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Funding News
Baring Foundation: Strengthening Civil Society
The Strengthening Civil Society (SCS) programme supports the effective use of the law and human rights-based approaches by civil society in the UK. An evaluation of their most successful funded projects involved the connection of expert legal ‘hub’ organisations to civil society organisations (CSOs) focused on tackling discrimination and disadvantage through service provision, advocacy, and campaigning. The purpose of this funding call is to support smaller hub organisations to scale up their hub activities to reach more CSOs and communities. This funding will support hub activities which use legal action in all its forms – whether that is to empower individuals and groups, persuade public and private bodies, challenge government, or a mix of all three. Grants of up to £150,000 over three years are available for organisations to use legal action collaboratively to achieve positive social change. Expression of Interest deadline 30 April 2024.
In collaboration with the Alliance for Gender Equality in Europe (AGEE), GirlDreamer offer up to £2,500 (unrestricted funding). GirlDreamer create greater access to leadership and wellbeing opportunities for young women of colour to tackle social and economic inequity. This fund is specifically for young women of colour-led organisations in the UK who are UK-based/registered, led by women of colour between 18 - 35 years of age, and have not been a previous recipient of funding from GirlDreamer. You don’t need to be a registered charity, or social enterprise to apply for the funding, but will need to provide evidence of your work having community, social, or charitable benefit, i.e. reference/letter of support and/or photographs, news articles, website, social media, reports, etc. Deadline 2 April 2024.
The Big Give: Women and Girls Match Fund
Equality is essential for women and girls to dream freely, achieve proudly and live boldly. The Women and Girls Match Fund utilises their ‘1:1’ Model of match funding. Women and Girls charities apply to Big Give and have their application assessed. Successful charities raise funds from the public to unlock their match fund donation during their online fundraising campaign period. So, £50 from a member of the public, becomes £100 for a good cause. Open to UK-registered charities or tax-exempt status, have an annual income of at least £25,000, registered with Big Give, and seek to raise £2,500, £5,000 or £10,000 in public donations. Log in or sign up, head to Big Give Campaigns. Applications close 22 June 2024.
The Mears Foundation are dedicated to supporting projects that positively impact communities all throughout the United Kingdom. Their grant programmes are designed to tackle key issues such as poverty, isolation, and support for vulnerable individuals. They offer Community Grants which will open 5 August 2024 supporting projects that alleviate poverty, combat isolation, and provide assistance to those seeking asylum. For their National Grants they invite conversations with national charities and organisations that share their objective and actively support the well-being of local communities, in line with The Mears Foundation's values and goals.
Wellbeing of Women/Holland & Barrett: Women's Health Community Fund
The Women’s Health Community Fund provides resources to grassroots projects in under-served communities with a specific focus on those from lower income families, ethnically diverse communities, those with disabilities and LGBTQ+. They will give successful applicants the support and resources needed to turn their ideas into positive action. They will be releasing full details on the eligibility criteria, timeline, and application process in the coming weeks. If you’d like to receive further details and be notified when the application process opens, please register your interest here.
TESCO Stronger Starts: Footie for All
Tesco Stronger Starts funds grants for healthy food and activities for children across the UK. They have partnered with The Sun to power their Footie for All campaign with their Tesco Stronger Starts programme to create a Footie for All Fund. They will be providing £150k in grants to grassroots football clubs across the UK as well as raising awareness of the importance of children having opportunities to thrive through opportunities for more physical and mental wellbeing. The Footie for All grants will support grassroots clubs in providing more spaces, better equipment, and new kits – anything they need to help support children in their local communities.
Upcoming Deadlines
Coop Foundation: Carbon Innovation Fund
The Carbon Innovation Fund is a three-year partnership between the Co-op Foundation and the Co-op Food business. This year is the final round of the partnership, so there will not be a similar round in 2025. They can award grants of £50,000 to £150,000 to initiatives which do one or more of the following: Reduce the amount of peat needed to grow crops within food supply chains, Remove the peat needed to grow crops within food supply chains, and Sustainable management / looking after peat soils by using alternative, non-damaging farming methods for crops and/or livestock. The deadline for Round Three has been extended to 20 March 2024 (noon).
Art Fund: London Gallery Weekend Travel Bursaries
Small grants to support travel and accommodation costs for curators working at public museums, galleries, historic houses, libraries, and archives based anywhere in the UK outside of London to visit London Gallery Weekend, 31 May - 2 June 2024. You must be open for at least half the week for at least six months of the year, and fully or provisionally accredited through the Arts Council Accreditation scheme or other national equivalents. See scheme for other conditions. The bursary covers accommodation (arranged by London Gallery Weekend at a Central London hotel) and travel to and from London (including a travel card while in London). Deadline 24 March 2024 (midnight).
Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust: Peace and Security Programme
The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT) is a Quaker trust which seeks to transform the world by supporting people who address the root causes of conflict and injustice. Their Peace and Security Programme prioritises challenging militarism, scrutiny of counter-terrorism measures in the context of human rights and peacebuilding, building support for alternative approaches to defence and security, and responding to dual harms of COVID-19 and systemic racism. Deadline 25 March 2024 (noon).
Shared Island Initiative: Creative Youth on a Shared Island
The Shared Island-dimension of the Creative Ireland Programme wants to explore creative opportunities for young people to connect. The Creative Youth on a Shared Island funding scheme seeks to reach children and young people across the island of Ireland with the aim of harnessing the experience and expertise of organisations working in the creative, cultural, arts, community and youth sectors to engage young people. Grant funding of up to €180,000 will be awarded to at least 3 projects for projects running between June 2024 and December 2025. Deadline 25 March 2024 (5pm).
ReRooted: Safety and Security for Refugees and Asylum Seekers from Comic Relief
Comic Relief’s new funding programme, Re-Rooted: Safety and Security for Refugees and Asylum Seekers, is offering grants of up to £200,000 over three to five years for UK organisations with an income of between £250,000 and £10 million. Proposals should focus on the following: Services and support for refugees and asylum seekers. Influencing and advocacy focusing on safer routes and improved outcomes for refugees and asylum seekers. Or a combination of both. They also welcome proposals that are tailored to the needs of refugees or asylum seekers, or both. This funding call will prioritise organisations that involve people with lived experience of forced migration to the UK. Deadline 26 March 2024 (noon).
Fundraising Support
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Getting the most out of GrantTracker
We have organised two Getting the most out of GrantTracker sessions on 26 March and 17 April. They have the same content, so you only need to register for one. Click links below to register.
- Getting the most out of GrantTracker March - FREE | NICVA
- Getting the most out of GrantTracker April - FREE | NICVA
Training
Developing a Case for Support - In Person (Free Funded session)
21 March 2024 - 10:00am to 1:00pm
This 3-hour session in NICVA aims to support those responsible for fundraising within voluntary and community and who are unfamiliar with the use of Cases for Support in their work.
Fundraising Clinics
These popular, free fundraising advice clinics provide members with an hour-long chance to discuss and address specific fundraising needs. The sessions can be delivered online or over the telephone. The Clinics will return in May. Contact Jocelyn Horton, Fundraising Advice Officer at [email protected] to discuss.
Fundraising Hub
Explore the Fundraising Hub for a wide range of articles and resources to support your fundraising journey. A few are below:
This resource outlines some reasons behind funders wanting organisations to address EDI in the applications alongside advice on broaching the topic in writing, getting started on your journey and where you can find further information on this topic.
After listening to their applicants and grant holders, the Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland are delighted to launch Better Together - their Strategy for 2024-2028 and its accompanying suite of funding programmes.
360Giving announce UK Grantmaking, a new hub for grantmaking data and insights set to launch in 2024. Find out more and learn how you can be involved.
Get ahead with GrantTracker and access over 1000 funding schemes in NI's leading database. Just £100 a year for NICVA members and £145 for non-members. Sign up here.