Your weekly roundup of funding news and deadlines from GrantTracker.
Funding News
Community Service Placements Funding Scheme 2026-28
The Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI) secures placements to facilitate individuals under Community Service/Supervised Activity Orders imposed by the Courts to complete unpaid work within local communities. The PBNI invites applications from organisations across Northern Ireland in the Community and Voluntary Sector (CVS) to provide such placements. PBNI will fund £250 for each placement that has completed up to 100 hours’ work, with £2.50 paid for every completed hour thereafter. In addition, successful applicants will also be paid a one-off £250 administration fee regardless of number of placements completed. Deadline 30 March 2026 at 12pm(noon).
Music for All: Awards for Schools and Community Groups
Round 2 is offering instrumental awards in the following categories: Electro acoustic guitars (to suit varying abilities/levels), Pbuzz instruments, Ukuleles, Drum kits, and Orange crush mini amps. Schools and community groups that are not-for-profit and based in the UK, including educational establishments, community organisations and similar not-for-profit groups that are bringing music-making activities to their communities, are eligible to apply. Deadline 12 noon on Thursday 7 May 2026.
Social Impact Funding offers two-year grants of £10,000 (£5,000 per year) for UK charities tackling key societal issues affecting young people. The awards are unrestricted; they can be used for any purpose that supports your organisation. Open to charities will be working to address key societal issues affecting young people, aged 18 years old and under, aligned to their focus areas. June 2026 theme is LGBTQ+ Inclusion & Support. Deadline 12 April 2026. Their new Child Poverty Fund opens 1 June 2026 and offers two-year grants of £60,000 (£30,000 per year) dedicated to supporting UK charities committed to ending child poverty. These are unrestricted awards. One registered UK charity partner is selected per year. Deadline 13 July 2026.
The Theatres Trust: UK Theatres Small Grants Programme
Theatres Trust's Small Grants Programme, supported by The Linbury Trust, funds small projects that make a big impact to a theatre’s resilience, sustainability, accessibility, or diversity. This scheme provides grants of up to £7,500 for essential works to enable not-for-profit theatres across the UK to be viable and thrive in the future. This scheme will prioritise improvements to buildings that protect theatre use and remove barriers to participation and attendance. Deadline 26 June 2026 at 12pm(noon).
Belfast Harbour commits £350,000 to their 2026 Community Fund Programme
Belfast Harbour has launched its 2026 Community Awards programme, offering a total of £110,000 to grassroots organisations across Belfast and beyond, through individual grants of up to £5,000 each. The Community Awards are distributed through two funding rounds, one in March, closing 3 April 2026 and another in September. Further, the Trust Port’s overall Community Fund Programme will see a record investment of £350,000 donated by Belfast Harbour to community and charity-based initiatives over the year with the launch of the new Harbouring Connections Award in early summer. This offers two grants of £5,000 to two or more eligible groups or organisations who collaborate to deliver a single project that has a positive community impact.
Upcoming Deadlines
Bagri Foundation: Arts & Culture Grants programme
The Bagri Foundation, a UK charity dedicated to promoting an understanding of Asian cultures, offers grants to non-profit arts organisations actively engaged in the cultural sector, supporting artistic projects. Grants, ranging from £5,000 to £100,000, are awarded twice a year. The Spring Round of their Open Grants is now open; Stage 1 Expression of Interest deadline is 23:59 on 11 March 2026.
Community Foundation Northern Ireland: The Gill’s Charity Fund
The Gill’s Charity Fund offers funding to organisations for projects for the benefit of older people resident in the Borough of Carrickfergus (as per the old Local Government area). Fully constituted voluntary organisations and community groups supporting older people resident in the Borough of Carrickfergus only with annual income of below £100k can apply for grants of up to £3,500. Deadline 1pm on 12 March 2026.
Broadcast Appeals provide an opportunity for local charities to describe the important work they do, or to make an appeal for volunteers or donations. These short (three-five minute) programmes are broadcast each month on BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle with accompanying digital and social media assets. Broadcast Appeals are intended to reflect different types of charitable activity and support needs. Upcoming local Broadcast Appeal slots will be available from April 2026 onwards. Application forms are available on the website. The next closing date for applications is 13 March 2026.
James Brown & Sons Community Fund
James Brown & Sons with support from parent company, Funeral Partners, launched the James Brown & Sons Community Fund in 2022 to benefit local communities in the heart of Belfast and the surrounding areas. For this year, they have committed £20,000 distributed through their £1,250 Spark Grants for smaller or short-term projects, and their new £10,000 Community Impact Grant which supports one community project to deliver lasting impact over a minimum of 12 months. It is designed for organisations ready to develop or expand a project responding to a clear local need. Deadline for the Impact Grant is 22 March 2026.
Souter Charitable trust was set up by Sir Brian and his wife Lady Elizabeth in 1992 has awarded more than 20,000 grants totalling over £130million since 2006. Typically, one-off average grants of between £1,000 and £3,000 are given to support projects engaged in the relief of human suffering in all aspects in the UK and overseas - especially, but not exclusively, those with a Christian emphasis and ethos. Submit applications by close of business on the 23 March 2026.
Events & Training
FREE: Fundraising Lab 3: Making the most of corporate partnerships
The final Fundraising Lab from Enthuse's Digital Fundraising Labs series focuses on engaging and strengthening your corporate partnerships.
Guest Blogs
#FundingFebruary Guest blog: How Northern Ireland Charities Can Thrive in a Cashless Society
Vicky Hewlett, Head of Marketing Communications with Give A Little updates us on their fundraising solutions.
#FundingFebruary Guest blog: Growth in contactless donations at the Stroke Association
Paul Montgomery, Operations Lead, gives an overview of the Stroke Association’s cashless donations journey, from early testing in 2024 and use at staffed events in 2025, to getting the technology in the hands of the supporter in 2026.
#FundingFebruary Guest blog: How Leaders Can Turn AI Disruption into Direction
AI is reshaping work, but people remain the real advantage. This article explores how leaders can guide teams through disruption with clarity, soft skills and purposeful action, turning AI from a challenge into a meaningful opportunity.
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