Your weekly roundup of funding news and deadlines from GrantTracker.
Funding News
Together for Families Launches
Together for Families, a partnership model that aims to transform how children, young people and families are supported across Northern Ireland launched last week. Shifting from reactive, high-cost statutory intervention the initiative builds on the commitment, expertise and strong foundations already present across our health and social care system, Family Support Hubs and community-based services. This £59.2 million investment, with £30 million from The National Lottery Community Fund and £29.2 million from the Northern Ireland Public Sector Transformation Fund, brings together The National Lottery Community Fund, the Department of Health, Health and Social Care Trusts and the voluntary and community sector to make it easier for families to access practical, co-ordinated support earlier and closer to home. The application process for funding to deliver one or more of the 15 Enhanced Family Support Services has also formally opened. Further details can be found here.
Inclusive Communities: The Phoenix Community Fund
The Phoenix Community Fund has been established to help local charity and community groups across their licence area. The Fund welcomes applications from community groups and organisations big and small that require funding support (up to a maximum of £500) to deliver activity to reduce social isolation, removes barriers to inclusion and promotes equality in their community. Biodiversity groups and organisations can also apply for funding to help enhance our local biodiversity and environmental impact. Applications must be submitted in sufficient time to ensure that supported projects can take place by 1 March 2027.
Consortium: LGBT+ Get Active Grants
Thanks to funding from London Marathon Foundation, The LGBT+ Fund, powered by Consortium, will be awarding a total of £400,000 that will be paid over 2 years, to successful applicant organisations and groups working in LGBT+ sports and physical activities across the UK. Organisations can apply for grants of between £5,000 and £25,000 per year for projects lasting 1 or 2 years. Application deadline 4 November 2026 at 12noon.
Community Foundation for NI: The Fibrus Community Fund
Established by Fibrus Broadband in 2021, The Fibrus Community Fund aims to addressing digital poverty and exists to support the work of communities across Northern Ireland to provide access to digital technology for the most vulnerable. Grants up to £1,500 are available for projects that address digital poverty, with a particular focus on older people, people on low income and people with disabilities. The 2026 round closes 16 October at 1pm.
Upcoming Deadlines
Asda Foundation: Foodbank Fundamentals
Foodbank Fundamentals is a grant specifically for organisations whose core purpose is to distribute food and alleviate food poverty in their local community. Not-for-profit groups with a primary aim of supporting food distribution and provision, can apply for grants of up to £1000 to cover their essential needs. Extended deadline: Application Window now open until 10am on 25 September 2026.
If you're a foodbank or food service provider looking for funding, grants of up to £1,000 are available. The grant closing date is 10am on 22nd September 2026.
Arts Council NI: Rural Engagement Arts Programme
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is inviting applications to the fourth year of its Rural Engagement Arts Programme (REAP). The purpose of the Rural Engagement Arts Programme (REAP) is to provide an integrated, cohesive approach to the needs of local rural communities while recognising some specific issues they face. The primary theme of REAP is combatting isolation and loneliness, promoting social inclusion and to improve equality of access and opportunity to arts provision across all Section 75 groups, encouraging greater participation in the arts within all communities. The maximum award available is £10,000. The deadline for applications is 24 September 2026 (noon).
Belfast Harbour Community Awards
The Community Awards are part of Belfast Harbour’s ongoing commitment to advance prosperity and create vibrant places and communities by supporting the work of grassroots and charitable organisations across Northern Ireland. Awards categories are Supporting Employability and Skills, Supporting our Environment, and Supporting Communities. Entries are now open for the second round of the awards, offering eligible groups and organisations individual grants of up to £5,000. Deadline for applications is 25 September 2026 at 5pm.
Belfast City Airport: Community Fund
Belfast City Airport is now accepting applications for its Community Fund, inviting community groups, charities, schools, and local organisations across Greater Belfast, Ards, and North Down to apply for financial support. This year, they have launched a new £10,000 environmental grant that will be awarded to a project with one or both themes of biodiversity and sustainability. They also have grants of £1,000 to £5,000 available to support a range of community initiatives. Application deadline 05 October 2026.
Fundraising Events & Training 2026/27
Supercharge Your Grant Applications: AI as a Time-Saving Tool for Funding Bids
22 September 2026 - 10:00am to 1:00pm
Are you juggling multiple guidelines and spending more time translating funder language into something that supports your work? Following the success of the "Intro to AI" sessions, NICVA is partnering with CiviCode again to deliver a highly practical workshop designed for bid writers and fundraisers in the Northern Ireland voluntary and community sector.
6 October 2026 - 10:00am to 1:00pm
Across the UK, £564 million is lost to missed Gift Aid opportunities every year — donations that could have gone further but didn’t. In a funding climate where costs are rising and demand is growing, encouraging your supporters to #TickTheBox can ensure their generosity reaches its full potential. Join Tony Clarke and Jocelyn Horton to find out more.
Strengthening your Funding Applications
10 February 2027 - 10:00am to 1:00pm
Securing funds through funding applications can be crucial to an organisation’s ability to deliver. But who are the funders, where can you find them, which ones should you select, and what do you need to consider before submitting your application?
Join Jocelyn Horton to find out how to strengthen your fundraising approach and applications to Trusts and Foundations.
Funding Fayre 2027 – Save the Date | NICVA
25 February 2027 - 10:00am to 1:00pm
NICVA’s ever-popular Funding Fayre is set to return in 2027. It’s a chance for voluntary and community organisations across Northern Ireland to gain the support you need.
Articles and Resources
Get to Know Us: The National Lottery Heritage Fund Northern Ireland | NICVA
Organisations based in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area who may have thought heritage is only about historic buildings are encouraged to attend the National Lottery Heritage Fund series of free ‘Get to Know Us’ events to find out more about how your work may be supported.
Our Future Health, the UK's largest ever health research programme, is coming to Northern Ireland
Our Future Health is the UK's largest ever health research programme, recruiting up to 5 million people to take part. Our Future Health aims to help people live longer, healthier lives by supporting researchers to detect, treat and prevent diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, dementia and stroke. Learn about how you can get involved and receive funding.
Latest news from The National Lottery Community Fund (Northern Ireland)
The National Lottery Community Fund is the largest community funder in the UK. Each year they distribute millions of pounds of #NationalLottery good causes money to community groups and charitable projects around the country. We detail their series of virtual information sessions taking place through to December.
Get ahead with GrantTracker and access over 1000 funding schemes in NI's leading database. Just £115 a year for NICVA members and £165 for non-members. Sign up here.