Your weekly roundup of funding news and deadlines from GrantTracker.
Funding News
The Connect Fund awards funding to strengthen civic East-West collaboration on matters of shared interest, including mutual challenges and opportunities across a range of sectors that directly affect communities in Northern Ireland. The Government supports an inclusive United Kingdom and acknowledges the importance of bringing together community groups across the United Kingdom to better improve the lives of all communities in Northern Ireland. Funding can be provided for both standalone/one off projects (e.g. attending a conference or facilitating a visit) or for a more recurrent project (e.g. establishing a UK-wide forum for community organisations). There will be two funding rounds both distributing £500,000; applicants can bid for £300 to £50,000. Applications accepted on a rolling basis but must be submitted by the 10th of the month for a decision at the beginning of the following month starting August 2025. Round 1 will run from 12 June 2025 to 30 April 2026. Round 2 will run from 1 May 2026 to 31 March 2027.
New ScottishPower Foundation Art for Climate Fund opening soon
The ScottishPower Foundation’s Art for Climate Fund will finance two multi-year projects that contribute towards the goal of building knowledge and capacity to meet climate change. Specific objective is to use the arts to inspire evidence-based action for climate and to promote sustainable development, by increasing participation in the climate debate and fostering an understanding and appreciation of nature. A two-year grant from this fund aims to increase the capacity of arts charities to design, develop and implement innovative solutions that respond to the climate crisis. It is anticipated that the fund will award two grants of £100,000 administered over two years. Applications to the fund will open between 30th June- 18th July. Subject to the same opening and closing dates, their Annual Grants Programme offers registered Charities with a minimum income of £75,000 but not exceeding £10,000,000, grant requests of £35,000 and to maximum £150,000. Salaries can be included in bids to both programmes.
Tree Council: Branching Out Fund
The Tree Council has reopened the Branching Out small grants funds to support a new season of tree planting. Open to schools, community groups, volunteer Tree Wardens, and others to undertake well-planned tree planting projects over winter annually, preferably during National Tree Week, applicants can apply for from £250 to £2,500. Early applications are encouraged and assessed on a rolling basis until final deadline of midnight 14 November 2025.
Nuffield Foundation Programme Grants
The Nuffield Foundation is an independent charitable trust with a mission to advance educational opportunity and social well-being. The Foundation’s funding grants are awarded to research that examines the inequalities, disadvantages and vulnerabilities people face throughout their lives, and produces findings that can influence future policy. They look for comprehensive proposals that use rigorous methodology and can make a difference. The Research, Development, and Analysis Fund offers grants under their three core areas of Education, Welfare and Justice for projects within a UK-context. There are two deadlines a year for this fund: Spring: Grants of up to £750,000 and Autumn: Grants of up to £750,000. Next outline application deadline 6 October 2025. The Racial Diversity UK Fund offers research funding to understand the barriers and pathways to a racially just and inclusive society. Grants from £15,000 to £750,000 are available. Submit applications by 6 October 2025.
The Philip Henman Trust offers grants to major UK- based charities with an expenditure of over £100,000 per annum, who are concerned with overseas development and who require partnership funding for projects lasting between three and five years. These grants are split into annual payments (between £3,000 and £5,000 P.A.) with a maximum total of £25,000. Applications are made annually with the deadline 10th September.
The Trust funds UK registered charities operating in the UK in the fields of the advancement of the arts, health and medical welfare and the environment. The Trust supports a diverse range of charities seeking in some way to enhance and improve people’s lives. Grants usually in the range of £500 - £6,000 with three grant-making meetings held annually in March, July, and November. The deadline for applications for their next grant-making meeting is 30 September 2025.
Upcoming Deadlines
Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s Community Involvement Grants 2025/26
The Community Involvement grants allow residents and community groups to apply for projects that will benefit Housing Executive Communities. The maximum amount of grant available will be £5,000. Applications are welcome from community groups, tenants, residents and leaseholder groups who are active within Housing Executive areas across Northern Ireland and are involved in the Housing Community Network (HCN). Projects must fit in with one or more of the below themes: Health & Wellbeing, Environment Improvement, Intergenerational Practice, Digital Inclusion, or Cost of living/poverty. Deadline 17 June 2025, 4pm.
Benefact Group: Movement for Good - Partnership Funding
They now accepting Expressions of Interest for their Partnership Funding. This funding supports eligible charities working in: Education and Skills, Arts and Heritage, or Climate Change and Environment. They have several hundred thousand pounds to distribute annually, in grants of £10,000+. They expect to fund 20+ charities every year. Expression of Interest deadline 20 June 2025, midnight.
The Barclays Community Football Fund has been replaced by the new Barclays Community Sport Fund in partnership with Sported. The programme helps to reduce inequalities in sport – with a focus on football, tennis, and cricket. The fund supports community groups and grassroots sports organisations who are working within the most deprived areas of the UK and are making sport more accessible to women and girls, as well as engaging people from other under-represented groups including people with disabilities, from racially diverse communities and from the LGBTQ+ community. They offer a grant of £1000 (lesser amounts for coaching), bespoke support, and exclusive ticketing opportunities. Deadline 22 June 2025.
Persimmon Charitable Foundation Grants
Establishing the Persimmon Charitable Foundation in 2015, they support projects that address deprivation or disadvantage in our communities, especially among young people. These include social mobility and youth development, such as learning and training. There are two rounds of funding, with a total of £200,000 available for distribution each year, in the form of four £50,000 donations distributed in May and September. The programme is currently accepting applications from registered Charities only with the second round of funding welcoming applications for UK-based projects focusing on children and young people aged 14 to 25, employability, and areas of economic and social deprivation. Deadline 23:59 on 22 June 2025.
Mulhollands Community Assistance Programme
Mulholland Funeral Directors with support from parent company, Funeral Partners, have launched the Mulhollands Community Assistance Programme, a new initiative dedicated to supporting and uplifting their local community of Carrickfergus and Larne. The Programme will offer financial assistance to organisations supporting those facing economic hardships with awards of £500. Project activities can benefit residents of all ages; priority will be given to projects addressing the needs of the most disadvantaged in the local community and projects led by people who can demonstrate a clear understanding of community need and strong connections in that community. Deadline 30 June 2025.
Events
25 June 2025 - 10:00am to 12:00pm
NICVA is hosting an engagement session on the Lotteries for Communities Private Members Bill being taking forward by Sian Mulholland, MLA - also currently Vice Chair of the All Party Group on the Voluntary and Community Sector.
The Bill aims to introduce legislation that allows large society lotteries to operate in Northern Ireland.
The Lotteries for Communities Bill consultation will run from Friday 9th May 2025 until 23.59 on 31st July 2025.
The session, which outlines the bills proposals, will provide an opportunity to hear and take sector views regarding the matter. Open to all voluntary and community sector organisations and groups, the event takes place in NICVA offices, Belfast.
Please also see NICVA briefing paper on The Lotteries for Communities Bill consultation | NICVA
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.
9 July 2025 - 12:00PM to 1:00pm
FREE
Finding the right funder for you is crucial to the success of your programmes and organisation’s financial sustainability, so it’s essential to maximise your time and manage your fundraising efforts – GrantTracker is the perfect tool to help you achieve this. Join our webinar to find out how to make the best use of GrantTracker.
Latest Articles
We summarise a few of the recent funding announcements for projects, activities and programmes supporting work across the island of Ireland
Sian Mulholland MLA’s private member’s bill, The Lotteries for Communities Bill was launched for consultation on 9 May 2025 and will close on 31 July 2025. NICVA has produced a briefing paper in response.
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.
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