Your weekly funding news and deadlines update from GrantTracker
News
Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust announce themes for 2024/25 funding
UK registered charities can apply to relevant Grant Rounds. In 2024, the first 2 rounds prioritise projects that focus on disability – specifically employment and training for people living with disabilities to ensure better access. They have decided to focus rounds 3 and 4 for 2024 on Food Poverty, given the increasing levels across the UK. In 2025, they will prioritise Access to the Arts, and Refugees and Asylum Seekers – full details will be published towards the end of 2024. Visit website for further details.
Sea-Changers Marine Conservation Social Fund 2023/4
The aim of the Marine Conservation Social Fund is to support socially beneficial marine conservation approaches and solutions, but its unique emphasis is that it will additionally support or enhance participants’ health and well-being and/or deliver benefits for disadvantaged communities, through marine conservation activity.. They expect to fund between four and seven projects in 2023/4, so grant requests should be in the region of £3,000 - £5,000. Deadline 22 December 2023.
NI Policing Board: Police Property Fund Grants Scheme now open
The Police Property Fund is made up of assets recovered by the PSNI as a result of criminal investigations and administered by the Board in line with the Police (Property) Regulations NI 1997. Small Grant applications can be for any value between £1,000 and £10,000. Open to local voluntary and community groups for projects which have a real impact on reducing crime, disorder and the fear of crime in Northern Ireland.
Windrush Day Grant Scheme 2024
Funded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and managed by Near Neighbours, The Windrush Day Grant Scheme supports groups to commemorate, celebrate and educate people about the contribution of the Windrush generation and their descendants across communities in our country. 22 June each year marks National Windrush Day and projects must include a lead event or activity on this date. Activities must be based in England or Northern Ireland only. The budget for 2024 is £500,000 across England and Northern Ireland. Two funding levels: Tier 1: smaller projects between £5,000 and £24,999 and Tier 2: larger projects between £25,000 and £50,000. Deadline 17 December 2023 (23:59).
Transition Together: Seed Funding
Transition Together supports the Transition movement across Britain to develop and grow. Northern Ireland Transition groups can now apply for seed funding thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund. Grants of £100 to £10,000 to unlock change in your community. Grants may support groups to pay for coordination or core costs; to develop initiatives such as a social enterprise, a community hub or green space; to run a visioning process; access training or develop partnerships to work in solidarity with under-resourced groups in the local community.
Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council grant aid reopening
Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council offers financial assistance to eligible organisations who are delivering projects which align with Council's priorities. The following schemes will reopen 6 November 2023 (9am): Community Development Grants, Community Events Fund, Large Event Fund, Arts Project Fund, International Tourism Event Fund, and Good Relations Grants
Upcoming Deadlines
Grand Plan are a group of creatives. They award £1,000 grants to creative people of colour based in the UK who want to make a new cultural project happen. It can be anything from: poetry, paintings, fashion, zines, music, food, flowers, photographs to workshops or events — whatever you want. Deadline 9 November 2023 (11pm).
Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council (ABC): Fit for the Future
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council has launched a new grant scheme, which is designed to help bring vacant properties back into use and support revitalisation across the borough. The Fit For Future Scheme sets out to offer grants of up to £20,000 to qualifying applicants. Submit an Expression of Interest form by 17 November 2023 (noon).
International Tree Foundation: UK Community Tree Planting
Every year ITF supports UK community groups to achieve their tree-planting ambitions. Your idea could be something small, such as community woodland or orchard. Or it could be a larger scale project such as landscape restoration or rewilding. Open to schools, community groups or non-governmental organisations with a bank account and relevant permissions in place from landowners. Funding for Community Woodlands / Hedging (100 – 10,000 trees planted per year, with a maximum price equivalent to £1.75/tree) and Community Orchard (up to 30 trees planted per year). Submit applications at any time until the deadline. Deadline 1 December 2023.
Benefact Group: Movement for Good
The Movement for Good Awards is an annual programme of giving, set up by all the businesses that make up the Benefact Group. It's their opportunity to make a tangible difference to the lives of the people and communities they serve You can nominate a registered charity, not-for-profit organisation or community interest company in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for a £1,000 award. You can nominate as many charities as you like – it’s one nomination per charity, per person. The more nominations a charity gets, the greater their chances of winning. To nominate for the third and final draw for 2023, register your chosen charity at any time until 17 December 2023 (23.59).
Fundraising Support for autumn 2023
Events
Last event in the Free Online Introductory Fundraising Workshops series
We have held a series of FREE workshops for NICVA members introducing a different fundraising topic or aspect of fundraising. These sessions are an opportunity to find out about an area of fundraising that's new to you, top up your existing knowledge, or be a snapshot into an element of fundraising you'd like to explore. Each workshop is led by NICVA’s Fundraising Advice Officer.
- Communicating your Need - 15 November 2023; 12:00pm to 12:45pm
Chartered Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland offer FREE places to small charities
The Chartered Institute of Fundraising’s Fundraising Forum makes a welcome return this autumn, hosted at the National Football Stadium, Windsor Park on Thursday 9 November. They are offering free places for small charities on a first come, first served basis.
Training
A Practical Guide to Completing Funding Applications
As the voluntary and community sector face a squeeze on finances from a variety of sources, securing funding is essential but it’s a competitive environment. This in-person event gives a useful overview and the practical advice you need to complete funding applications with a focus on addressing emerging funding priorities.
- 30 November 2023
- 9:30am to 12:30pm
- Paid (£35 members £50 non-members)
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, in-person or over the telephone.
All previously announced sessions are now fully booked. There may be availability for sessions in December 2023. Please contact the Fundraising Advice Officer directly to be considered.
Resources
Explore the Fundraising Hub for a wide range of resources to support your fundraising journey. A few are below:
#TicktheBox for Gift Aid – why it’s important
Every year, charities miss out on £560m in unclaimed Gift Aid. As we face a tough funding climate with increasing costs, encouraging your supporters to #TicktheBox means we can make an even bigger difference in these tough times.
The partnership between Meta and PayPal Giving Fund to handle the processing of charitable donations means UK organisations need to act to avoid disruption to their fundraising on Facebook and Instagram. Fundraisers should also note that processing fees will now be incurred.
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