Your weekly roundup of funding news and deadlines from GrantTracker
Funding News
Co-op Foundation’s Future Communities Fund set to launch
The second round of their Foundation’s Future Communities Fund is launching 15 May 2025. This round focuses on supporting organisations that are helping young people with experience of the youth justice system to re-build their lives and settle back into their communities. Through this £1.75 million programme round, they’re looking to fund roughly ten organisations and grants will be awarded on an unrestricted basis and to a maximum value of £150,000 over five years. Eligible UK registered not-for-profit organisations with an annual income of <£250,000 primarily supporting justice-experienced young people aged 10-25 years old can apply from 15 May until 12 June 2025.
AIB Group's Community €1 Million Fund supports charitable organisations in communities across the UK. The Fund continues to build on its success where customers, employees and the public nominate the charities in their communities that matter most to them. Nominations for the AIB Community €1 Million Fund open on Wednesday, 14 May.
Boost believes that sport is for everyone, and they hope to work with people from all ages, race, colours, creeds and physical abilities. Boost’s grants have engaged with 75 different sports, supporting a wide spectrum of sports in five areas of disadvantage: Physical and learning disabilities, Financial hardship, Mental health, Social exclusion, and Medical research and relief. Boost offers two different levels of funding: Small Awards up to £750 and Large Awards of over £750; most of their recent Large Awards have been in the range of £2,000 to £7,000. Rolling programme - email a letter, no more than two sides of A4.
Irish-language Theatre Production and Touring Award
The Irish-Language Theatre Award supports the production and touring of large-scale Irish-language theatre. It focuses on ensuring more people can enjoy high-quality theatre experiences in the Irish language throughout the country. Maximum awarded is €400,000 to organisations and individuals working professionally in theatre who must be based on the island of Ireland. Proposals must clearly show benefit to the arts in the Republic of Ireland and include performances in at least four major urban centres on the island of Ireland, with a minimum of two nights in each centre, at least one of which must be in Northern Ireland. Opens to applications from 1 July to 31 July 2025 at 5pm.
2025 AWS Imagine Grant UK & Ireland
Amazon’s 2025 AWS Imagine Grant program supports nonprofit organisations with cloud technology projects in two categories Go Further Faster and Pathfinder offering training, software and support. Limited to United Kingdom and Ireland nonprofit organisations with active registered charity number status, the AWS welcomes all causes and mission areas to apply. Go Further Faster (available for UK and Ireland organisations) applicants who have already taken the initial steps in their cloud journeys and have strong data practices can receive up to $50,000 (unrestricted) and up to $16,000 in AWS Promotional Credit. Pathfinder - Generative AI (available for UK organisations only) applicants who have laid the foundation for cloud technology and are looking to build on an existing data strategy and generative AI, can receive up to $100,000 USD (unrestricted) and up to $50,000 USD in AWS Promotional Credit. Round 1 deadline 23:59, 2 June 2025.
Established in 2024, the Hugo Burge Foundation is a major new charity dedicated to supporting the arts, crafts and creative industries across the United Kingdom. They fund creative individuals, creative communities, and creative education. The Creative Communities is open to organisations, community groups, festivals, and fairs that that develop and deliver initiatives focusing on culture and creative arts in their local area. The Creative Education round seeks applications from people, schools, and arts and culture organisations that are creating opportunities for young people (0-29) to engage and build their creative skills and knowledge. Applicants can apply for up to £15,000 under both schemes. They will accept 6 multiyear requests across these funds that will be reoccurring for a maximum of 3 years. Funding window 1 now open until 31f May; Funding window 2 open between 1-30 September 2025.
Upcoming Deadlines
Ards & North Down Borough Council Grants
The following grants are available. Arts Project Grant - Available to arts, community and special interest groups throughout the Ards and North Down Borough area who wish to enhance existing and undertake new community arts activities. A maximum grant of £1,000 is available. Heritage Grant - Designed to assist heritage events, projects or activities, which take place in the North Down and Ards District to support non-profit making organisations and constituted groups. A maximum grant of £500 is available. Application deadline for both midday,13 May 2025.
Belfast City Council: Bank of Ideas
Bank of Ideas 2025 is a celebration of creativity for the city, with a programme full of creative events, projects and initiatives for everyone to get involved. Through the Bank of Ideas, your idea could become part of the programme of events with up to £2000 to support. This is a Participatory Budget process involving voting from the public. Deadline 5pm, 14 May 2025.
The Public Health Agency (PHA): Making Life Better through Short-term Funding
Community and voluntary groups can apply to this short-term funding programme that focuses on improving mental health and emotional wellbeing. Funding of up to £1000 for non-constituted groups and between £1001 to a maximum of £5,000 for constituted groups. Projects will promote positive mental health, address health determinants, reduce health inequalities, enhance community capacity to prevent suicide, build resilient communities, and encourage innovative mental health interventions. Application deadline 3pm, 16 May 2025.
Lloyd's Register Foundation Small Grants
Small grants scheme for engineering skills and heritage and education. Grants up to £10,000 for organisations aligned to their charitable mission. The Foundation is making funds available to projects which can: Initiate, build, or consolidate partnerships with organisations in the relevant sectors and Test out ideas through pilot studies, proof of concept projects or activities targeting the heritage, maritime and public sectors. They will only consider applications related to the charitable mission of Lloyd’s Register Foundation - to Engineer a Safer World. Now open until the 19th May 2025.
Belfast City Airport: Community Fund
The Community Fund is available to support projects which benefit (and, ideally, are based within) the Ards & North Down Borough Council and/or Belfast City Council areas. The Fund can provide support for projects which are focused on the following themes: Environmental, Sustainability or Biodiversity, Development of STEM-related knowledge skills and understanding, Education, Social inclusion & wider community development, Health & Wellbeing, and Sports. Grants will be awarded for projects with a minimum request for funding of £1,000 up to a maximum of £5,000. Deadline 23 May 2025.
Events of Interest
Charity finance for charity finance workers
4 June 2025 - 10:00am to 12:15pm; £55 NICVA members, £80 non-members
An online training session specifically designed for staff or volunteers who work in the administration of finance within a charity. This session will give participants an opportunity to delve a bit deeper into the more technical aspects of charity finance.
Information session on new Code of Fundraising Practice - Fundraising Regulator
12 June 2025 - 12:00 to 1:00pm; FREE
Online information session about the new Code of Fundraising Practice delivered by The Fundraising Regulator (FR). The Fundraising Regulator will soon publish its new Code of Fundraising Practice. The new code, which has been shaped by extensive public consultation, represents a clearer, more flexible, and modern approach to fundraising regulation. This session will provide an opportunity for charities, fundraisers, volunteers and Trustees to find out more about the new code and the support available ahead of its implementation later this year.
Chartered Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland Awards 2025
The Chartered Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland Awards recognises the incredible work of local fundraisers, volunteers and businesses who make a huge difference to people living in Northern Ireland. Tickets to join the celebrations are now available.
Latest Articles of Interest
Community Foundation for Northern Ireland updates guidance for use of AI in applications
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland has updated their Grant FAQs to include information on the use of AI for funding applications, as well as how they will use AI in their own processes.
Celia Currie, Stakeholder & Policy Manager-Northern Ireland for the Fundraising Regulator shares a few key takeaways from this year’s report.
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