Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council: Policing & Community Safety Grants Programme

The Causeway Coast and Glens Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) Grants Programme has been designed to support, promote and develop community safety initiatives throughout the council area.  Causeway Coast and Glens Borough PCSP will fund up to a maximum of £5,000 for eligible projects. 

Scheme details

This is a rolling Fund and will remain open throughout the year. There will be regular assessment points, each with a deadline by which applications must be submitted in order to be considered for assessment in that period.

Purpose of Small Grant Programme

The PCSP small grants programme has been developed to provide organisations with up to a £999 grant to organise a project or event that will help prevent, reduce, address crime and help people feel safer in their own communities. 

Grant Amounts

Grants of up to £999 (Nine Hundred and Ninety Nine pounds) are available towards eligible costs and groups may be limited to one successful PCSP grant application per year depending upon the level of demand. Please Note: Successful applicants will be able to claim 100% up front before the start of the project and if requested by the Council Funding Unit, will need to provide proof of the expenditure if selected for audit. 

Early Intervention: Initiatives designed to reduce the risk of individuals, (especially young people aged up to 17 years) from the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area from coming into contact with the criminal justice system.

Alcohol, Drug & Substance Abuse: Working to achieve a reduction in alcohol, drug and substance abuse including prescription medication.

Anti-Social Behaviour: This encompasses a range of behaviours including noise, vandalism, graffiti, anti-social driving, or causing annoyance to people not in the same household.

Societal Abuse: Working to achieve a reduction of levels of physical, mental, financial and cyber abuse. Also includes working to increasing the levels of reporting of the abuse to PSNI and other support agencies.

Reducing opportunities for crime: Working to achieve a reduction in the opportunities to commit crime in rural and urban communities.

Fear of crime: Working to reduce the fear of crime in rural and urban communities and increase community confidence in policing.

Who Can Apply?

Organisations must be from within or operating within the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area. For the purposes of this programme, only formally constituted organisations which are not-for-profit that are open, accountable and representative of the geographical area which they service and which promote and enhance Community Safety can apply. Such as:

• Community and Voluntary organisations; This includes School, PTA’s, Churches, youth clubs, Social Enterprises etc.

If you are unsure if you group can apply please contact one of the PCSP staff team.

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

Grand Choice 2022

What is Grand Choice?

So, what is Participatory Budgeting all about?

Grand Choice is a Participatory Budgeting initiative which means that local people get to decide how public funds are used to address needs in their area. Community Planning Partners have pooled their resources to fund community projects.

Local people with a valid email address and Lisburn South postcode can apply for up to £1,000 for a project they think will benefit their area of Lisburn North- and best of all, it is the local residents who decide which projects should go ahead!

Your project should take place between  and must be within Lisburn North District Electoral Area. This includes Derriaghy, Harmony Hill, Hilden, Lambeg, Magheralave, Wallace Park.

How will my personal information be used?

Stage 1.  Application Form 

Generating Ideas and Apply Stage – where groups complete a short application form outlining their project idea.

If you decide to apply for funding and use your personal contact details in the Stage 1 application form. This information will be stored in a safe place and used to contact you about the application. Your full name will not be used in publicity material and contact details will not be shared.

If you are under 18 and you decide to add your personal contact details to the form you must ask a parent/ guardian/ carer to complete the online consent.  It must be submitted by 22nd January 2023.

When you submit your entry, we will check if it meets with our themes – we might give you a call for some further information.

We aim to let groups know if they’ve been shortlisted by Thursday 26th January or as soon as possible thereafter.

The shortlisted projects will be required to exhibit their proposal at a Community Decision Event on 18th February 2023.

Stage 2. Community Decision Event

At the Community Decision Event in February you will tell the voters what you plan to do and what you hope to achieve as they visit your stand. All you need to do is tell them some information about what you do, what the project is about and how this will be good for the Lisburn North area. You can do this by using pictures, posters and/or display boards etc.

Your views, ideas and proposal may appear in reports and press releases once that information is made public.

Voting Process

The people attending the Community Decision Event will vote on which projects should be funded. They will be required to vote for 10 projects.

Guidance notes:
Who can apply? - eligibility

You don’t have to be an existing group with your own constitution to apply. You just need a minimum of three people who have an idea for a project and a constituted group to sponsor your entry. Groups with a constitution are also welcome to apply.

You must be based within the Lisburn South area.

Programme criteria

Successful projects have to be delivered between February and May 2023 and you will also be required to attend a community celebration event.  

What can we apply for?

You can apply for up to £1,000 for a local project.

Key themes

Your project must demonstrate how it relates to one or more of the Take 5 Ways To Wellbeing themes:

• Connect – with the people around you and keep in touch with each other

• Be Active – to help us feel good both physically and mentally

• Take Notice – to ensure the community is safe 

• Keep Learning – new things that give us a sense of achievement, enjoyment and increased confidence

• Give – doing something that gives back to our community and help each other

What we will fund

You can apply for up to £1,000 to pay for things such as online activities, events, tutors, venue hire, transport for trips, workshops, performers, specialist facilitator, funding towards marketing campaigns to raise awareness of specific issues identified by the community, equipment for projects e.g. ipads, litter picks, safety equipment, sports kits, outdoor gym equipment and other innovative ideas events.

Application process

Before applying, please check that:

• your organisation is eligible to apply;

• your application meets the priorities of this fund;

• you have completed every question on your Application Form;

• you can provide all the information we ask for as part of the application process.

Grand Choice Stage 1:

Generating Ideas and Apply Stage – where groups can complete a short application form outlining their project idea.

Once your initial application is received, we will:

• Perform an Eligibility Check on your application and then assess it against the key themes of the grant, as highlighted in the PROGRAMME CRITERIA section above;

• Contact you with questions should we need to, so please keep a copy of your Application Form for your reference;

• Not assess your application if it is incomplete.

If your initial application is successful, we will:

• Contact you about Stage 2 of the process

• At this stage successful groups will be asked to attend the February Community Decision Event to showcase their project.

How does the voting work?

• Voting will take place at the Community Decision Event.

• Voting will be by electoral area only.

• Voters attending on the day will be asked to vote for 10 projects.

• The projects with the most public votes will be awarded up to £1,000 to make their initiative happen!

• When voting closes, results will be announced shortly after the Community Decision Event.

If your project is selected through the public vote, we will:

• Send you a Conditional Offer and our Terms & Conditions of Grant by email for your organisation to sign and return to the council;

• Clearly indicate the eligible expenditure for the funding offered.

• Request the grant to be acknowledged through the inclusion of the official Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s logo on all related promotional material associated with the project and that an Elected Member or Council Officer from Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, is invited to the event/activity to which the grant is awarded. 

• Request the compulsory completion of an Event Notification Form (only where the event is outdoors and requires members of the community to gather together).  This will be assessed by the Council’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) to ensure compliance with regulations, the impact of which may impact on your proposal.

Once we have received your signed Terms and Conditions we will:

• Make payment to your group’s bank account, via the Bankers Automated Clearance System (BACS).

If your application is unsuccessful, we will:

• Contact you by email informing you of the reasons why your application has not been successful, for which there is no right of Appeal.

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council request successful applicants submit relevant promotional material of their events to share on their social media platforms in line with the Grand Choice programme.

To apply please visit Grand Choice in Lisburn North (lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk)

Randal Charitable Foundation

Grants are available for UK based charities, voluntary groups, and other not-for-profit organisations to support projects and activities that directly assist people in the most desperate need, with a particular focus on directly saving lives and improving quality of life.

Randall Charitable Foundation provides grant funding to a wide range of charities, voluntary groups, and non-governmental organisations to achieve the following aims:

• Directly saving lives.

• Improvements to primary healthcare, globally, and to aid the distribution of quality medicines to lower and middle-income countries.

• Helping people living with severe mental health issues.

• Relief of sickness, protection of good health, and the raising of life expectancy.

• Prevention or relief of poverty and improving the quality of life of the most vulnerable.

• Social disadvantage because of age or disability.

• Enabling children facing extreme hardship or social disadvantage to access education.

Both small scale-grants (under £3,000) and larger-scale grants are available.

Eligible Expenditure

Funding is available for projects and activities that fall under the following categories:

• Health – such as:

  • Delivering food and medicines.

  • Home care for elderly patients leaving the hospital.

  • Support for people with critical illnesses, people with disabilities, and people suffering from loneliness.  

• Mental health – such as:

  • Support for young people and families who are disadvantaged through no fault of their own, such as victims of domestic violence and sex trafficking.

    • Suicide prevention.

• The prevention and relief of poverty

• Social disadvantage – such as:

  • Helping older people who are isolated or have mobility issues.

  • Post-hospital care.

  • Educational support services for young people.

• Addiction – such as:

  • Work that focuses on tackling the root causes of addiction.

  • Helping addicts to recover.

    • Recovery support for families affected by drug use and addiction.

• Education – such as:

  • Work that helps young people recognise their worth and full potential, so they are equipped to build the skills and vision for their future success and employment.

How To Apply

Applications can be made at any time.

To apply, groups must first contact the Foundation, including the following details:

• Name, contact details and registered charity or company number (If applicable)

• An overview of the organisation’s objectives and focus

• The organisation’s area of operation (this may be different to the registered address)

• The specific cause/project the funding is for

• Total funding required.

Successful applicants will then be invited to complete an application form. The Foundation aims to respond to all completed application forms within 12 weeks.

Guidance notes are available from the Randall Charitable Foundation’s website - Randal Charitable Foundation (randalfoundation.org.uk)

Community Facilities Minor Capital Items Grants

Grants are available to community associations which manage a community facility in Newry, Mourne and Down to support the purchase of minor capital items.

Grants of between £500 and £10,000 are available.

All project activity must be completed by 31 July 2023.

Applications will be accepted from constituted community or voluntary organisations and other not-for-profit organisations responsible for managing a community facility. This is defined as follows:

"A community facility is a building which is open to the public where the community can gather for a diverse range of social, cultural, educational, recreational, training and information activities. The facility will normally provide a minimum of three of these diverse activities."

Eligible Expenditure

The funding is to be used for purchases and activities in the following areas:

• Maintenance - relating to the managing of a community facility (both internal and external), eg power washer, buffers, hoovers, steamers, trolleys etc.

• Required to enhance the facility for potential bookings (non-fixed items £100 or over), eg fixed PA system, fixed projector, whiteboard, large sporting equipment eg 5-a-side posts, bowling mat, table tennis table etc.

• Replacement - relating to items required for the day to day running of community facilities, eg tables, chairs, crockery, vinyl, white goods etc. Smaller value items should be bought in bulk.

The deadline for applications is noon on 17 January 2023.

Guidance notes and the application form can be accessed via Newry, Mourne and Down District Council's Online Funding Hub - Grant Manager (eformz.info)

For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the following:

Programmes Unit
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
Monaghan Row
Newry
BT35 8DJ
Tel: 0330 137 4040
Email: programmesunit@nmandd.org

Access Programme for Cultural Organisations

Grants are available to not-for-profit cultural organisations in Derry City and Strabane to improve access to arts and culture for people with disabilities.

The Access Programme for Cultural Organisations is provided and administered by Derry City and Strabane District Council as part of its Arts and Culture Strategy 2019-24.

The funding is intended to support capital costs to enable the following:

• Improve access to arts and culture organisations across Northern Ireland for people with disabilities.

• Make arts and cultural organisations more inclusive across society.

• Increase participation in arts and culture activities by people with disabilities.

  
  Grants of up to £30,000 are available.

Applications will be accepted from constituted, not-for-profit cultural organisations located in Derry City and Strabane.

For projects requiring adjustments to the fabric or structure of a building, the applicant must be the owner or leaseholder (five years minimum) of the premises.

The deadline for applications is noon on 12 January 2023.

An online application form and guidance notes are available to access from the Derry City and Strabane District Council website - Derry City and Strabane District Council (smapply.org)

For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the following:

Caitriona Doherty
Derry City and Strabane District Council
Londonderry Office
98 Strand Road
Derry / Londonderry
BT48 7NN
Tel: 028 7125 3253
Email: caitriona.doherty@Derrystrabane.com

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

Council opens community grant schemes to support the Lisburn Castlereagh community

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council is delighted to offer two funding opportunities for local community/voluntary groups to assist them deliver their services next year: the Community Support Grant and the Community Festivals Fund.

These can be applied for online before 12 noon on Tuesday 17th January 2023 at https://www.lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk/resident/community-services/community-grants

Those organisations interested in applying to either grant scheme are invited to attend an information workshop.  Please book in advance using the contact details below.  The workshop dates and times are:

Community Support Grant

Secure your place by emailing community.services@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk

·       Tuesday 10 January 7.00pm at Enler Community Centre, Dundonald

·       Wednesday 11 January 11.00am at Maghaberry Community Centre

Community Festivals Fund

Secure your place by emailing lynda.mccord@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk

·       Tuesday 10 January 7.00pm at Enler Community Centre, Dundonald

·       Wednesday 11 January 11.00am at Maghaberry Community Centre

Applications for both grants are online at www.lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk/CSG2324  and www.lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk/CFF2324

The closing date for receipt of completed application forms is 12 noon on Tuesday 17th January 2023.

Acorn Farm – I Can Grow

The Acorn Farm, I can Grow project is calling for families in Derry/Londonderry and Strabane to roll up their sleeves and get planting. No experience needed!  The programme supports families to grow their own fruit and vegetables. Families are given everything they need to grow food at home, learning from horticultural experts to begin the creation of a more sustainable food system throughout the city.

The project aims to: 

Build a new iconic urban farm at St Columb’s Park in Derry~Londonderry as a demonstration hub for growing food, recreation, education and learning 

Train local people how to grow food at home 

Improve awareness of the connection between climate change and food choice 

Activate a local movement of food growers 

Conduct and produce research of the impact of our local food systems on climate  and health 

Influence local food policy in relation to climate change and health 

Register your interest at Acorn Farm - I Can Grow (office.com)

Closing date for applications is 31st January 2023

Branching Out Fund – deadline extended to 15 January 2023!

The Tree Council are delighted to announce that due to the popularity of this Grant, they are extending the deadline for applications to 15 January. 

This is only for NEW applications, not those currently in progress, but not yet submitted.  This Grant fund supports schools, community groups and Tree Warden Networks to plant trees, hedges and orchards.  Grants can be between £200 and £2000.  All projects must have strong community involvement, and ideally involve children and/or young people.  They encourage you to read the application guidance fully before you complete the application form, particularly in relation to eligibility.  The grant is open to the whole of the UK. You may also be interested in our Wildlife & Biodiversity Fund below.  If you would like to have a chat about this grant, please contact geraldine.creaven@treecouncil.org.uk

To read about other funding opportunities please visit Our grants - The Tree Council

Financial Assistance Call 1 2023/2024 Now Open

Financial Assistance Call 1 2023/2024 is now open on the Electronic Grant Management System (EGMS), which can be accessed through the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council web page under Grants and Funding.

Themes available:

Open to Community Voluntary Sector (all):

• Community Engagement

• Community Events & Festivals (Projects running between 01 April 2023 - 30 September 2023) 

• Community Growing 'Let's Grow NMD'

• Irish Language

• Local Biodiversity Enhancement

• Minority Communities

• Suicide Prevention & Emotional Wellbeing

Open to Community Voluntary Sector (all) and Business:

• Tourism Events

Open to Community Associations only (Applicants must meet the definition of a Community Association given in the Guidance Notes and documentation will be required as evidence):

• Community Summer Schemes

Open to Community Associations managing a community facility (Applicants must meet the definitions of a Community Association and Community Facility given in the Guidance Notes and documentation will be required as evidence):

• Community Capital for Community Facilities

• Community Facilities Minor Capital Items

• Service Level Agreements for Community Facilities 2023-2027

• Facility Management Agreement 2023-2027 (Closed call for Council-owned facilities only)

Opening date: Tuesday 06 December 2022 at 12:00 noon

Closing date: Tuesday 17 January 2023 at 12:00 noon for all Themes except Community Capital for Community Facilities which closes Tuesday 14 February 2023

Online Funding Workshops

Online workshops providing an overview of the themes, key changes for 2023/2024 financial assistance and guidance on procurement will be available on the following dates:

• 12 December 2022, 2pm

• 14 December 2022, 7pm

• 15 December 2022, 10.30am

To book a place on one of the workshops please visit Residents - Grants and Funding - NMDDC (newrymournedown.org).  A link to the online workshop is provided automatically by Eventbrite upon registration.

Please note: All themes are subject to funding availability. Late application submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances.

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)

Financial Assistance 2023-2024 – Call 1

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council invites applications for financial assistance towards the programmes areas outlined below:

Open to Community Voluntary Sector (ALL)

• Community Engagement

• Community Events & Festivals (Projects running between 01 April 2023 - 30 September 2023)

• Community Growing 'Let's Grow NMD'

• Irish Language

• Local Biodiversity Enhancement

• Minority Communities

• Suicide Prevention & Emotional Wellbeing

Open to Community Voluntary Sector (ALL) and Business

• Tourism Events

Open to Community Associations Only 

Applicants must meet the definition of a community association given in the guidance notes, documentation will be required as evidence.

• Community Summer Schemes

Open to Community Associations Managing a Community Facility 

Applicants must meet the definitions of a Community Association and community facility given in the guidance notes, documentation will be required as evidence.

• Community Capital for Community Facilities

• Community Facilities Minor Capital Items

• Service Level Agreements for Community Facilities 2023-2027

• Facility Management Agreement 2023-2027 (Closed call for Council-owned facilities only)

Opening Date: Tuesday 6 December 2022 at 12pm

Closing Date: Tuesday 17 January 2023 at 12pm for all themes except Community Capital for Community Facilities which closes on Tuesday 14 February 2023

Online Funding Workshops

Online workshops providing an overview of the themes, key changes for 2023/2024 financial assistance and guidance on procurement will be available on the following dates:

• Monday 12 December 2022, 2pm

• Wednesday 14 December 2022, 7pm

• Thursday 15 December 2022, 10.30am

To book a place on one of the workshops please click here. A link to the online workshop is provided automatically by Eventbrite upon registration.

Please note: All themes are subject to funding availability. Late application submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances.

Groups wishing to be notified of future funding opportunities should request their details to be added to the Councils database by contacting:

The Programmes Unit

T: 0330 137 4040 / 0330 137 4782

E: programmesunit@nmandd.org

Foodbank Fund

The Foodbank Fund has been established in response to the cost of living crisis and evidence that many foodbanks are facing the combined challenges of increasing need, escalating running costs, and food donations failing to keep up with demand.

The Fund is open to applications from foodbanks for funding to help meet costs such as the purchase of additional food items and increased running costs.

The definition of a foodbank for the purposes of this Fund is a venue which regularly gives out emergency food parcels at least once each week and has been running for six months or more.

Key applicant information

• You must be a not-for-profit organisation established before 1 January 2020

• Your annual income is between £25,000 – £1,000,000

• Applications accepted until 6 December 2022

Before applying you must read the Applicant Guidance which provides full details of eligibility and guidance on how to apply. It also tells you what other documents you may need to have ready to submit with your application. Also, see the FAQs for any questions you may have.

Follow the link below when you have read the Applicant Guidance and FAQs and are ready to submit an application.

Please visit Foodbank Fund - The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust (juliahansrausingtrust.org)

2023/24 Central Good Relations Fund

The 2023/24 Central Good Relations Fund will open for applications on the 6th December 2022. To help groups apply for funding, the Executive Office will be hosting two ‘CGRF Online Funding Forums’ via Webex.

The forums will take place on: -

• Tuesday 6 December 2022 @ 11am

• Wednesday 7 December 2022 @ 3pm

The online forums will be a great way to find out more about the CGRF fund, and advice and guidance will be offered in relation to projects that could be delivered, the application form, and how to apply etc.

The online forums will last approximately 1hr and will also include a Q&A session where attendees can put specific questions to the panel. If you have a question/query that you would like the CGRF team to address on the day, please e-mail GoodRelationsFund@executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk by Monday 5 December 2022. You will also be able to submit questions to the panel during the online forum.

Registration for groups to attend the online forums will take place via Eventbrite, where you will be able to choose which forum you would like to attend. Registration for these events will close on 30 November at 3.00pm. Further information including how to register to attend is available at: https://tbucevents.eventbrite.co.uk

Financial Assistance 2023/24

Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council is offering financial assistance to eligible groups in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector for the period 1st April 2023 - 31st March 2024.

Funding is available through the following grant programmes:

- Community Grants

- Arts, Culture and Events Grants

- Good Relations Grants

- International Linkage Grants

- Running costs (for eligible organisations)

- Programmes

- Events

 Initial queries should be directed to Valerie Leatham on 07515 607480

For more information, please visit Community Grants - Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council (armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk)

Co-op Foundation's Future Communities Fund

Our funding will aim to bring our Future Communities Vision to life for young people.

We provide flexible and unrestricted funding to people working to build the fairer, more co-operative communities of the future imagined by young people. This will help us deliver on Co-op’s vision of ‘co-operating for a fairer world’.  

We listen to, invest, and learn from:  

• A diverse range of young people who’ll be the leaders, co-operators, organisers and activists in these future communities.

• Organisations working to bring future communities to life.

• Organisations that need support when unpredictable events in the ‘here and now’ threaten their ability to build communities of the future.

Learn more about our Future Communities Vision

How we fund

We’re Co-op’s charity. We believe co-operation is at the heart of strong communities and this makes us a different kind of funder. 

Co-operative values are reflected throughout our funding, from applications and grant-making, to learning and celebrating. This builds on work we’ve already started to become a more flexible funder, and to develop more equal and trusting partnerships 

We will follow these seven principles as we build communities of the future together: 

1. Participatory

We will involve people from the communities we work with in decisions about how to use our funds. We’ll draw on the co-operative values of democracy, self-help and self-responsibility to help address the power imbalance present in traditional grant-making. 

2. Unrestricted

We invest in organisations that can bring our Future Communities Vision to life. We make unrestricted funding available, giving organisations the power to decide how best to use these funds to build their communities’ future.  

3. Looking to the long-term

Building the communities that young people want to be part of takes time, so we invest in organisations over longer timeframes.  

Long-term funding is a way we can demonstrate the co-operative value of solidarity with our partners and communities and help encourage social responsibility. Our funds may vary in the length of grants we make, but all would be designed to support long-term work to build communities of the future.  

4. Trusting

We focus on understanding partners and their work in a positive, transparent and trusting way. We are as flexible as possible with our funding, creating maximum freedom and control for our funded partners, so they can choose how best to ensure their community is ready for the future. 

5. Accessible

The size, background or leadership of an organisation should not be a barrier to accessing funding. We don’t exclude anyone based on how we ask them to apply for funding, how they report back to us or how they evaluate their work.  

We proactively encourage applications from small and traditionally less funded groups, particularly those that face systemic barriers. We strive to enable organisations to access funding, for example, video applications via smartphones. 

6. Supportive and strengthening

In addition to funding, we provide partners with other kinds of support. We’re developing a funder-plus model that provides partners with access to an enhanced range of support, such as organisational development opportunities.  

7. Facilitate co-operation

No person or organisation can build their community’s future alone. Where we see opportunities for organisations and people to build together, we do what we can to foster co-operation. We actively support new partnerships, encouraging local connections and collaborations, and links between local and national organisations 

Please visit How we fund | Our co-operative approach to funding (coopfoundation.org.uk)

Shine Bright

Criteria

Shine Bright funding enables charities across the UK to purchase items and resources to protect and support the children they serve through the cost of living crisis.

Charities are asked to provide details of how our funding can assist, and which items would be purchased through an award. Grants are available up to £1,500 per successful application.

Please note, we are only able to fund charitable organisations with a turnover below £1.5m.

Requirements

Please note we offer funding to registered charities only. Please be advised that this application process requires you to provide details on your project, charity, finances, and other details relevant to delivering the project. This form works on mobile devices but you may prefer to do this on a desktop so you can prepare and upload the requested information and files more easily.

To apply, please visit Shine Bright Funding Application – the7stars foundation : the7stars foundation

Community Festivals Fund 2023/24

A community Festival is 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 and the creation of a sense of identity and are important in contributing to the social well-being of a community. They must be initiated and led by a community organisation or a community led partnership. It is not enough to run a festival for a community, the community must play a strong part in the development and delivery of the festival and have ownership of it.

The following are the Community Festival/Events key criteria;

• Promotes social inclusion and improving community relations

• Has strong community participation in the design and delivery of the event

• Provides opportunities for your community to express and celebrate their cultural heritage

• Provides opportunities for development - this includes capacity building, links with other organisations and diversity of activities

• Attracts visitors to the area

• Demonstrates how it will ensure that hard to reach groups will engage with your festival as volunteers, participants and audience

• Demonstrate how it will complement and contribute to the existing calendar of events

• Maximises non-public sources of income (e.g. through commercial sponsorship, donations, ticket sales, advertising revenue, etc)

• Demonstrates value for money and good financial governance

The fund opened for applications on 21st November 2022 and will close on 12th January 2023. For more information and to apply, please visit Community Festival Fund 2023/24 (LIVE) - Derry City and Strabane District Council (smapply.org)

BHSCT ‘Carer Support Service’ – invite to their Information Sharing Session and launch of grant

The Carers NI State of Caring (2022) report found that 40% of carers said that they had not had a break within the past 12 months, 27% reported their mental health as bad or very bad, rising to 31% for those caring 50+ hours a week and to 32% for those who had been caring for 10 years or more, and almost a quarter - 23% said that they were cutting back on essentials like food and heating to help them cope. Against this backdrop, the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT) want to ensure that ‘unpaid’ carers are supported and provide a range of services including a small grant set to be launched in December to provide services for carers to the Voluntary & Community. Find out more about the grant and other services at their Information Sharing Session, Thursday 8th December from 12 noon to 1.00pm.

Community and Voluntary Sector Information Sharing Session - 8th December 2022 12 - 1pm (office.com)