Funding News – 25 November 2024
Your weekly roundup of funding news and deadlines from GrantTracker.
Funding News
Department of Health’s Core Grant funding scheme for 2025/2026 launched
The scheme is open to community and voluntary sector organisations and is intended to support them with core operating costs. The total budget available for the scheme will depend on the Department’s final budget allocation for next year, although it is anticipated that at least £1.8m will be made available. Organisations have until 12pm(noon) on Friday 13 December 2024 to apply for funding from the scheme. Further information, including the application form and guidance, can be found online at: Core Grant Funding Scheme 2025-26 | Department of Health.
National Lottery Heritage Grants £250,000 to £10million
National Lottery Heritage Grants funding programme is for all types of heritage projects in the UK. They accept applications from not-for-profit organisations, private owners of a heritage asset and partnerships. Applications must consider their four investment principles under their 10-year strategy, Heritage 2033: saving heritage, protecting the environment, inclusion, access and participation, and organisational sustainability. You must first submit an Expression of Interest and, if you are successful, they will invite you to apply. Deadlines are quarterly. Next deadline 26 February 2025 (noon).
New funding strategy from Steel Charitable Trust
Following a review of their strategic policy earlier this year, Steel Charitable Trust has announced a new funding strategy expected to be in effect for the next five years. The UNITED KINGDOM Under-26 Fund, is a rolling programme with four cut-off dates. The fund’s aim is to improve outcomes for children and young people in the UK (regardless of their nationality, culture or ethnic origin) who are wholly or mainly under 26 years of age focusing on creating educational and/or access opportunities for young people in circumstances, groups or locations that face economic challenges or social marginalisation that may lead to significant disadvantages in later life. Generally, £10k is the minimum grant size with most one-off grants falling in the range £10k-£25k – contributions to salary, capital, and running costs will be considered. Current application window is now open until 15 January 2025.
The Fore’s Spring 2025 funding round – registration opens early December
The Fore fund small charities that make a big impact through unrestricted grants up to £30,000 over 3 years to help applicants grow, strengthen, become more efficient or resilient. Applicants can be in any location or sector, but need to be Registered Charities (including those constituted as charitable trusts, charitable unincorporated associations, charitable incorporated organisations and charitable companies limited by guarantee), Community Interest Companies (CICs) limited by guarantee, or Community Benefit Societies with an annual revenue of less than £500k. Register apply from 4 December 2024 (noon) until 11 December 2024 (noon).
Belfast City Council: Take 5 Steps to Wellbeing
Take 5 steps to wellbeing, your voice, your choice gives residents a is a new Participatory Budgeting (PB) initiative in Belfast. PB gives residents a direct say in the spending decisions that affect them and lets local people decide how public funds can make a difference. Groups can apply for funding up to £2,500 for a project they think will benefit the community - it's your voice, your say. Projects should support Take 5 steps to wellbeing. Open to applications 9:00am 25 November 2024.
Early Years: The Pathway Fund 2025/26 and 2026/27
The Pathway Fund is delighted to announce the opening of three funding streams on 25th November 2024. Stream A and B of the Pathway Fund is open to all registered providers or facilitators of early years (0-4) education and learning provision and Stream C, a NEW stream specifically to support registered childminders and Approved Home Childcarers. Funding ranges from £500 up to £40,000.
Upcoming Deadlines
Department for Communities (DfC): Historic Environment Fund - Roof and Window Repair Stream
The Historic Environment Fund aims to help communities to enjoy and realise the value of the historic environment. Divided into four streams, the Repair Stream is focused on the repair of roofs and windows. Applications for up to £8k or 15k per building (non- thatched and thatched buildings respectively) are invited for works in 2025-26. Deadline 27 November 2024 (5pm).
Arts & Business: Blueprint 2 now open
Blueprint is Arts & Business NI’s financial resilience programme, which has the ambition to help strengthen the arts sector in Northern Ireland for the future. In its second round, 10 cultural organisations will be selected to take part through the application process. This round of the programme will span three years and participants will receive comprehensive training and mentoring in areas including, finance, fundraising, business models, and governance. The programme also offers a range of investment grants, which are open for flexible use by the recipient organisation to invest in a way that best encourages growth and stability. Apply by 29 November 2024 (noon).
BGF Foundation Partnership Grants 2024/25
The BGF Foundation provides multi-year, flexible funding and pro bono expertise to growing charities who support young people. They look to support charities that have plans to scale their impact and focus on charities working with young people in the areas of education, employment, enterprise, mental health, and physical wellbeing. Grants will be £100k, distributed over two years. They expect to award 4-5 grants in this round. EOI submission deadline 5pm on 29 November 2024. Full application deadline 14 February 2025 (5pm).
Baily Thomas funds projects to aid research into learning disability and to aid the care and relief of those affected by learning disability by making grants to voluntary organisations working in this field. Grants range from £250 to high thousands. Deadline for applications of £9,000 and above is 1 December 2024.
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA): Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme
This Scheme, funded under the Department’s Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI) Programme, offers Micro Capital grants of between £500 and £2,000 to rural community-led, voluntary organisations for projects tackling issues of local poverty and / or social isolation. Tranche 2 is open for applications from 11 November 2024 until 5 December 2024 12pm midday.
Fundraising Support
Events
Meet the Funder: Rosa – Voices from the Frontline Programme
26 November 2024 - 10:00am to 11:00am
In this free online event, you’ll meet some of Rosa’s grants team and learn more about the eligibility criteria and how to apply to their Voices from the Frontline Programme. The Programme offers grants of up to £10,000 over 18 months to women’s and girls’ organisations to support campaigning and influencing work that enables women and girls to use their voice to achieve change.
28 November 2024, 10am to 1pm; In-person at NICVA
Cost: £55 (NICVA Members) or £70 (non-NICVA members)
Described as your written argument as to why you deserve to be funded, a compelling Case for Support can be a powerful tool to secure funding. This 3-hour session in NICVA aims to support those responsible for fundraising within voluntary and community organisations and who are unfamiliar with the use of Cases for Support in their work.
Fundraising Clinics
These popular clinics offer NICVA a free, one-hour tailored session addressing your fundraising needs. Clinics can be arranged by contacting Jocelyn Horton, Fundraising Advice Officer at [email protected].
Fundraising Hub
Explore the Fundraising Hub for a wide range of articles and resources to support your fundraising journey. A few are below:
Crowdfunder UK launches Foundation to empower philanthropy
Crowdfunder UK have officially launched the Crowdfunder Foundation aimed at helping philanthropists, high-net worth individuals, trusts, and foundations maximise their charitable giving through crowdfunding.
Every year charities in the UK lose out on £564 million as in Gift Aid goes unclaimed. Find out how you can make Gift Aid work better for you.
Supporting the Planet and Your Organisation
Earth Day is celebrated annually on 22 April. But did you know you can encourage donors to support your work while taking environmental action? There are a few options out there to generate additional income for your work or save you the expense by encouraging your supporters and donors to take action on your behalf.
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. Sign up here.