Funding news
The Ireland Funds: Heart of the Community Grants
The Heart of the Community Fund is an open grant round designed to meet the needs of not-for-profit organisations delivering vital services and supports to people across the island of Ireland. In 2023, they will provide grants between €5,000-25,000 to not-for-profit organisations with an annual turnover of less than €/£3,000,000. The Ireland Funds recognises the challenges organisations face in securing funding to build their capacity or meet their core costs, so the Heart of the Community Fund 2023 will provide Organisational Investment Grants. Deadline 9 May 2023. Sign up to their Derry~Londonderry Information Session - 21 April at 11.30am.
The Big Give: Women and Girls Match Fund
The Big Give believes equality is essential for women and girls to dream freely, achieve proudly and live boldly and so have launched a new match funding scheme allowing organisations to raise unrestricted funds. The Women and Girls Match Fund aims to support organisations to tackle gender inequality and stop discrimination. Deadline 23 June 2023.
Parkinson's UK: Physical Activity Grants aims to help people with Parkinson's to become and stay active with grants of up to £2,500. The funder has confirmed the scheme will reopen 2 May 2023 as a rolling programme – no deadline. The funding scheme’s webpage will be updated in due course.
Community Foundation for NI: Partners for Social Care and Health Improvement Fund is a partnership fund between the Hospital Saturday Fund and the McCall Foundation aiming to fund and support the development of new and innovative processes, policies, products or programmes that increase the quality, impact, efficiency and/or affordability of social care. Grants of between £5,000 to £10,000 will be available. Deadline 8 May 2023 (1pm).
The National Lottery Community Fund (UK Wide) Climate Action Fund - Nature and Climate aims to help communities across the UK address climate change. Development grants of £50,000 to £150,000 over 12 to 18 months are available. The funder has announced that the funding scheme is closing to new applications on 30 June 2023 at 12 noon. You can still apply up to the deadline. You can still apply for energy and climate funding.
Nationwide Building Society: Community Grants opening 25 April
Charities, Community Land Trusts and housing co-operatives who are making positive changes and have a great housing solution can apply for grants of between £10,000 and £60,000.
Upcoming Deadlines
Asda Foundation funding schemes closing 21 April
Schemes include their Empowering Local Communities Grant, Under 18 Better Start Grants, and Cost of Living Grant.
Community Foundation for Northern Ireland: Evishagaran and Craiggore Community Benefit Fund
Applications are invited from charities and community organisations addressing education, environment, biodiversity, health, care and support of the vulnerable, recreation and sport, arts, heritage, culture, or science, and maintaining/improving community buildings. Must be based within a 7km radius of the Evishagaran and Craiggore wind farm sites. Deadline 24 April 2023 (1pm).
Charities and other organisations providing assistance to serving and former members of the British Armed Forces including operationally qualified seafarers and their dependants can apply. Two grant levels: 1) Grants up to a maximum of £30K (Trustees will also consider multi-year awards up to a maximum of £30K, i.e. £10K for each of the next two or three years). 2) Grants up to a maximum of £40K for the exclusive use on salaries over a two-year period may be awarded i.e. £20K for each of the next two years. Deadline 24 April 2023.
Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council Financial Assistance Grants for community and voluntary organisation. Schemes for community development, capital projects, events, arts projects, international tourism, and Good Relations. Deadline 28 April 2023 (noon).
Fundraising Training
Getting the most out of GrantTracker - Online
Six events throughout April; dates and times vary.
This 45 minute session covers using the Home keys to keep in touch and get support, maximising your searches, tracking schemes, funders and email notifications, and using “My Tracker” and “My Notes” to make GrantTracker work for you and in managing your funding applications.
26 April 2023 - 10:00am to 12:30pm
The session will include how the income from contracts fits into your wider funding strategy and how to find contract opportunities, how to prepare effectively for writing a proposal so you are able to respond to opportunities quickly and efficiently, what makes a successful application or tender, and how bids are assessed and scored.
Cost of Living Fundraising Series for May and June – FREE
NICVA's Fundraising Advice is delighted to be able to offer a wide range of FREE training sessions as part of our response to the Cost of Living Crisis throughout May and June. With a wide range of topics and a variety of trainers, you can sign up to any or all of the sessions and enhance your fundraising knowledge. One person per organisations (additional people will be added to the reserves list).
- Developing a Fundraising Strategy - 9 May 10am-1pm In-person at NICVA with Glenn Oakes, Caboodle Fundraising
- Building Support from Donors and Community Fundraisers - 9 May 1:30pm -4:30pm In-person at NICVA with Glenn Oakes, Caboodle Fundraising
- Meet the Funder: The Pilgrim Trust and their Young Women's Mental Health programme - 16 May 2pm-3pm ONLINE with Sonja Forbes, Grants Manager, Pilgrim Trust
- Developing Corporate Partnerships - 25 May 10am-1pm ONLINE with Denise Cranston, Head of Partnerships Advisory Practice, 2into3
- Training for Social Enterprises - Date and time to be confirmed; ONLINE with Facilitator to be confirmed
- Meet the Funder: Benefact Trust - 1 June 10am-12pm ONLINE with Andrew Bass, Grants Officer, Benefact Trust
- Developing a Case for Support - 8 June 10am-1pm In-person at NICVA with Jocelyn Horton, Fundraising Advice Officer, NICVA
- A Practical Guide to Completing Funding Applications - 14 June 1pm-4pm ONLINE with Jocelyn Horton, Fundraising Advice Officer, NICVA
Fundraising Hub
NICVA Fundraising Advice has a range of articles from contributors supporting fundraising alongside a range of topics. See a few below:
Guest Blogs
Celia Currie, Stakeholder and Policy Manager for Northern Ireland, reflects on the importance of volunteers in fundraising and why it's important for charities to understand what type of fundraising is being carried out.
Guest Blog: The Chartered Institute of Fundraising in Northern Ireland | NICVA
Paul Montgomery, Chair of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland gives an overview of the work they do and how you can get involved. Plus, Paul details of their spring Fundraising Forum in Lisburn.
Mark Creaney, from The National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF), talks about how the largest community funder across the UK is supporting communities who are seeking to minimise their impact on the environment.
Get ahead with GrantTracker and access over 1000 funding schemes in NI's leading database. Just £100 a year for NICVA members and £145 for non-members.