Council Grant Aid Programme

Applications for Mid Ulster Council's Grant Aid Programme 2023/2024 have opened, closing date for majority of programmes is 16th March 2023 -

• Small Development Grant

• Community/Sports Venue and Facilities Grant

• Strategic Arts and Culture Development Grant

• Strategic Sports Development Grant

• Strategic Community Development Grant

• Strategic Events Grant

• Good Relations Grant (rolling programme)

• Community Festival Grant (rolling programme)

• Sports Representatives Grant Club/Teams (rolling programme)

• Sports representatives Individual Grant (rolling programme)

• Irish Language Activity Funding Grant

• Deontas do Ghníomhaíochtaí Ghaeilge

• MUDC Regional and Minority Language Bursary

• Sparánacht do Theanga Mionlaigh nó Réigiúnda CCLU

There is also a new online system to help improve the process for all those groups and clubs applying for funding. Give your project a boost by visiting https://www.midulstercouncil.org/grants

UK Youth – Cost of Living Fund

The cost-of-living crisis is having a profound and devastating effect on young people and the youth organisations they depend on as they struggle to keep up with the rising cost of inflation.

Already youth organisations are having to cut back on delivery or staff costs and in some cases, are closing their doors. This will result in a vital part of the youth ecosystem falling apart, unable to provide critical support to young people and impacting the key stages of young people’s lives.

This new fund is a three-year unrestricted grant programme aimed at mitigating the devastating impact the cost of living crisis is having on the youth sector.

The UK Youth Fund in partnership with Pears Foundation will provide targeted funding to youth organisations delivering high quality youth work to ensure doors stay open, bills get paid and youth workers receive the salaries they deserve. This will help to ensure young people continue to be supported at this most difficult of times by the youth organisations and youth workers on whom they’ve come to depend.

The Cost of Living grant programme is open to youth organisations based and delivering high quality youthwork in the UK, with an annual turnover of £500,000 or less. The grant programme will offer 3-year unrestricted grants, of approximately 10% of current turnover of applicant organisations to reflect the current rate of inflation. However, applicants will have an opportunity to explain why they might need funding above and beyond this.

We are looking to identify and support youth organisations delivering high quality youth provision whose work is being hindered, curtailed or cut back due to rising core costs or a need to address unprecedented demand.

The application process is now open – and will stay open whilst funds remain to be distributed.

For more information and to apply please visit The UK Youth fund in partnership with Pears Foundation - UK Youth

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)

Move More and Eat Well

Up to £1000 of funding is being offered to local communities under a project developed by Council’s Active Belfast partnership with the Public Health Agency.

The ‘Move More and Eat Well – to Feel Better’ funding opened for applications on Monday 6 February and takes a participatory budgeting approach.

This format encourages residents to pitch and vote on small-scale projects that will have a positive impact on physical activity and healthy eating in their area.

Chair of Belfast City Council’s People and Communities Committee Councillor Micky Murray is keen to encourage applications and said: “Groups can apply for up to £1000 for ideas that they think their community will benefit from - as long as they’re based around moving more and eating well as the title of the scheme suggests.

“Physical activity and healthy eating remain priority areas within the refreshed Belfast Agenda and our new draft action plan includes a clear commitment to trial and pilot participatory budgeting in the city.

“The fantastic part about this fresh initiative is that it is completely led by local people and allows them to identify their own needs and wants in their own communities. It gives residents a voice, brings people together and perhaps most importantly, enables them to have the final decision on which projects are brought to life.” 

David Tumilty from the PHA and Chair of the Active Belfast Partnership (ABP) said:

“In line with the Belfast Agenda and on behalf of Belfast Community Planning Partnership (BCCP), ABP is committed to delivering the first ‘test & learn’ pilot of participatory budgeting in Belfast, providing a way for local people to make decisions about how public money is spent.

“We are delighted to be running ‘Move More and Eat Well – to Feel Better’ and I want to thank all the community, voluntary and statutory partners who have worked together to make this happen.  We hope this initiative will be a success, and that we and others will be able to learn from its development and delivery to inform the development of future participatory budgeting approaches.”

Active Belfast is a partnership that includes a wide range of stakeholders from statutory, community and voluntary sectors who support the physical activity and healthy eating agenda in Belfast.

For more information on the funding guidelines and to submit your application, visit the Your Say Belfast website at https://yoursay.belfastcity.gov.uk/

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon - Coronation Community Event Grant

Grants are available to support the delivery of community events in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon that will celebrate the coronation of His Majesty the King in May 2023.

The funding is intended to provide financial support to local voluntary and community groups wishing to deliver events to celebrate the coronation during the period Friday 5th to Monday 8th May 2023.

Grants of up to £400 are available.

Who Can Apply

Applications are accepted from organisations that:

• Are community based and have 90% of beneficiaries in the Council area.

• Are not for personal profit.

Eligible Expenditure

The funding is used to support local, small-scale community events or activities to celebrate the Coronation.

The types of event the Council may fund include:

• Tea parties.

• Exhibitions.

• Talks.

• Social events for young and old.

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

Small Grant and Technical Assistance Grant Aid Programme 2023-2024

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.

Who can apply?

Only properly constituted community, voluntary & charitable groups can apply to the grant aid scheme and must be able to meet the following conditions. The group must:

 Be comprised of at least six members.

 Be democratically accountable through regular public meetings.

 Hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM).

 Be properly constituted and include a decision making process, and aims and activities that are acceptable to the Council.

 Be managed by a publicly elected committee; the office bearing positions of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer must be held as a minimum.

 Demonstrate a fair and equitable ethos through their established aims and objectives in accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998).

 Demonstrate that proposed activities are not a duplication of other activities.

 Produce an annual statement of independently verified or certified accounts, or a bank statement for new groups only.

 Agree to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council's monitoring, evaluation, and training procedures if required.

Projects must take place between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024, any activity outside these timescales will not be eligible for funding.

How to apply?

Applications will be available for completion online on the Grant Manager system at https://antrimnewtownabbey.eformz.info from 12noon on Wednesday 15 February 2023.

The Small Grant & Technical Assistance Grant will be available on a rolling basis subject to the availability of funding and will open in February each year. If you are applying for the Small Grant please apply up to 8 weeks in advance of your project/activity starting or when your insurance is due for renewal as all applications need to be considered at two Council meetings.

For further information, please contact: Kerry Brady – T: 07739 609 902 E: Kerry.Brady@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

Jonathan Henderson – T: 07733 263 202 E: Jonathan.Henderson@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

Keadue Community Grants Fund

Keadue Community Grants Fund was established by a local family to provide support to local organisations tackling the growing social need in Derry City and surrounding Waterside areas.

With these grants we aim to fund local organisations who are already making a difference in the lives of people who are struggling with difficult life issues and their subsequent effects.

Grants can be used to fund any of the following activities:

• An existing support programme

• Creation of a new programme

• Staff costs including salaries, core costs and specialist training

• Small scale capital costs including premises refurbishment and the

• purchase of equipment

• Events and awareness raising activities

• Capacity building activities to address elements of organisational sustainability

• Partnership building activities to strengthen support and impact

• Volunteer costs and associated expenses

Grants available

Grant sizes will typically be between £10k and £20k to be awarded over periods of up to two years. Organisations can re-apply in subsequent years following completion of grant evaluation and monitoring reports.

Closing date for applications is 6th March 2023. For more information and to apply, please visit Keadue Community Grants Fund - Community Foundation Northern Ireland (communityfoundationni.org)

McCarthy Stone Foundation Small Grants Programme

The Foundation awards one-off grants to registered charities and community organisations working towards the primary focus of our charitable outcomes. We’re keen to give grants to grassroots and volunteer led charities helping to make a difference in the community.

Our Spring Grants Programme for 2023 is now OPEN for Expressions of Interest. 

Please note, to be eligible your organisation should be under £500k of annual income, volunteer driven, and able to demonstrate the impact of your work on people over 65 in the local community. If you meet these criteria, you can submit an CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST. 

We are also running a Winter Warm Spaces grant programme, with 40 grants of £750 available for local groups providing a regular, warm meeting space for people over 65. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.

We know that many small organisations don’t have the resources for complex or extensive grant applications and monitoring, so we will do our best to work with you to make the process simple, transparent, and fair. We will also work with you to help report on the impact the grant will have. You can also find out more in our Grant Making Policy that covers the processes and criteria in greater depth.

#InTheLoop Grant Fund

Hubbub is launching a new #InTheLoop grant fund for two new projects with funding of £8,000 each to boost the opportunity to recycle on-the-go using the #InTheLoop toolkit

The fund is supported by McDonald’s.

They’re looking for ambitious, projects that will transform recycling in public spaces.

• Each successful project will receive an £8,000 grant to invest in, and boost, recycling facilities.

• Grants will help you to boost recycling facilities in your area by providing funding to invest in infrastructure.

• Projects will also get on going support from Hubbub based on our expertise and experience in delivering recycling campaigns.

• Successful applicants will be able to demonstrate ambitious, robust and long-term plans to boost recycling in their area.

• Successful projects will be selected by Hubbub and the McDonald’s UK team.

• The fund is open to any organisation. We anticipate that the majority of applications will be from local authorities, business improvement districts, shopping centres, major property owners and transport hubs.

• Please read the terms & conditions before submitting an application.

• The payment schedule is 80% up front, 10% at 4 months and 10% on completion of the project.

For more information and to apply, please visit #InTheLoop grant fund — In The Loop

Funding Opportunities - ABC Council

Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council is offering financial assistance to eligible groups in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector for capital projects and The King’s Coronation Grant for 2023/2024:

Funding Opportunities

Large Capital Project Fund 2023 / 2024

Opens for applications at 9.00am on Monday 13th February and closes at 12 noon on Friday 27th October 2023, or when the budget is committed, whichever comes first.

Small Capital Project Fund 2023 / 2024

Opens for applications at 9.00am on Monday 13th February and closes at 12 noon on Friday 10th March 2023.

The King’s Coronation Grant

Opens for applications at 9.00am on Monday 13th February and closes at 12 noon on Friday 3rd March 2023

Projects must not commence before the 1st April 2023.

Groups wishing to be notified of future funding opportunities and other relevant information should request their details be added to the Council’s database by emailing fap@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk

Further information, including details of how to apply and dates of proposed Virtual Information Sessions is available from www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk/resident/community-grants

First point of contact is Valerie Leatham 07515607480.

APEX: Community Spirit Grants (formerly Involvement Grant Fund)

Applications for Apex’s Community Spirit Grants (formerly CIF Grants) are now being accepted from individual tenants, community groups and non-profit organisations. Individual Apex tenants can apply for up to £250 to deliver a programme that will bring their community together or address an issue that has been highlighted by tenants. Community groups and non-profit organisations can apply for grants of up to £500 towards providing assistance and support to communities in which Apex tenants live.

Scheme details

Individual Apex tenants can apply for up to £250 to deliver a programme that will bring their community together or address an issue that has been highlighted by tenants.

Community groups and non-profit organisations can apply for grants of up to £500 towards providing assistance and support to communities in which Apex tenants live.

Applicable criteria to meet include: 

1. Community development – the event will bring the community together

2. Community led – the proposed event has been developed by a group of tenants or the event will address an issue highlighted by tenants

3. Community spirit – the event will help improve how tenants feel about where they live or improve the reputation of the area

4. Legacy/sustainability – the event is part of a long term plan for the area

5. Benefit to tenants – Apex tenants will directly benefit​

How to apply

If you’re interested in applying, please contact their Tenant Participation Officers Mieke Hegarty (for the North West) or Donna Richmond (for Greater Belfast, Enniskillen, Dungannon and Newry areas) on 028 71304800 or email TP@apex.org.uk.

Closing date for completed applications: Friday 17 February 2023

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Grant Aid and Bursaries for 2023/24

1st Call for Applications – 2023 / 2024

Applications for the following grant aid & bursary streams opens on Monday 13 February 2023 and will close on Friday 3 March 2023 at 5pm.

 Grant Aid:

• Community & Wellbeing

• Community Premises Support

• Good Relations

• Irish in the Community

• Remembering & Commemoration – Decade of Centenaries

• Seeding

• Summer Schemes 2023 – July/August

• Ulster Scots in the Community

• Verti-Draining

Funding covers the financial year 2023 – 2024

For further information and Guidance Notes on Grant Aid Streams Open.

Bursaries 

• Irish Language (Gaeltacht, Minors, Adult, Family)

• Irish Language (Academic)

• Sport

For further information on Bursaries.  Click Here

Carers’ Support Fund

The Community Foundation NI on behalf of the Department of Health is delighted to open for application a Carers’ Support Fund.

The Carers’ Support Fund will provide support for organisations working for and with carers in line with the outcomes set out below.

Grant values of between £2k and £75k will be distributed to properly constituted community groups and voluntary organisations.

Funding awards will fall into 2 broad categories:

• Funding awards of up to £10k

• Funding awards between £10k and £75k

Fund Outcomes

Specific outcomes that the Fund should deliver are:
a) Enhanced provision of and access to practical support and help for carers.

b) Improved access to and availability of advice services for carers, including support available through new technologies.

c) Enhanced skills of carers to advocate for the needs of both themselves and the person they care for.

d) Support improved physical and mental health and wellbeing of carers.

e) Enhanced ability for carers to lead their own lives and enjoy a work/life balance.

f) Increased capacity to advocate for and advance carers’ issues with government and statutory bodies.

g) Raised awareness of the contribution of carers.

h) Improved evidence base on carers to support and inform service provision, and government strategy.

For an application to be successful, it must contribute to one or more of the above outcomes, depending on the level of funding applied for.

Closing date for applications is 13th March 2023. For more information and to apply, please visit Carers’ Support Fund - Community Foundation Northern Ireland (communityfoundationni.org)

Investing in Spaces and Places Grant 2023

Grants are available for small, local groups in the UK to improve community spaces and places where local people can be together and thrive.

Background

Set up in 1988, the ASDA Foundation is Asda’s charity. It operates independently of Asda stores but works very closely with Community Champions in Asda’s superstores with the goal of building resilient communities by empowering local groups to make a positive difference.

The Foundation offers a number of grants programmes at different times throughout the year, providing more than £3 million to Asda communities.

Objectives of Fund

This annual fund is aimed at local groups who are working to improve spaces in the heart of their local community.

In 2023, the funding will support bigger community projects within local communities where local people can be together and thrive.

The funding is intended for projects that address at least one of the following categories:

• Building repair

• Building development

• Outdoor development.

Projects need to align to at least one of the Foundation’s aims:

• Create and/or develop safe and inclusive community spaces for groups to meet and bring people together.

• Create or improve spaces which can be used by a range groups on a regular basis.

• Support groups to deliver long-lasting projects focused on long-term community impact.

Value Notes

The 2023 funding pot is £500,000+ with grants of between £10,000 and £25,000.

The grants can cover between 25% and 75% of the total project costs.

Grants can only be made by cheque.

Who Can Apply

Applications are accepted from grassroots, community-led organisations in the UK, including registered charities, CICs, companies, unincorporated club or association, small community groups or government entity/public body.

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be not-for-profit.

• Have an annual income of less than £250,000.

• Have community groups of people as their end beneficiaries.

• Have a presence locally with work that benefits their local community.

• Have unrestricted reserves below £100,000, unless they can provide an explanation.

• Have a bank account in the group’s name and be able to provide proof.

• Have suitable governance to be able to manage the grant.

• Have the ability to report back on progress throughout the project.

• Be able to show clear positive impacts for communities.

Since the Asda Foundation does not accept nominations or applications sent directly from community groups, applications must be submitted to a Community Champion from an Asda superstore.

To be eligible, applicants must either:

• Own and have full responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of the building/space; or

• Have a lease of over five years and full responsibility for upkeep and maintenance.

The funder is looking for groups that are:

• Committed to the community mission.

• People-centred and they promote equality, inclusivity and diversity.

• Efficiently run.

• Locally focused with spaces that are focused on the local community, delivering services and support to multiple beneficiaries.

Eligible Expenditure

Eligible project costs may include materials, tradespeople and equipment costs.

The funding is for projects that fall into at least one of the following categories:

• Building repairs: for spaces and places which already exist but are in disrepair and therefore limit the usability, safety or level of expectations for other to use the space. Repairs may be external or internal and may be due to age, vandalism, abandonment. Example include but are not limited to repairs to roofs, doors, windows, replacing central heating, upgrading electrical wiring or repairing/replacing plumbing.

• Building improvement or development: to enhance a space already in use. The improvements will enhance the quality of space or give more people/new groups the opportunity to use the space. Examples include but are not limited to new kitchens, improving toilet facilities, extension on a building, developing an unused internal space, improving disabled access and facilities, or security features to keep the space and place secure.

• Outdoor Development: to develop outside space for the benefit of the community, particularly outdoor spaces which benefit everyone and can be accessed by large groups of people. Examples include but are not limited to improving access to a community garden, transforming wasteland into usable space, or upgrading a local play area development/upgrading safety features.

There is a five-stage application process:

• Stage 1 - Applications are accepted from 6 February 2023 to 19 March 2023

• Stages 2-4 – Internal Asda Foundation review. This will take place from March through May 2023.

• Stage 5 – Announcement of the funding from 5 June 2023.

Maximum grant value is £25,000.

For more information and to apply, please visit Foundation Grants | Asda Foundation

SPAR Community Cashback Scheme

Leading convenience symbol group SPAR has launched a new £100k Community Cashback scheme which will give grants to local voluntary or community organisations and charities who need it most.

Launching today, shoppers from all over the UK can apply for a grant for an organisation or charity they feel deserves funding. All applicants need to do is share the exceptional contribution a local organisation has made to their community and what the grant would be put towards.

For more information on the scheme visit: http://www.spar.co.uk/community/community-cashback

The Community Action Fund

The Community Action Fund exists to support grassroots campaigning and community organising in the UK. 

It will provide one-off grants between £2,500 and £20,000. 

These grants are available to grassroots organisations that are building the power of their community and campaigning for long-term change. 

All successful applicants will be offered support beyond funding. This will include the Civic Power Fund Governance Hub and optional, bespoke cohort and capacity building opportunities.

The deadline is 26th February 2023.

The Community Action Fund is open to UK-based organisations that are:
‍

1. Rooted in and accountable to their community. 
   ‍

2. Hoping to achieve long-term change on issues affecting the lives of their community. 
   ‍

3. Addressing injustice by building the power of their community. For example, through community organising, campaigning, or democratic engagement. 
   ‍

4. Lacking the resources to take their vision to the next level. 
   ‍

5. Seeking to build a larger us and resisting the politics of division 

The Community Action Fund prioritises organisations led by people with lived experience of the injustice they are trying to overcome. 

For more information and to apply, please visit Community Action Fund (civicpower.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

The 2023 Ashden Awards

For over 20 years, the Ashden Awards have been uncovering and spotlighting the world’s next climate champions. Through grant prizes of up to £25,000, as well as ongoing development support, our awards accelerate climate innovation – helping businesses, charities, governments and others power up their impact in the UK and low-income countries. 

We back organisations that advance social justice while lowering emissions, with a particular focus on the power of climate action to improve jobs, skills and livelihoods. Winners and finalists enjoy grants, publicity and priceless new connections- as well as endorsement from globally-recognised climate experts.

Applications close on 8th March 2023.

For more information and to apply, please visit Apply to the 2023 Ashden Awards - Ashden

Annual Funding Programme 2023/24

The aim of the Annual Funding Programme (AFP) is to support Northern Ireland’s arts infrastructure through grants to organisations in all artforms and practices for their core and programming costs. AFP organisations will be key to helping us achieve the objectives set out in our 5-year strategic framework for developing the arts, Inspire / Connect / Lead, and we expect all awardees to support us in delivering these objectives.

Who can apply?

• Non-profit distributing organisations which can demonstrate they require a year-round resource to deliver arts programming.

• Commercial organisations can only apply for support if the proposed programme is primarily for the benefit of the public and where there are plans to re-invest any surplus into a similar programme.

• New applicants to the Annual Funding Programme must have been in receipt of a single award of at least £10,001 from ACNI since 1 April 2020 in order to be eligible for the scheme and must contact the appropriate ACNI arts officer to discuss their application prior to submission and by 5pm on 10 February at the latest. Failure to make prior contact with the Arts Council before submitting an application will render your application ineligible.

What You Can Apply For

You can apply for one year funding only. Eligible costs include the following:

Core costs:
Administrative salaries
Rent and Rates
Light and Heat
Maintenance, security, etc.
Telephone and Fax
Printing, postage, stationery
Financial costs
Insurance

Programming costs:
Artists’ costs
Volunteer expenses
Audience Development plans
Publicity/Marketing (excluding catering/merchandising)
Transportation
Travel, Accommodation, Subsistence
Equipment/Materials
Access/Participation Plans

Premium Payments:
An amount of up to £3,000 each year is available within the grant (i.e. to be included and potentially awarded as an element of your budget and request amount) for successful applicants who can clearly demonstrate that additional costs are associated with the delivery of their project for people with particular needs as defined under Section 75 of The Northern Ireland Act 1998. Please note that premium payments are made retrospectively on submission of evidence of demonstrated use of the services.

Deadline for applications: Friday 17th February 2023 at 12pm

For more information and to apply, please visit Annual Funding Programme | Arts Council of Northern Ireland (artscouncil-ni.org)

The Fibrus Community Fund

Purpose of the Fund:

The Fibrus Community Fund was established by Fibrus Networks Ltd in 2021.  The fund is aimed at addressing digital poverty and exists to support the work of communities across Northern Ireland to provide access to digital technology for the most vulnerable.

We recognise that the most vulnerable in our community can sometimes get left behind when it comes to accessing modern technology, something most of us take for granted.

Having the ability to access the internet can open a range of opportunities for individuals and communities especially when it comes to education, employment and socialising.   Formed with one vision; to connect communities across Northern Ireland, the Fibrus Community Fund will offer technology grants to enable people to stay connected, whether it is young people staying connected to online resources for school, or elderly people ordering groceries and video calling family.

Data from the Office of National Statistics in 2019 detailed that, despite how the number of people who can’t or don’t use the internet, has declined in general since 2012, Northern Ireland continues to have the highest proportion of non-internet users across the UK, at 14.2%. Those who perhaps are already disadvantaged and isolated, are now even more so as a result of the pandemic. The digital divide remains a problem throughout Northern Ireland.

The fund therefore, has a particular focus on supporting grassroots organisations that support older people or young people aged 18 and under.

The Fibrus Community Fund will open in two phases in 2023 in tandem with Fibrus’ build programme of new full fibre broadband, with phase one opening in January 2023.

Fund Aims:

The fund is aimed at addressing digital poverty by awarding grants of up to £2,000 to enable local groups and organisations in particular areas, to provide access to digital technology for the most vulnerable in that community, with a particular focus on older people and young people aged 18 and under.

We want the fund to support community organisations who are supporting young people or older people to address the digital divide.

What is Available?

We will offer grants of up to £2,000 for projects to address any gaps that younger and older people might face in their communities, which may include provision of access to technological devices.

Who Can Apply?

Constituted community organisations based in the areas outlined below can apply:

Eligible postcodes:

BT22 , BT23, BT24, BT25, BT26, BT27, BT28, BT30, BT31, BT32, BT33, BT34, BT35, BT38, BT39, BT40, BT41, BT42, BT43, BT44, BT45, BT46, BT48, BT51, BT52, BT53, BT54, BT55, BT56, BT57, BT60, BT61, BT62, BT63, BT65, BT66, BT67, BT69, BT70, BT71, BT74, BT75, BT76, BT77, BT78, BT79, BT80, BT81, BT82, BT92, BT93, BT94

In the event of oversubscription we will prioritise:

1.       Applicants who have not previously been awarded a grant from the fund

2.     Organisations that have an annual income below £50,000

3.     Those who more clearly articulate the need in relation to the beneficiaries

Examples of Types of Projects:

• Projects that provide access to engage with a range of digital devices (laptops, tablets, iPads, smart-phones, etc.), such as a community loan facility, etc.

• Projects that strengthen the capacity of individuals to use a range of available digital services, such as training workshops or courses, which may also include catering and venue hire costs.

• Projects that provide access to enhance connections with others, such as a community-use internet hub, or internet café, etc.

• Provision of internet installation/connection in community facilities for community use.

Project Priorities:

• Focus on the positive contribution of people within the community, and support those most in need of support to use and access digital technologies

• We want to hear how your community intends to build on the assets within that community, to support those who have faced digital challenges

• We expect you to focus on the need of your beneficiaries in terms of digital poverty, as well as focus on what is good about your community, and how this project will build on previous successes as a community, and support the beneficiary/beneficiaries in the longer term

The fund will close at 1:00pm on Monday 20 February 2023.

Please visit The Fibrus Community Fund - Community Foundation Northern Ireland (communityfoundationni.org)