Your weekly funding news and deadlines update from GrantTracker.
Funding News
Foyle Foundation set to make £23m-worth of grants as it closes after 25 years
The Foyle Foundation will complete its grant giving programme in 2025, marking 25 years of giving to the fields of the Arts, Learning, Community Small Grants, State School Libraries and Health. You can apply at any time up to the final cut off dates where they will consider applications for projects up to the end of 2025. Find out more here.
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. As part of their new Strategy, 'Better Together', they have designed a suite of new grant programmes to enable applicants to help those in greatest need with grants of up to £40,000. You can find out more here.
Shared Island Initiative: Creative Youth on a Shared Island now open
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.
King Charles III Charitable Fund: Small Grants
The King Charles III Charitable Fund is set to launch its Small Grants Programme in 2024, continuing the legacy of former initiatives like the Prince's Countryside Fund. This new programme focuses on supporting projects that contribute to the environment, countryside, social inclusion, health and wellbeing, education, heritage and conservation. The Fund awards small grants of up to £5,000 per year to approximately 100 community based organisations each year. Applications will next open 5th to 22nd February 2024.
Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally
Making a Difference Locally (MADL) is a charity launched to help independently run local stores add value to their communities. The charity helps the stores achieve this by allowing them to nominate charities or good causes that are local to them to receive a specific donation from Nisa. Donations may be to local sports teams, hospices or one of the many charities operating in the UK. Current schemes include nominations to general grants, Heart of the Community Awards where donations of up to £1,000 per store will help food pantries provide essential food and other supplies to people in need, and Pride Pot offering £500 to groups supporting LGBTQ+ communities. To apply for a donation, visit your nearest Nisa affiliated retailer to discuss a nomination (Russells Food&Drink in Northern Ireland). Nearest stores can be found by visiting: https://www.nisalocally.co.uk/stores/search.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Financial Assistance 2024/2025 – Call 1
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council invites applications for financial assistance towards the following programme areas: Community Engagement, Community Events & Festivals, Good Relations, Irish Language, Minority Communities Fund, PCSP Community Safety Support, Sports Programmes, Arts and Culture Projects, Tourism Events, and Community Summer Schemes. Opening date: Monday 22 January 2024 at 12 noon. Closing date: Wednesday 28 February 2024 at 12 noon. Funding Workshops taking place at various locations from 17 January 2024. To book a place on one of the workshops please click here. A link to the online workshop is provided automatically by TicketSource upon registration.
Upcoming Deadlines
Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council: Tak£500+
Tak£500+ is a Participatory Budgeting initiative which basically means that local people get to decide how public funds are used to address needs in their area. Communities can apply for up to £1000 for a project they think will benefit their area – and best of all, it is the local residents who decide which projects should go ahead. Deadline 18 January 2024 (midnight).
Causeway Coast & Glens District Council: Tourism Funding
Tourism Events Growth Fund - The Council is seeking to provide financial support for events that align themselves to key priority areas such as; Cultural Tourism, Music / Food Tourism and Sports and Activities (tourism related). Maximum award - £15,000. Tourism and Recreation Large Events Funding - Up to 50% of total project costs of the event. Maximum grant amount £100,000. Deadline 22 January 2024 (noon).
As an IT charity, all projects they fund must make use of information technology and must relate to one or more of their priority areas - education, inclusion, IT for charities, and public understanding of IT. Projects need to demonstrate an innovative use of IT, be scalable for wider replication, and be sustainable over time. They are a small funder and therefore usually only fund projects up to £15,000. Deadline 22 January 2024 (5pm).
Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council: PEACEPLUS Expression of interest for Local Action Plan
Under PEACEPLUS they have an allocation of approximately £3.8 million to deliver the PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan for the area to promote positive relations between people from different backgrounds and communities. The PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan will support programmes across three key themes: Local community regeneration and transformation, Thriving and peaceful communities, and Celebrating cultures and diversity. Expression of Interest deadline 2 February 2024 4pm).
In its role as lead partner, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council wishes to invite Expressions of Interest under the PEACEPLUS Community Regeneration & Transformation Capital Programme. This Programme aims to create investment in local capital projects (projects to construct either new facilities or improvements to existing facilities) across the Borough. Delivered via an Expression of Interest method, the Expression of Interest form can be requested by emailing [email protected] and should be submitted to this email by 16 February 2024 (noon).
Fundraising Events
NICVA is hosting a Funding Fayre 28 February 2024 from 10am to 3pm. A wide range of funders have confirmed their attendance. We will will also have a number of seminar speakers updating you changes to funding strategies, programmes, priorities, and processes. Check this webpage regularly and stay-up-to-date.
Fundraising Support
Training
Developing a Case for Support - In Person
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.
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. If you wish to secure a Fundraising Clinic please contact the Fundraising Advice Officer directly for availability. considered.
Fundraising Hub
Explore the Fundraising Hub for a wide range of articles and resources to support your fundraising journey. A few are below:
Fundraising Advice Officer, Jocelyn Horton, rounds up some of the announcements made in 2023 and looks ahead to some reopening dates in January 2024.
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.
New funding for LGBTQI communities worldwide, totalling more than £40 million over the next five years, was announced by the UK Minister of State (Development and Africa), Rt Hon. Andrew Mitchell, at the first UK LGBTQI Global Giving Summit on 22 November 2023. Read more…
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.
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