Grand Choice 2023

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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 Castlereagh South postcode can apply for up to £1,000 for a project they think will benefit their area of Castlereagh South - 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 Castlereagh South District Electoral Area. This includes Beechill, Cairnshill, Carryduff East, Carryduff West, Galwally, Knockbracken, Newtownbreda

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 17th September 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 21st September or as soon as possible thereafter.

The shortlisted projects will be required to exhibit their proposal at a Community Decision Event on Saturday 21st October 2023. 

Stage 2. Community Decision Event

At the Community Decision Event in October 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.

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

For more information and to apply, please visit Grand Choice in Castlereagh South (lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk)

Christmas Festive Fund

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Council’s Christmas Festive Fund is now open for applications, closing date 12 noon on Friday 22nd September 2023:

The Christmas Fund will support community associations from Towns, Villages and hamlets to help celebrate Christmas.  Please note that only one community group per settlement will be successful and projects/events must take place between 25th Nov and 16th Dec 2023.  Please note that if your community organisation is situated within Ballycastle, Ballymoney, Coleraine & Limavady and receive a Council Christmas event, then your group is unable to apply.

Fund A – Applications for settlements with a population of 1000 can apply for a range of costs relating to festive entertainment, priority will be given to projects that promote wide community involvement for outdoor events – up to £2500.

 

Fund B – Applications for settlements with a population between 100-1000 can apply for a range of costs relating to festive entertainment, priority will be given to projects that promote wide community involvement for outdoor events celebrating the festive period - up to £750

 

For more information and to apply please click on our council website – www.causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk  or to discuss your application, you can directly contact the Events team – Tracey Freeman – tracey.freeman@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk

Pudsey Next Steps

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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

 

Community Mentoring & Grants Programme

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Elevate provides a unique opportunity for community organisations to put their collective learning on health inequalities into practice in a supportive and encouraging environment. One of the elements of Elevate is the Community Mentoring & Grants programme.

Groups who are successful in the Elevate Mentoring and Grants Programme receive:

  • Direct support for your group from a mentor organisation

  • Networking sessions, coming together with other Elevate mentee Groups

  • A grant of up to £5,000 to implement a community-based project following identification of local needs and solutions.

We have partnered with six organisations that demonstrate excellent community development practice and a solid commitment to tackling health inequalities, to deliver the mentoring on behalf of Elevate. These are Mid & East Antrim Agewell Partnership, County Down Rural Community Network, ARC Healthy Living Centre, and Supporting Communities. These mentors will each support groups by providing them with direct mentoring sessions supporting them to build their community development practice as a group, and networking sessions where groups have the chance to come together with other Elevate mentee groups. The networking sessions allow local organisations to make connections, build networks, share information and ideas and support each other in their work. Successful groups also receive a grant of up to £5000 to enable them to use a community development approach to deliver a project aimed at reducing health inequalities in their locality or for the target group they support.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) – funded Elevate Community Mentoring and Grants programme 2023-24 is NOW OPEN.  The programme supports groups who could benefit from mentoring and funding (up to £5,000) to deliver a project which uses community development to tackle health inequalities.

The closing date for applications is  4:00pm on Monday 28th  August 2023. 

This year, we will consider all applications, and particularly welcome applications from groups who are in local areas with previously low uptake (Lisburn and Castlereagh, Antrim and Newtownabbey, Lisanelly Omagh and Crossmaglen areas) and groups who support people from LGBTQIA+, BAME, and other under-represented groups. 

For more information and to apply, please visit Community Mentoring & Grants Programme - Elevate NI

Food Hardship Grant for Community Organisations

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The Department for Communities has made available hardship funding to local authorities to support the most vulnerable affected by the cost of living crisis. Council is working with partners in the Anti-Poverty Stakeholder Steering Group to support borough wide services to deal with the increased demand for support through a range of measures.

The purpose of this Grant Programme is to support small localised constituted community and voluntary organisations that are currently supporting residents experiencing food insecurity, and that need additional resources to cope with the increased demand for their services. 

The Programme will assist organisations to support residents through the direct provision of food, hygiene and household essentials through established community food projects such as community food pantries and cupboards.

Applications are invited from constituted community and voluntary organisations that have a track record of working directly with people experiencing disadvantage. These include:

  • Food pantries/ cupboards;

  • Projects that redistribute food, such as community fridges, to those that need it most in local communities;

  • Holiday hunger schemes.

Only those applications which provide a targeted response in relation to food poverty interventions will be considered.

This scheme is for localised food insecurity projects; a separate scheme will operate for larger registered foodbanks that provide regional coverage and so they should not apply through this programme. Due to the one off nature of this funding the grant cannot be used to support the set up of new food projects. That grant is opened on a rolling basis and the fund will close as soon as the available funds are allocated. 

Eligible organisations can apply for grants of up to £3,000 towards 100% of eligible costs. Funded activities can take place up to 31st March 2024. Funding should be used for food items and other household and hygiene essentials. A maximum of 10% of the grant awarded can be used for administration costs.

Projects must demonstrate how they will address all of the following 3 objectives:

  • Support residents who are experiencing financial difficulty through the provision of food. This may also include hygiene or household essentials;

  • Ensure that the support is targeted at those most vulnerable and in need of support;

  • Ensure that any food intervention is linked with other support services by signposting or referral (such as benefits and money advice; energy efficiency advice etc)

You are strongly advised to speak to a member of the Community Development team before applying to ensure that your project is eligible.

 

The team can be contacted as follows:

Limavady, Benbradagh & Ballymoney -                                                                                                                                        

Catherine Farrimond

07846 099916    

catherine.farrimond@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk

 

Coleraine, Bann, Causeway & The Glens -                                                                                                                                    

Lisa Harris

lisa.harris@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk

 

Neighbourhood Renewal areas in Coleraine & Limavady -  

 Jenni Archer

07892 764937

jenni.archer@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk

For detailed guidance notes and application form please apply here:-  https://grants.ccgbcapps.com/

Closing date is 31st August 2023

Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) Small Grants Programme

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Local community and voluntary groups are invited to apply for funding from the Ards and North Down PCSP’s small grants programme for 2023-2024

 Applications will be considered from constituted groups wishing to deliver projects that will address levels of Anti-Social Behaviour within the Borough and improve community safety.

 Funding is available for projects to local groups, organisations and partnerships wishing to undertake interventions to address;

  • anti-social behaviour

  • substance abuse in public spaces

  • criminal damage

  • disruption

  • nuisance

  • street drinking

Projects should encourage positive action to enhance a positive lifestyle and priority will be given to projects targeting ASB hotspots in the Borough.

Closing date for applications is 4.00pm Friday 18 August 2023

Please see below word and PDF versions of the Grant Application Form 2023-24

For more information and to apply, please visit PCSP grants | Ards and North Down Borough Council

Funding Opportunity for Healthy Eating Projects

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The Community Food Initiatives (CFI) is a healthy eating programme funded by safefood.  The programme runs over a three year cycle (2022-24) and its purpose is to provide people with the knowledge and skills to provide healthy food options for themselves and their families.  safefood, as a North / South body established under the Good Friday Agreement, provides CFI funding to organisations in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland.  The programme is managed by SECAD Partnership on behalf of safefood.

 

CFI at Home

safefood is inviting organisations who are not currently involved in the CFI to apply for funding to deliver an online project, in their own local area, that meets the criteria of the CFI at Home Programme.  The purpose of the CFI at Home Programme is to support families in their own homes to develop their cooking skills and healthy eating habits.  Projects could include all or some of the following elements:

·     Learning how to prepare & cook a recipe

·     Attending an online cookery session

·     Online support groups for sharing ideas and tips

·     Online interactive talks delivered by a dietitian or registered nutritionist

 

Examples of online projects that were delivered during 2020 and 2021 can be found at this link: CFI Booklet 2019-21

safefood Resources

The resources needed to plan and deliver a CFI at Home project can be found on the safefood website at www.safefood.net/cfi-hub and include:

•    101 Square Meals Recipe Book

•    Food Pyramid and The Eatwell Guide

•    safefood START campaign

•    Handwashing

•    Family Meal Planning

•    Food Safety

•    Healthy Lunchboxes

•    Kitchen Skills

 

Funding

Interested organisations can apply for funding up to a maximum of €2,000 or £1,720 to deliver a project in their local area.

 

Applicant Organisation Criteria

Organisations must:

•    Be community-led organisations with a legal status and appropriate governance structure

•    Be experienced in the management of public funds which support social inclusion initiatives

•    Currently employ and manage full time professionals with community development experience

•    Have experience of working with the target group identified

•    Be supporting other broader community initiatives through their work

•    Provide supports across communities irrespective of age, race or creed

Preparing an Application

Please contact SECAD Partnership for details on how to apply for the funding at:

Sinéad Conroy

SECAD Partnership CLG

T: 00 353 (0)87 354 3606

E: sconroy@secad.ie

Closing date for application

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis up to and including Friday, 16th September 2023.  As funding is limited, interested organisations are advised to apply as soon as possible.  All activities must be completed by Sunday, 5th November 2023.

Power NI's Brighter Communities

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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

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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

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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

Tesco Stronger Starts

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Giving thousands of children a healthier, active start in life

Tesco Stronger Starts supports schools to apply for extra financial help they might need to provide healthy food and activities that boost young people’s mental and physical wellbeing.

Tesco Stronger Starts supports thousands of local community projects and good causes across the UK.

The scheme is open to all schools, registered charities and not-for-profit organisations, with priority given to projects that provide food and support to young people.

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

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

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

  • A school wanting to develop a food growing area.

  • A school supporting an after school club.

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

  • An organisation addressing holiday hunger.

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

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

For more information and to apply, please visit Apply for a grant – Tesco Stronger Starts (tescocommunitygrants.org.uk)

The UK Fund to launch in August

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The UK Fund is one of our first significant commitments as part of our new strategy, ‘It starts with community.'

We’re looking to fund organisations that want to do more to help communities come together and help make us a better-connected society.

Your project must either work across the UK, or be able to inform, influence or scale across the UK.

We want to fund projects that:

  • strengthen relationships between people whose experiences of life have not been the same. For example, relationships between people of different ethnic backgrounds, generations, occupations or geographies

  • create connections between online and offline worlds

  • help make sure people from all backgrounds can shape the future of their communities.

We’ll fund ambitious projects that aim to create longer-term, transformational change. We’ll take an equity-based approach to tackle inequality. This means we’ll fund where there’s greatest need.

You can read our blog for examples of projects we’re likely to fund.

Area: You must either work across the UK, or be able to inform, influence or scale across the UK.

Funding size: £500,000 to £5m

Length of grants: We expect most projects to run from 2 to 5 years. We may consider funding for up to 10 years.

Area - UK-wide

Funding size - £500,000 to £5 million

Application deadline - Ongoing

For more information, please visit The UK Fund | The National Lottery Community Fund (tnlcommunityfund.org.uk)

Elevate Community Mentoring & Grants Programme is returning

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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)

Policing & Community Safety Partnership Call for Applications

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The funding call opens on Thursday 6 July 2023 and will close at 5pm on Thursday 27 July 2023. Funding covers the financial year 2023 / 2024, 1 August 2023 to 29 February 2024.

Fermanagh and Omagh Policing and Community Safety Partnership aims to create safer, shared communities. To help achieve this the Fermanagh and Omagh Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) has funding available to assist with the delivery of projects that respond to community needs and emerging trends. The funding will focus on projects which address an identified community safety need AND/OR build community confidence in policing. The PCSP invites organisations to submit a proposal for funding to deliver activity in the 2023-2024 financial year. By inviting the proposal, the PCSP is not making any commitment to funding the proposal wholly or in part. All project activity must take place in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area. Prior permission must be granted from the PCSP for project activity to take place outside of the Council area. Applications will only be accepted from groups/organisations based in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area.

The PCSP small grants programme supports organisations to address community safety issues e.g., anti-social behaviour, fear of crime, internet safety AND/OR build confidence in policing. Project activities will result in positive and measurable change in terms of community safety and levels of engagement with and community confidence in policing. Applications that are solely activity based e.g., trip to outdoor centre will not be considered. Where feasible project activity should take place within the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area.

Applicant groups must be a not for profit constituted community or voluntary group with an annual AGM. The following are eligible for funding:

  • Workshop facilitator

  • Venue hire

  • Refreshments capped at 20% of the funding award

  • Project materials

  • Transport costs

  • Diversionary activities

  • Equipment where it can be demonstrated it is integral to the project activity

Grants available in the range of £750 - £5,000.

Applications can be discussed with officers in the PCSP Team:

Carol Follis carol.follis@fermanaghomagh.com / 07712540263

Greg McMullan greg.mcmullan@fermanaghomagh.com / 07834333513

Sandra Armstrong Sandra.armstrong@fermanaghomagh.com / 07880130437

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

National Lottery Arts and Older People Programme

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The Arts & Older People Programme aims to strengthen the voice of older people and promote positive mental health and emotional wellbeing through the arts.  The proposed projects should reflect the partnership approach with the target groups they plan to engage with and have the support from them in the delivery.

To ensure a strong advocacy message there will be an opportunity to showcase the projects funded throughout the year.  Applicants should endeavour to build this into their project programme and budget.

Who can apply?

  • The programme is aimed at constituted community and voluntary groups who are working at a local level to support older people and can demonstrate strong partnership working with older people groups.

  • This programme is also open to non-governmental organisations, Local Authorities and arts organisations who can clearly demonstrate partnership working.

  • We are looking for partnership or consortia-based projects. Partnerships can be led by either age sector providers, arts organisations or Local Authorities, however the consortium must be made up of appropriate representatives and demonstrate a commitment to working together. Other specialists who work with older people may also be included as named partners in the consortium.

Who Cannot Apply?

  • Individuals or sole traders

  • Broadcasters (excluding community service broadcasters)

  • Central Government Departments

  • Organisations with statutory obligations to providing services for Older People

  • Organisations in breach of any previously issued Arts Council award grant conditions.

How much can I apply for?

Grants from £1,000 to £10,000 are available

For more information and to apply, please visit National Lottery Arts and Older People Programme | Arts Council NI (artscouncil-ni.org)

The Which? Fund

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Discover Which? grantmaking support efforts to uncover and tackle the consumer harm facing diverse and disadvantaged communities.

The Which? Fund offers grants to support research projects aiming to improve understanding of the specific consumer harms experienced by diverse and disadvantaged communities, and to develop evidence-based solutions to tackle these harms.

The Which? Fund is now open to applications until 5pm, 18th September 2023. Please see below for details, including how to apply.

Which? funds specific, strategic projects, with the potential to benefit large numbers of people by changing policy, regulation or practice.

Which? offers funding to registered charities based in the UK, not-for-profit Community Interest Companies (CICs) and UK universities

For more information and to apply, please visit The Which? Fund - Which? Policy and insight

PHA Making Life Better Through Short Term Funding Programme 2023-2024

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Community and voluntary groups are being encouraged to apply for a short-term funding programme that focuses on improving mental health and emotional wellbeing.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) scheme opens to applications on Wednesday 28th June 2023 and aims to address health and wellbeing needs in local communities. The funding programme will also support a range of strategic themes and priorities under the ‘Making Life Better’ public health framework, in particular mental health, emotional wellbeing, suicide prevention and self-harm.

Fiona Teague, Head of Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement at PHA, said: “Community and voluntary organisations are most acutely aware of the issues that affect people on the ground and this short-term funding programme will give them the opportunity to address issues of mental health and emotional wellbeing specific to their communities.

“The PHA is keen to invest in programmes that will have a particular focus on using one or more of the ‘Take 5’ Steps to Wellbeing’. These are five simple steps that we can build into our daily lives to maintain and improve wellbeing – Connect, Be active, Keep learning, Give and Take Notice.

“We are encouraging applicants to work collaboratively to develop innovative projects and most importantly involve local communities in project design.”

The short-term funding programme provides the community and voluntary sector with the opportunity to access small, non-recurring funding which can be used to support health improvement in local communities.

The PHA has commissioned the Clear Project to facilitate this process in each Health and Social Care Trust area.

Brenda Morris, Manager of the Clear Project, said: “Short-term funding plays a vital role in supporting programmes within the community. This work can take a range of forms from self-help and life skills initiatives supporting those in need to giving groups the opportunity to develop and build their capacity to help others.”

Two types of awards are available under the programme:

  • Award one: Funding of up to £1,000 for non-constituted and constituted non-profit taking community/ voluntary sector groups.

  • Award two: Funding of between £1,001 and to a maximum of £5,000 for constituted, non-profit taking community/ voluntary sector groups.

How do I apply, am I eligible?

To apply for the short-term funding opportunities for Western, Belfast, Northern, South-eastern and Southern Health and Social Care Trust areas, click on the link below.  

  1. General Guidance

  2. Guidelines for Completion of Application Form

  3. Online Application Form - (Please note - this is a Word version of the application form for your use only. The online application form needs to be completed).

Completed Application Forms:

Applicants are responsible for ensuring the application is submitted in a timely manner.  The Clear Project assumes no legal liability or responsibility resulting from any information technology problems when submitting the application.

Please note: All data entered in the online application form will be saved once you click the 'Save & Submit' button.  This can be retrieved by providing all the inputs in the search box popup that appears when the form is loading. (Please note - the link to this form should be live before close of play on Thursday 29th June). 

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 26 July 2023 at 3pm

For further details please contact:

The Clear Project, Developing Healthy Communities

Building 83, Ledwidge Avenue

Ebrington

Derry~Londonderry

BT47 6GZ.

Tel: 028 7138 3386

Email: clear@dhcni.com  


Eat it Up Fund

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The Eat it Up Fund is a new £200,000 fund provided by Starbucks (with the money coming from Starbucks 5p cup charge) in partnership with Hubbub Foundation UK, which is an environmental charity.

Objectives of Fund

This new grant fund is aimed at finding and supporting creative approaches to reducing food waste.

The fund will support UK-registered organisations with an early-stage food waste project with potential for impact at scale.

The funding is for initiatives that do one or more of the following:

  • Address pre-farmgate waste (the food production process up to the point where the products have been harvested and prepared as produce for sale).

  • Prevent food from being wasted at the manufacturing and processing stage.

  • Minimise food waste from retailers.

  • Find creative ways to use surplus food in communities or at home.

The fund can support ideas that are ready to test or concepts that have been tested and are ready to progress further.

A total of £200,000 is available with grants of up to £40,000.

The grant must be used within one year of funding being awarded.

Who Can Apply

Applications will be accepted from any organisation that can prove they are an officially constituted body registered in the UK.

This includes:

  • Registered charities, including charitable incorporated organisations and not-for-profit companies

  • Social enterprises

  • Community Interest Companies

  • Schools, universities and colleges

  • Local authorities

  • Micro and small businesses with a clear social purpose (less than 50 employees and an annual turnover under £10 million)

Applications from a collaboration of organisations are welcomed as long as the lead organisation is one of the types of organisations listed above.

The fund’s terms and conditions, frequently asked questions, and Expression of Interest form can be found on the Eat it Up Fund website.

A Q&A webinar will be held on 3 July 2023 (10.30 am to 11.15 am). Registration is required for this Zoom session.

There is a two-stage application process.

  • Stage one is to complete an Expression of Interest form. The deadline for EoIs is 21 July 2023 (5 pm).

  • Stage two is only open to those organisations who are invited to apply. Full applications will be accepted from 14 August 2023 to 22 September 2023.

Successful applicants will be informed in October 2023, and the winners will be announced publicly at the end of 2023.

For more information and to apply, please visit Eat It Up Fund | Hubbub x Starbucks

Migrant Help Community Hubs Grant Scheme

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Background

The Community Hubs Grant Scheme is provided and administered by Migrant Help.

Founded in 1963, Migrant Help is a registered charity that supports asylum seekers, refugees, victims of human trafficking and modern slavery, and others affected by displacement and exploitation.

Objectives of Fund

The funding aims to support new and existing community hubs and drop-in services that increases support and access to local services for asylum seekers and refugees through:

  • Supporting third sector organisations delivering non contracted services to asylum seekers and refugees.

  • Encouraging community integration.

  • Supporting the health and wellbeing of asylum seekers and refugees.

  • Welcoming asylum seekers and refugees into communities around the UK .

  • Providing support to organisations and projects which may struggle to find support elsewhere.

Two grants are available:

  • Small bridging grants of up to £2,000

    • To help with things like short-term running costs whilst seeking further funding or to provide essential needs that cannot be met elsewhere. This may include essentials like covering unexpected increases in bills / venue hire, activity costs, material items or for costs of training and advertising.

  • Sustainability and start up grants of up to £5,000

    • To help start a new hub in an area of high need or to invest in an existing hub, creating sustainability, such as equipment, training for staff and volunteers, support in advertising opportunities or identifying partners, hosting launch days and community events etc.

Who Can Apply

Applications will be accepted from:

  • Registered organisations managing existing hubs.

  • Constituted groups.

  • Charities.

  • Faith groups.

  • Community Interest Companies (CICs)

  • Not for profit organisations.

  • Partnerships of not-for-profit organisations.

Priority will be given to individuals and organisations who have not previously received funding from Migrant Help.

To be eligible, applicants must:

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

  • Have adequate insurance in place to deliver the service or project as well as relevant safeguarding procedures.

Restrictions

The following are not eligible for funding:

  • Public sector organisations, such as the NHS, Police, Local Authority etc.

  • Private sector organisations.

  • Organisations currently in receipt of a community hub grant from Migrant Help.

  • Organisations with a greater annual turnover than £5 million.

  • Work that has already been carried out (retrospective funding).

  • Activities and services that do not predominantly benefit asylum seekers, migrants, refugees, survivors of trafficking and modern slavery.

  • Projects or services that should be statutory duty, ie, covered under mainstream government funding.

  • Projects that promote political or religious beliefs.

Eligible Expenditure

The funding can be used for:

  • Capital costs, such as equipment, furniture and materials, etc.

  • Revenue costs, such as staff wages, venue hire costs.

There are no deadlines for applications; however, when the maximum funding available for each year has been distributed, the applications will close until the following round in the next year. The year runs from 1 April to 31 March the following calendar year.

Applications can be submitted at any time and will be assessed on a bi-monthly basis with deadlines to submit applications for each round.

There will be five funding rounds with the following application windows:

  • 1 April to 31 May 2023 with a decision by 30 June 2023

  • 1 June to 31 July 2023 with a decision by 31 August 2023

  • 1 August to 30 September with a decision by 31 October 2023

  • 1 October to 30 November with a decision by 31 December 2023

  • 1 December to 31 January 2024 with a decision by 29 February 2024.

Only one application per organisation can be made in any single funding round.

For more information and to apply, please visit Migrant Help Community Hubs Grant Scheme | Action Together

Micro Community Investment Fund

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Fund Aims

The fund will provide valuable investment for community initiatives making a difference in towns and villages across Northern Ireland.

The fund will enable those organisations who are making the lives of others in their communities better, by improving their financial, physical, and mental wellbeing.

Criteria

You do not have to have a constitution to apply to this fund.  We will discuss your project with you in advance of application if you do not have certain governance requirements for funding in place.

We want to support smaller, grassroots organisations delivering great work.  For this reason, whilst groups with an income of up to £30,000 per annum are eligible to apply preference will be given to groups with an income of up to £10,000.

Community Investments available: Up to £2,000

Applications are sought to support both new and existing activities and projects that  enhance the financial, physical and/or mental well being of people in communities. We will support new or existing community initiatives that have a particular focus on addressing the challenges people are facing around the rising cost of living.

Community projects should focus on improving at least one of the following:

  • Financial wellbeing

  • Physical wellbeing

  • Mental wellbeing

Applications for funding within one or other of these themes could be to support:

  • Projects promoting inclusion and belonging, particularly to enhance the physical and mental well being of the local community

  • Projects that strengthen the capacity of individuals to engage with a range of available digital services in order to help manage their money in a digital age

  • Projects that enhance people’s financial knowledge through financial education programmes

  • Projects promoting physical activity which uses the assets located within the area

  • Projects that improve the ability of individuals to access mental health and wellbeing services either i) directly, through the provision of support or ii) indirectly, through education/awareness raising programmes

  • Projects that encourage the active participation of individuals in their own mental wellbeing. Projects should aim to promote increased independence/resilience in relation to an individual’s mental health

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