Your weekly funding news and deadlines update from GrantTracker.
Funding News
Community Foundation Northern Ireland: AXA PARKS Fund
AXA is working to make a difference in local communities through AXA PARKS – a new environmental grants programme, supporting local community projects that demonstrate a real commitment to improved outcomes for our environment and our communities’ wellbeing. The €1m project will see AXA support projects across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Grants from £3,000 to £20,000.
Ards and North Down Sports Forum Grant Programme
The Grant Programme provides the opportunity for affiliated sports clubs and organisations within the Ards and North Down Borough which have a sporting remit/section to seek financial assistance. The Council has set aside £40,000 for 2022/23 financial year allowing funding in the following grant categories: Anniversary, Coaching, Equipment, Events, GoldCard, Seeding, and Travel/Accommodation.
Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council's Online Funding Hub
Grants are available for qualifying groups throughout the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area. Currently open are Community Small Grants, Good Relations, Leisure Grants, and Arts & Heritage Awards.
Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
Celebrating the outstanding work of local volunteer groups across the UK, the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) is the highest award given to local volunteer groups. Created in 2002 to celebrate the anniversary of the Queen's Coronation, it is the MBE for volunteer groups and is awarded for life. Nomination deadline 15 September 2022.
UK Government: Levelling Up Fund
The Levelling Up Fund is designed to invest in infrastructure that improves everyday life across the UK. The £4.8 billion fund will support town centre and high street regeneration, local transport projects, and cultural and heritage assets. In addition to local authorities, the UK government will accept bids from a range of local applicants in NI, including but not limited to businesses, universities, voluntary and community sector organisations, district councils, the Northern Ireland Executive, and other public sector bodies. The Fund will run until 2024/25. The Department will be hosting an information webinar to promote the second round of the Levelling Up Fund on 26 April 2022 15:00-15:45. Registration is not required- the meeting on Teams can be accessed at this link
Royal London Changemakers Programme
Supporting innovative solutions that help people build financial resilience or support a transition to net zero, UK and Ireland social ventures/entrepreneurs can apply for a grant of £20,000 as well as further two-years of support and networking opportunities.
Upcoming Deadlines
Derry City & Strabane District Council’s Grant Aid Programme 2022-23
The Council has two grants with upcoming deadlines: Community Support Fund and Good Relations (Core and Project funding)
Deadline 3pm, 29 April 2022.
Training Links offers funding opportunities to groups of organisations that choose to come together to form Training Networks and work collaboratively to address their shared training needs as a training network.
Deadline 5pm, 29 April 2022.
Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust
The Austin and Hope Trust gives grants to UK registered charities that work with communities in the UK. For 2022 they have decided to focus on The Arts for all grants.
Deadline 30 April 2022.
Funding to allow public bodies and community groups to purchase books and DVDs about the Christian faith, to be placed anywhere they can be borrowed and enjoyed.
Deadline 30 April 2022.
A B Charitable Trust: Open Grants Programme
Grants are awarded to charities registered and working in the UK and the Trust is particularly interested in charities that work with marginalised and excluded people in society, with a focus on migrants and refugees , criminal justice and penal reform, and human rights, particularly access to justice.
Deadline 30 April 2022.
Live Here Love Here: Platinum Jubilee Pollinator Garden Award
As part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022, Live Here Love Here is administering an Award to a group or partnership to create a bespoke community pollinator garden as a legacy of the occasion. The Award is being wholly provided by the Department of Environment, Agriculture and Rural Affairs and managed by the Live Here Love Here programme.
New extended deadline noon 4 May 2022
Articles and Resources
NEW! - Being concerned about inflation is something that many charities and voluntary organisations are potentially facing as inflation has climbed to historic levels. The following article explores some of the issues and what charities can do to manage the situation: Charities and the cost-of-living crisis | NICVA
NEW! - Guest Blog: Putting Volunteering at the Heart of Business | NICVA - Lauren Cunningham, Community Engagement Manager at Business in the Community, discusses the role of businesses in supporting the voluntary and community sector.
NEW! - Find out more about Give a Little in Introduction to Give a Little | NICVA where Vicky Hewlett, Senior Marketing & Communications Manager discusses the features of their point-of-donation platform, Give A Little, which helps charities of all sizes collect cashless donations and could help charities and organisations in Northern Ireland adapt to a cashless society. Remember to sign up to the FREE webinar on 25 May 2022 - 11:00am to 12:30pm
Check out guest blogs from Friends of the Earth too!
Tori Arthurs, Supporter Recruitment Manager gives some pointers to get your project off the ground when advertising on Facebook to recruit new donors and supporters Guest Blog: Getting started with using ads on Facebook for fundraising | NICVA
Paige Ardrey, Social Media and Engagement Manager gives us her top tips for getting started on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, which can be powerful tools for campaigning, fundraising and growing supporters Guest Blog: Top Tips for Getting Started on Social Media | NICVA
Recordings from NICVA’s #DigitalFundraising Webinar Series 2021 are available on our website including Live Panel Discussion - trends, ideas and overcoming challenges in cashless giving | NICVA.
Upcoming Fundraising Training
Develop your fundraising skills and support your organisations long-term stability with our training:
5 May 2022 - 10:30am to 12:30pm
This two-hour webinar will enable you to understand the importance and benefits of a Case for Support, examine the key component parts of it, and explore ways to apply it to funding applications, presentations, social media messaging and more.
25 May 2022 - 11:00am to 12:30pm
Vicky Hewlett, Senior Marketing & Communications Manager discusses the features of their point-of-donation platform, Give A Little, which helps charities of all sizes collect cashless donations and could help charities and organisations in Northern Ireland adapt to a cashless society.
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