Your weekly roundup of funding news and deadlines from GrantTracker.
Funding News
Grassroots Facilities Programme Pilot Stage
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has announced the next milestone in the Northern Ireland Football Fund – the pilot stage of the Grassroots Facilities Programme. The Programme aims to support investment in Grassroots Football Facilities across Northern Ireland. This Pilot Stage will enable the Department to explore demand and better understand the needs and challenges at grassroots level. Stream 1 is open to: (A) Grassroots Football Clubs who are the Owner of the Grassroots Football Facility or Grassroots Football Clubs who intend to become the Owner of the Grassroots Football Facility prior to the issue of a Funding Agreement. Applicants can apply for funding awards between £500,000 and £1,500,000. Application deadline is 5pm on 15 April 2026.
Community Foundation for Northern Ireland Open Calls
Lead the Change is a new, three year initiative launched by BBC Children in Need, in partnership with Co-op Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Henry Smith Foundation, Joseph Levy Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Postcode Justice Trust, UK Community Foundations and The National Lottery Community Fund. The programme supports young people to play a leading role in strengthening relationships, fostering understanding and building belonging in their communities. In Northern Ireland, there will be one grant of £123,353. The Expression of Interest window is open from 1 April 2026 until 1pm on 29 April 2026. The Evishgaran and Craiggore Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund aims is to provide financial support towards the development of locally beneficial community-based projects and initiatives within a 7km radius of Evishgaran and Craiggore wind farms, Dungiven. Grants up to £4,000. Apply by 1pm on 16 April 2026.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Reconciliation Fund
The Department is pleased to announce that the Reconciliation Fund’s Annual Funding Round (for 12-month funding) will open on Wednesday 18th March 2026 at 11am. They will accept applications through their online application portal until the final closing date of Thursday, 16th April 2026 at 23:59. Minister McEntee launched the new Reconciliation Fund Strategy (2026-29) on 09 March. This Strategy sets out the current funding criteria and priorities that guide how grants are awarded by the Reconciliation Fund. All applicants should therefore consult this document to ensure that their proposals align with the criteria and priority areas identified there.
The SPAR Community Cashback Grant scheme awards £20,000 to local organisations to reward local groups and charities for their work and care in the community, helping them to continue while growing and improving their services. In 2026, applications will open on 9th April and close on 13th May 2026.
Woodward Charitable Trust: Children's Summer Playschemes
Each year the Trustees of the Woodward Charitable Trust set aside funds for summer playschemes for children from disadvantaged backgrounds between the ages of 5-16 years. Trustees only fund programmes that run for a minimum of 2 weeks, 10 full days or 20 half days across the summer holidays. And up to 50% of the total cost of a scheme. Most grants awarded are in the range of £500 to £2,000. Deadline 12pm(noon) on 16 April 2026.
Upcoming Deadlines
Grow Wild: Youth Project Funding
Every year, Grow Wild supports young people, communities, individuals and organisations through their grant programmes. This scheme offers funding of £500 for young people aged 14-25 to lead a project that celebrates UK native wildflowers and fungi in exciting and engaging ways. Applications for the UK-wide Grow Wild Youth Grant close 3pm on 18 March 2026.
LFT Charitable Trust: Bite for Life
The aim of this LFT Grant Programme is to support young people aged 12-16 years old, at risk of holiday hunger. The grant programme will support summer programmes to provide young people with nutritious food alongside culinary skills and other fun activities during a period of the school summer holidays. Applications for grants up to £6,000 are invited. Application deadline 19 March 2026 at 12pm(noon).
Ards & North Down Borough Council: Ending Violence Against Women and Girls
The Change Fund will help to mobilise grassroots action, support innovative delivery, and maximise the impact of community-led initiatives that contribute to the prevention outcomes of the EVAWG Strategic Framework. The EVAWG Change Fund aims to equip community groups to prevent violence against women and girls with grants from £1000 up to £25,000. Deadline is 20 March 2026.
Mulhollands Community Assistance Programme
The Mulhollands Community Assistance Programme benefits community projects in Antiville, Millbrook, Ballyumford, Drains Bay, Milebush, Woodburn, Eden or surrounding areas. The Programme offers financial assistance to projects that align with one or more of the fund categories: Health, Education, Employment Opportunities, Poverty/Social Deprivation. Grants are available for amounts up to £500. They run two application cycles over the year; Cycle one closes 29 March 2026.
Children's Alliance Grant Funding
Children’s Alliance is an outreach initiative of Water Babies, the largest baby swim school in the UK. They support non-profit organisations across the UK, including schools, registered charities, community interest companies and registered community groups delivering water based projects for disadvantaged children aged under 18. Apply for funding up to £15,000. Next deadline 30 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.
Articles & Guest Blogs
PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme - Online Webinar Series
Applications are open for grants of between €10,000 and €100,000 through the PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme. The programme will distribute €40M of funding up to the end of 2027 to support cross-community/cross border people to people projects. Co-operation Ireland, Rural Action and East Border Region are delivering a series of online webinars to guide applicants on how to apply for a grant of €10,000 to €100,000 – click link to find out more.
Our Guest Blogger, Andrea Brown, Chief Executive, Disability Action NI is a valued member of NICVA's new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Stakeholder Group. Here, Andrea explains why being part of NICVA's EDI Steering Group is a full circle moment.
#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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