many more applications than they are able to fund, so please make the most of the opportunity to tell us what makes your charity different and what your achievements are. When talking about your plans for this summer, please feel free to compare them to previous years and what the benefits of attending the scheme has meant to the families and the children attending. Please give details of what you plan to do, beyond just a list of activities, and note that we are looking for organisations that are making a real difference in their communities. Please let us know if any of your activities are child-led and who your volunteers are. Do you provide food and if so, what do you provide?

For more information and to apply, please visit Children’s Summer Playschemes Guidelines | The Woodward Charitable Trust

RTÉ Toy Show Appeal Impact Grants Fund

The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal was established in 2020 to raise funds for Irish children’s charities through the televised Late Late Toy Show. Since then, more than €17 million has been raised to support these charities.
The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal mission is: Inspired by children, we work to bring the magic of the Late Late Toy Show to every child in Ireland. By funding essential support, health, wellbeing, play and creativity we aim to change children’s lives for good.

In the wake of the cost-of-living crisis, increased number of refugees from Ukraine and elsewhere in the world, and the climate crisis, the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal is more important than ever.

Last year over €6,600,000 was raised and distributed in 154 grants to support more than 1.1 million children and their family members all across Ireland. Thanks to the continued generosity of the Irish public, this year the Appeal raised over €3,800,000 which will be distributed through two open grant rounds:

·        Impact Grants Round

·        Community Grants Round

Children and family focused charities working at local, regional and national level can apply for a grant under one of the following thematic pillars:

·        Addressing Essential Needs

·        Improving Health and Wellbeing

·        Creativity and Play

The Impact Grants Round is now open and is for children and family charities with an annual income of £500,000 or more and will close at 1pm on Friday 10 February 2023. For more information and to apply, please visit RTÉ Toy Show Appeal Impact Grants Fund - Community Foundation Northern Ireland (communityfoundationni.org)

***The Community Grants Round is due to open mid February and is for children and family charities with an annual income of less than £500,000.***

Organisations can apply only once to the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal this year. Where multiple applications are received from the same organisation, none will be considered for assessment.

Inishative Community Benefit Fund

This local community benefit fund was set up by Gaelectric in 2016 and is now managed by CGN Europe – a wind energy and energy storage company that believes in a sustainable future. GCN is committed to ensuring that their wind farms, whilst having obvious environmental benefits, also provide significant economic benefits to the local community.

The Inishative Community Benefit Fund is available to local community projects within a 10km / 6 mile radius of the wind farm.  Priority is given to applicant organisations based within the Carrickmore (3.5 miles), Galbally/Cappagh (4-5 miles) and Sixmilecross (6 miles) areas.

The Inishative Community Benefit Fund is administered by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland.

Funding will be available to local community projects within a 10km/6 mile radius of the wind farm. Inishative CBF Map

The fund aims to encourage:

• Stronger more inclusive communities by ensuring that local people have ownership and involvement in the design and delivery of the project.

• Partnership working with community, voluntary and statutory agencies to ensure a coordinated approach.

• Sustainable solutions that address local issues.

• Projects that improve the utilisation of existing community space in each of the above areas.

• Particular emphasis will be placed on funding activities/services that are specifically aimed at older people, people with disabilities, children and teenagers (including pre-school children), providing skills development of local people and promoting health related activities or services.

• Given the remoteness of some of these locations, the isolation and lack of statutory transport provision consideration will be given to local transport initiatives.

• Projects and programmes offering invaluable advice and information and signposting on key rural issues e.g. Farm Support Services, Welfare & Benefits and Parenting/Family issues etc.

• Outdoor/Environmental projects will also be considered in terms of encouraging a healthier and active community as well as protecting and enhancing the local environment.

• Finally, wider community events and programmes that encourage greater community interaction (including cross community aspects) encompassing the local rich and varied cultural aspects of music, drama, dance and sport.

• Funding will be considered for costs associated with running/administration costs and for purchasing additional equipment to expand services/activities in each of the areas.

• Priority will be given to projects which demonstrate the ability to collaborate, network and share best practice.

Grants of up to £2000 are available. Closing date for applications is 13th February 2023 at 1pm.

For more information and to apply, please visit Inishative Community Benefit Fund - Community Foundation Northern Ireland (communityfoundationni.org)

Cregganconroe Community Benefit Fund

This local community benefit fund was set up by Gaelectric in 2016 and is now managed by CGN Europe – a wind energy and energy storage company that believes in a sustainable future. GCN is committed to ensuring that their wind farms, whilst having obvious environmental benefits, also provide significant economic benefits to the local community.

The Cregganconroe Community Benefit Fund is available to local community projects within a 10km / 6 mile radius of the wind farm. Cregganconroe wind farm is based just off the Loughmallon Road, Pomeroy, Co Tyrone.  The areas located within a 10km radius of the wind farm are largely rural, having a rugged mountainous terrain within the Sperrin Mountains and comprises dispersed rural settlements including the hamlets and villages of Cappagh, Galbally,  Pomeroy, Carrickmore, Kileenan  and the Rock.

The Cregganconroe Community Benefit Fund is administered by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland.

Funding will be available to local community projects within a 10km/6 mile radius of the wind farm.  Cregganconroe Map

The fund aims to encourage:

• Any programmes/projects that address marginalisation and help tackle rural isolation.  In particular, support will be considered for transport solutions that allow a greater sharing of local community resources and to allow for improved mobility for the most isolated.

• Projects that have a particular emphasis on maximising community space by providing minor capital works that bring premises or facilities up to modern standards and in line with current building control regulations.

• Activities/services that are specifically aimed at children and young people and older people; provision of local educational classes/training courses and health related initiatives and arts/cultural activities.

• Projects designed to improve and develop local environmental schemes.

• Priority will be given to beneficiaries within the Pomeroy area given their close proximity to the wind farm.

• Projects that encourage greater cross community interaction at a local level with a focus on improving relations between nationalist and unionist communities in the area.  Consideration will be given to activities and events designed to encourage this interaction and cohesion e.g. – Open Days, Festivals and other Community Events including programmes of shared culture, music, sport, drama and dance.

Grants of up to £2000 are available and closing date for applications is 13th February 2023 at 1pm.

For more information and to apply please visit Cregganconroe Community Benefit Fund - Community Foundation Northern Ireland (communityfoundationni.org)

Expressions of Interest for 2023-25

The Irish Football Association (Irish FA) and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) Multi-Sports Grassroots Facilities Investment Fund aims to allow local grassroots football clubs in Northern Ireland (NI) to improve and upgrade facilities to create a better grassroots football infrastructure foundation. 

Investment in creating the best possible multi-sports and grassroots football facilities enables young people to have the opportunity to reach their full potential in football, as well as providing the local community with access to facilities where they can participate in other sports and become healthy and active. 

The UK Government has confirmed the allocation of a £230 million uplift to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for investment in football facilities across the UK. Read more on this here.

DCMS has committed to supporting grassroots football facility development in Northern Ireland up to March 2025. Phase 3 of the investment covers the financial year, April 2023 to March 2024 with Phase 4 covering April 2024 to March 2025. 

Two million pounds of capital funding has been secured for 2023/24, with a further £3.59 million of capital funding to be delivered in 2024/25.  Projects to be supported will be selected for their ability to deliver improved facilities in deprived areas, support multi-sport use and increase participation among currently underrepresented groups, including women, girls and those with a disability. 

The Irish FA / DCMS Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Investment Fund 2023-25 will be directed towards larger capital projects primarily focusing on the installation and improvement of natural grass or certified artificial grass pitches (AGP).  Funding will support and be directed towards the installation of new or replacement natural grass surfaces, new or replacement artificial grass surfaces or new multi-use games areas (MUGA).

Associated pitch infrastructure will be considered for funding in addition to the pitch installation e.g. changing rooms, floodlighting, fencing etc.

In order to understand the number, type and scale of projects which may come forward over the next two financial years, we are running an Expression of Interest (EOI) process. The EOI will gather crucial information on proposed projects at early stages of their development, identifying future investment possibilities.  It is anticipated that applications for funding will be opened in February / March 2023. 

EOIs will be open for over two weeks from Wednesday 18 January 2023 and will close at 12 noon on Friday 3 February 2023.   The EOI can be accessed via the link below.

A full list of the questions on the Expression of Interest form can be found in the PDF download below.

CLICK HERE FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM

Irish FA/ DCMS Grassroots Facilities Investment Fund...

Community Development & Festivals Grants

The Community Development and Festivals Grant Aid Programme provides financial support for groups in the Antrim and Newtownabbey District Council area which have Community Development as a primary objective that improves the lives of local people. Projects must also develop a strong, healthy and vibrant community whilst encouraging maximum participation in community life by all residents.

Scheme details

This is a new three-year Community Development Grant Aid Programme (2023-2026) which will allow interested community/voluntary/charitable organisations to apply for grant aid for community facilities and programmes/activities to cover a three-year period (subject to availability of funding), with the exception of the Small Grant & Technical Assistance Grant which will continue to be available all year round on a rolling basis.

The aim of the Community Development Grant Aid Programme is to provide financial support for projects which have Community Development as a primary objective that improve the lives of local people. Projects must develop a strong, healthy and vibrant community whilst encouraging maximum participation in community life by all residents.

What is a Community Development Project?

Organisations applying to this fund must have community development as a primary objective of their application. A ‘project’ is a series of activities with a common theme delivered within a defined start and end date.  There should be a clear purpose to the activity and it should be based on sound community need.  The activity should promote participation, involvement, progression and create a sense of community ownership and pride contributing in a positive way to the social well being of the community.

What is a Festival?

A community ‘festival’ is defined as a series of events with a common theme and delivered within a defined time period. It is developed from within a community and should celebrate and positively promote what the community represents. Community festivals are about participation, involvement, inclusion and the creation of a sense of identity, and are important in contributing to the social well-being of a community.

Community Development Grant Aid - two options available are:

1) Community Programmes and Activities Grant (up to £5,000 available per year for a three-year period, £15,000 max. in total for the three-year period) – which will cover what was previously community outreach and involvement and summer scheme and will also cover insurance. Summer Programmes are limited to £3,000 per year - £2,000 for Programme & £1,000 for Insurance. 

2) Community Facilities and Programmes Grant (up to £10,000 available per year for a three-year period, up to £5000/year for facilities/ premises and up to £5,000/year for Programmes - £30,000 max. in total for the three-year period) – which will cover what would have been premises, community outreach and involvement, summer scheme and insurance.

Community Festivals Fund Grant Aid

Maximum amount available per year is £5,000 but up to £10,000 per year for events attracting more than 5,000 people. The maximum available for a three year period is either £15,000 if less than 5,000 attendees or £30,000 if more than 5,000 attendees.

Small Grant

Rolling programme, one grant per year for seedling activity and/or insurance up to £1,000.

Large Grant

Rolling programme, one grant per year for techincal assistance up to £10,000

For more information and to apply please visit Grant Manager (eformz.info)

Spring Forward Events Grant Aid Programme

THIS GRANT AID PROGRAMME IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO COMMUNITY EVENT WHICH TAKE PLACE WITH THE SPERRIN OR DERG ELECTORAL AREAS. 

Opening date for applications 21 December 2022.

Closing date for applications 16th January 2023 at 5pm.

Are you a member of a business or organisation looking for financial support for and event taking place between January and March 2023? Look no further!

Introducing the Spring Forward Events Grant Aid Programme, a funding opportunity designed to support and stimulate both the business and wider community through events. Whether you're planning a music festival, or a community fair, we want to help make your event a success.

The grant aid programme is open to community organisations, businesses organisations, charities, social enterprises, and religious groups.  We welcome applications from events of all sizes and purposes, as long as they are open to the public and benefit the business community in some way.

We understand the importance of events in driving business growth and community development, and we want to help businesses and communities thrive by providing financial support for their events. The grant aid programme is designed to cover a range of event-related expenses, including venue rental, marketing and advertising, animation, Live Music, hire of third party services i.e. first aid, event management company etc.

To apply for a grant, simply fill out the attached application form and provide a detailed description of your event, including your budget and how the grant funds will be used. Our team will review all applications and award grants based on the merit of the event and its potential impact on the business and wider community.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to bring your community together and make a difference. Apply for a grant today and let us help you make your event a success!

Download Documents below: 

Application Form

Guidance Notes

Scoring Matrix

For any queries on the above, please email Catherine Collins, Business Officer on  email Catherine.Collins@derrystrabane.com

2023/24 Central Good Relations Fund now open for online applications

The 2023/24 Central Good Relations Fund (CGRF) is now open for groups who wish to apply online for a project funding grant (for projects over £1,500).

Applications must be submitted online by:

Thursday 12 January 2023 at 6:00pm

To access the online application portal, you must first register your organisation. However, if you have previously registered, you do not need to register again. Please follow the link below and enter your username and password in the ‘Local Account Login’ section to log in to the application portal.

Already Registered? Login to apply for a 2023/24 CGRF grant

If you have not already registered, please use the link below to register your organisation. Please note, you must register your organisation by 12:00 noon on Wednesday 11 January 2023 to enable access to the online application portal. Any registrations submitted after that time will not be accepted.

Register to be able to apply for a 2023/24 CGRF grant

You should read the 2023/24 CGRF Guidance notes found here Central Good Relations Fund | The Executive Office (executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk) which include a step-by-step guide to registration and a step-by-step guide to the application form before you start.

Register

To register (if you have not already done so), you will need:

• Your contact information;

• Details of your organisation, including address and organisation type; and

• A copy of your organisation’s constitution (WORD or PDF).

Online Application

To apply online you will need:

• Your online sign in details (username and password);

• Details of your proposed project including proposed activities and costings; and

• Copies of job descriptions, if applicable (for any salary(s) being claimed).

Got questions?

Contact our team using the e-mail below:

• GoodRelationsFund@executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk

Crighshane and Churchill Community Benefit Fund

Purpose of the Fund

This local community benefit fund was originally set up by Energia Renewables, and has now been taken over by Greencoat Capital.

The fund has been established to ensure that the Crighshane and Church Hill wind farms, whilst having obvious environmental benefits, also provide significant social and economic benefits to the local community.

Funding is available to local community projects that are planned and run for the benefit of the local population and are within 6km of the Wind Farms.

 Crighshane-Church Hill  Map

The fund will support projects addressing issues within the following theme areas:

• Energy efficiency and sustainability

• Social, cultural or sporting benefit for the local community

• Educational issues with a sustainability angle

• Environmental benefit or economic benefit

Examples of who can apply:

• Constituted voluntary organisations and community groups

• Faith organisations (if the funding is not to promote religion)

• Local youth groups

Funding available:

• Grants from £1,000 to £5,000

Closing dae is 13th January 2023. For more information and to apply, please visit Crighshane and Churchill Community Benefit Fund - Community Foundation Northern Ireland (communityfoundationni.org)

Update on the Dormant Accounts Fund Northern Ireland

From 5pm on 3 March 2023, The National Lottery Community Fund will not be accepting applications to Phase One of the Dormant Accounts Fund Northern Ireland from individual organisations. If you are thinking of submitting an application to the fund, we encourage you to get your applications in as soon as you are ready. You don’t need to wait until 3 March. 

The team will continue to assess applications and to announce the new awards that are made, but no new applications will be accepted from 5pm on 3 March.   

The National Lottery Community Fund are expecting Dormant Accounts Fund NI to remain highly competitive, so before you apply please read through the information on their website for guidance and to find out about the projects they have already funded. You can also contact their team in Northern Ireland if you would like advice. 

The National Lottery Community Fund always said that they would take a test and learn approach to the Dormant Accounts Fund NI. They have awarded just under £13m through 147 grants. This is helping organisations to develop new skills and build resilience and sustainability, creating a strong voluntary and community sector which can continue to support people and communities across Northern Ireland.  There is lots to learn about the models that are working well, and the challenges faced, that they want to share with the sector. You might like to read the first learning report on Dormant Accounts Funds NI which they published in June 2022 to find out what they’ve learned to date.

The Dormant Accounts Fund NI will continue to remain open for strategic applications. Discussions will still take place with organisations who are interested in developing strategic projects that enable collaboration and develop new and creative approaches to the sustainability of the sector.  

New legislation was passed in June 2022 expanding the UK-wide scheme to include a wider range of Dormant Assets.  This means that additional funds will be made available to Northern Ireland through the scheme in the future, as announced by Finance Minister Conor Murphy on 25 October 2022.   

The Department of Finance has confirmed its policy direction that the Dormant Assets scheme should continue to support the sector to build capacity, resilience and sustainability in the future.  

The National Lottery Community Fund will take some time to reflect on how they have delivered against policy directions and engage further with the sector to identify and address gaps. In doing this, they will continue to work with the Department of Finance and ensure that feedback from stakeholders informs the development of the next phase.   

Their National Lottery programmes will remain open to applications and you can find out more about these here. 

Keystone Fund

Sharply increased demand for services, economic pressures and an ongoing decline in public donations is putting many smaller charities across the UK under heavy strain.

The Keystone Fund aims to enable locally and regionally-focused charities working towards social equity to become more agile in their support for their communities. It provides a programme of unrestricted grants, networking and access to advice webinars and toolkits.

The legacy of the fund will be greater opportunities for those who need it most, along with charities that are in a stronger position to continue to support them, thereby accelerating progress in society towards a fair and sustainable future for all.

CAF intends that through these grants and access to additional resilience building resources, small charities will be better positioned now and for the future as keystones in their communities.

Grants available

• Unrestricted grants, intended to enable charitable organisations in the UK to adapt ways of working, strengthen capacity or build resilience, according to identified needs.

• Grants will be awarded between £5,000 and £50,000

• Approximately 120 grants will be awarded over 2-3 rounds during 2022-23.

• Grant funds must begin to be spent within 6 months of grant payment, but can be carried forward into the following financial year if required to enable flexibility. They should be fully spent within 24 months of grant payment.

Grants will not normally be restricted to specific projects, but we will ask you to tell us how you would like to use the funds. We intend that charitable organisations can use a grant to become more agile in their support for their communities. This might include the costs of leadership time to develop strategy or organisational capacity, or to access additional external expertise, support and advice to develop their resilience plans. Grants might also be used for staff costs, digital costs, overheads, delivery costs or equipment, according to your identified longer-term needs.

In addition, building on CAF’s advisory opportunities for charities across the UK, all grant holders will gain access to webinars, toolkits, and networking opportunities to accelerate their impact.

Priorities for the Keystone Fund

We will support eligible charitable organisations to:

• Adapt their ways of working (eg digital capability, staff and volunteer training, operational challenges)

• Bolster their core building blocks (eg governance, strategic planning, capacity building)

This fund is not designed to support direct service provision or capital projects.

How and when can we apply?

A two-stage online application process aims to provide the smoothest possible process for small charities to apply:

• Stage 1: You will complete a small number of eligibility questions, and provide a short overview of your work

• Stage 2: Selected organisations will then be invited to complete a more detailed application

We will offer a short webinar for any organisation which is invited to Stage 2 so that you can ask questions about the application process.

Timelines

• Stage 1 applications open: 9 November – 23 November

• Webinar for further information: 2 December (recording also available)

• Stage 2 applications open: 7 December – 9 January

• Decisions communicated: February 2023

There will be more than one round of funding. Further rounds will be announced and are likely to take place in Spring/Summer 2023.

For more information and to apply, please visit Keystone Fund (cafonline.org)

BBC Children In Need

At BBC Children in Need, children and young people are at the heart of what we do. After the events of the last few years, we have developed a new charitable ambition and grantmaking strategy. This strategy focusses on our principles of:

• Sharing power with children and young people

• Acting flexibly

• Using our voice to build awareness and empathy around issues

• Building partnerships to bring communities and investors together

As part of this, we have made some significant changes to our grantmaking model:

• We will continue to offer project based funding, similarly to how we have in the past.

• We will be offering funding for core (organisational) costs as a separate grants stream.

• In spring 2023, we will launch a funding stream for smaller, emerging organisations. This stream is aimed at organisations who may need greater support to access our funding.

Organisations will only be able to apply for one of these streams per year. Your organisation should choose which stream is most suitable to your work and we will provide more detailed information about them, over the coming months. We will also give more details about our funding priorities at a local and regional level.

Funding currently open for applications are -

• Project Grants Funding Stream - Project Costs Funding Stream - BBC Children in Need

• Core Grants Funding Stream - Core (Organisational) Costs Funding Stream - BBC Children in Need