GRANTS FOR NORTHERN IRELAND

WE MAKE GRANTS TOWARDS

Start up and running costs
Volunteer and programme costs
Education and training costs
Venue and travel costs
One-off project costs
Equipment

No grants are made to individuals. Nor are grants made for capital building projects or for work that clearly falls under statutory responsibility. For a complete list of our exclusions please follow the link on the left: What we are unlikely to fund.

The size of grant varies, but we prefer to give smaller grants to a larger number of projects.

Applications may be refused where we feel that the organisation concerned is already well funded or has excessive reserves.

WORK WHICH WE WILL CONSIDER FUNDING

Please read through all sections as your project may be included under more than one heading

LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS
Local community groups/projects in disadvantaged areas, run by and for local people, including support and self-help groups, tenants' associations, and local community action. Where there are unmet needs in the community we would support fresh approaches and new ideas for tackling them. We also encourage networking with groups doing similar work either locally or in other regions.

BLACK AND MINORITY ETHNIC ORGANISATIONS
Projects run by and for people from black and minority ethnic communities, including travellers and migrant workers, especially those which work towards redressing the disadvantage faced by such groups. Projects may be broad-based or concentrate on a particular group, e.g. women, elders, etc. We also support non-black community groups who are developing and implementing culturally sensitive policies, and cross-community trust-building initiatives.

PROMOTION OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Projects which promote, or provide training or education in, equal opportunities including race, disability or gender awareness, or which aim to counter racism, sectarianism, sexism or discrimination of any kind. Projects would be expected to have participation from the discriminated groups concerned.

WOMEN INCLUDING GIRLS
Projects which work towards redressing the disadvantages faced by women in society, including women's health and support groups, literacy and second chance learning.

SECOND CHANCE LEARNING
Projects run by non-statutory organisations which enable people who have little or no education to return to learning. Grants may be given to organisations towards the cost of courses (including tutors), childcare, advice and information services, etc.

ADVICE & INFORMATION TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY
Projects providing welfare rights, or other advice and information services to alleviate poverty. Priority will be given to funding local independent advice projects, and we will not normally fund those which are part of a national network. Groups would be encouraged to hold or to be working towards a nationally-recognised quality standard in advice-giving.

GRASSROOTS SOCIAL HEALTH INITIATIVES

Projects run by local non-statutory organisations which aim to improve people's physical and/or mental health. Priority will be given to projects in disadvantaged areas where health problems arise from social and environmental factors and which work with vulnerable groups. Issues might include stress, HIV/AIDS, self-harm, substance misuse etc.

SUPPORT & TRAINING FOR VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS
Training for voluntary and community organisations to enhance the skills particularly of management committee members, but also of staff, to enable them to operate more effectively and improve the quality of the service they offer. Funding is also available for the recruitment and training of volunteers.

Unsolicited applications which fall outside our policy criteria are not considered.