Your weekly funding news and deadlines update from GrantTracker.
Funding News
Community Foundation of Northern Ireland: 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 and Funding awards between £10k and £75k. The panel may consider funding awards of over £75k to individual organisations or to organisations working together to deliver a proposal.
Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust 2023 topics & deadlines
The Trust focus on specific priorities every year. Covid 19 and related budget cuts have had a pronounced effect on prisoners, prison rehabilitation and those at risk of offending. They are therefore focussing their first two rounds in 2023 on projects that support people affected. Children and young people in care and care leavers continue to face disproportionate barriers. In 2023, rounds 3 and 4 will therefore focus on awarding grants to projects targeting this group of children and young people. They continue to recognise that Black Lives Matter has thrown a spotlight on the discrimination faced by the Global Majority. Across each grant round, applicants will be asked to detail how their project addresses these issues.
Leathersellers Company Charitable Fund opening 7 March
The Leathersellers’ Company Charitable Fund provides a wide range of funding to UK registered Charities. Their Small Grant Programme is a fast track grant assessment for one-off grants of up to £3,000. Applicants can expect a result within six weeks of making an application which is particularly useful for funding small projects or to cover unexpected expenses.
Linking Generations NI: All Ages April Grants now open
With grants of up to £125, the All Ages April funding aims to create connections across generations and organisations that wouldn’t normally work together. LGNI’s vision is that these connections and relationships will continue into the future.Activities can be a one-off event or a project delivered over a number of sessions promoting the value of incorporating Intergenerational and Age-friendly values into everyday practice.
Changemakers in Turbulent Times for Belfast groups
If you long to connect to other changemakers in your city and across the UK and want to learn new skills, feel re-inspired about your work and be supported by others, then Changemakers in Turbulent Times offers a unique 10-week programme to those working for social change during tough times. It is free to join in six pilot cities including Belfast and includes an opportunity to apply for seed grants of up to £2,000 to be awarded for projects. It runs in two cohorts from March 2023.
Belfast City Council: Move more and Eat well
The Active Belfast Partnership(External link) is taking forward their first ‘test and learn’ pilot of Participatory Budgeting (PB) in Belfast. The theme for their first PB is “Move more and eat well - to feel better”. Groups can apply for funding up to £1,000, and if successful, have around 6 months to deliver their project. Opens 6 February 2023.
Upcoming Deadlines
Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities Grant Programme
The Resilient Communities Grant Programme is the Theatre Trust’s new capacity building programme for the theatre sector. They aim to enrich the knowledge, skills and confidence of the cultural heritage sector to become more resilient. This is not a fund that will support the capital works themselves but is intended to support the groups working with the buildings to acquire the skills and knowledge to push the project forwards. The majority of grant awards will be up to around £10,000. Deadline Noon, 10 February 2023.
A programme of new grants has been launched by Sustain as part of the Food for the Planet project. The grants aim to support communities to campaign and advocate to make food in their area better for people and the planet. Applicants are encouraged to propose their own ideas for great local action but should focus on areas that have a big impact locally. Grants of up to £5,000 are open to any local food partnership, local authority or community group in the UK. Deadline 5pm, 10 February 2023.
Locally-based, Enkalon Foundation has an annual budget of around £200,000 used to support ex-employees as well as charities and community groups to meet and deliver their core objectives through the General Fund. Applications to the General Fund may be for core running or project costs but must clearly demonstrate the need for the funding and how the group, users and wider community will benefit from it. They are a small funder and whilst applications of up to £6000 are accepted the average grant is £1000. Deadline 15 February 2023.
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. 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. Deadline 17 February 2023.
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. Deadline 26 February 2023.
Fundraising Clinics & Training
Success in Fundraising Applications | NICVA – in-person event
- 7 February
- 10am-1pm
This session is suitable for fundraisers from the community, voluntary, and faith sectors who are new to grant applications or interested in refreshing their skills. We will explore funder expectations, what’s involved in completing funding applications and useful tips to articulating your needs.
Free Fundraising Clinics for NICVA Members - next available session, March 2023
March fully booked – click link to book for April!
These popular, free fundraising advice clinics will return February 2023 to provide members with an hour-long chance to discuss and address specific fundraising needs. These monthly events occur on the last Tuesday of each month from 10am until 4pm. The Clinics are extremely popular and tend to book up quick.
Fundraising Articles & Resources
Mark Creaney, from The National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF), talks about how the largest community funder across the UK is supporting communities who are seeking to minimise their impact on the environment.
Guest Blog: Fundraising Regulator builds on its presence in Northern Ireland | NICVA
The Fundraising Regulator gives an overview of their work in 2022 including its commitment to strengthening its presence in Northern Ireland.
Making a Sustainable Difference in your Organisation
The environment affects all aspects of our lives and there are numerous benefits for organisations to address environmental issues such as improved finances and greater appeal for employees, supporters, and funders. Find out more here including potential funders.
Fundraising Hub
NICVA Fundraising Advice has a range of articles from contributors supporting fundraising. Explore our Fundraising Hub for advice and information:
- Guest Blogs for the voluntary and community sector
- BBC Children in Need's publish new Grantmaking Strategy 2022-25
- Charities and the cost-of-living crisis
- #DigitalFundraising Webinar Series
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