Access Without Limits Grants for Community Organisations Northern Ireland

Grants are available for voluntary, community and social enterprise sector organisations in Northern Ireland who do not currently offer the Duke of Edinburgh Award to create more opportunities for marginalised young people (14 to 24 years) to access the Award.

Amount: up to £10,200

Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund (Northern Ireland)

Deadline: 06/12/2024 (at 4pm)

Funding is available to increase the number of apprentices from underrepresented cohorts in Northern Ireland. The funding is intended to enable more people with disabilities, people from disadvantaged areas, and women to take up apprenticeships, by supporting innovative collaboration projects across education, business, and voluntary and community sectors.

Amount: around £100,000 per project is available over 18 months.

Aughrim Landfill Programme

Grants are available for community groups to support conservation projects in areas located within 10 miles of a licensed landfill site in Northern Ireland. This can include the protection and improvement of community spaces, such as parks, cycle paths, play areas and other public amenities.

Amount: between £5,000 and £10,000

Biffa Award Main Grants Scheme – Recreation

Grants are available for not-for-profit organisations for projects that will benefit people in their free time in communities located within the vicinity of a Biffa operation in England and Northern Ireland. This can also include renovations of clubhouses which have a wider community use outside of sporting activities, for example a space that is used by the community in much in the same way as a village hall.  

Amount: £10,000 to £75,000

Cash for Kids – Northern Ireland

Grants are available to local charities for projects that benefit disadvantaged and disabled children (0-18 years of age) in the Cool FM, Downtown Radio and Downtown Country broadcast area of Northern Ireland. Grants are used to support the provision of services and equipment

Amount: £1,000 to £3,000

Community Finance Ireland Loans

Loans are available to support voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Amount: £10,000 to £600,000

Community Relations Council – Community Relations/Cultural Diversity Grant Scheme

Deadline: 31/01/2025

Grants are available to help voluntary and community groups in Northern Ireland develop their capacity to engage in community relations work.

Amount: the average grant size is between £2,000 and £5,000 however, up to £10,000 is available

Energy for Children Charitable Trust

Grants are available to non-profit making organisations and community groups for projects to support disadvantaged children and children in need in Northern Ireland.

Amount: up to £5,000

Enkalon Foundation

Grants are available for projects assisting cross-community groups, self-help, assistance to the unemployed and groups helping disadvantaged members of society in Northern Ireland, especially in Antrim.

Amount: up to £6,000

Esme Mitchell Trust

Grants are available for a range of charitable causes in Northern Ireland, primarily in the areas of community development, advancement of health and projects of a heritage, cultural or artistic nature.

Amount: £1,000 to £3,000

For further information and how to apply please contact the Trust Administrator at Esme Mitchell Trust. Email: trusts@cfrlaw.co.uk

Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland – Community FLEX Programme

Grants are available for established, registered charities in Northern Ireland with at least one year of annual returns, to support their operations.

Amount: up to £10,000

Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland – COLLABORATE Programme

Grants are available for collaborations between two or more registered charities in Northern Ireland coming together to tackle a social issue at a local level.

Amount: up to £20,000

Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland – IGNITE Programme

Grants are available for registered charities in Northern Ireland that have been set up within the last two years, to support them during their start-up phase.

Amount: up to £2,000

Hays Travel Foundation

Grants are available for registered charities and local causes which help young people to achieve their potential within areas where Hays Travel have a branch.

Amount: between £2,000 and £15,000

Hope for Youth Northern Ireland

Deadline: 31/07/2025

Grants are available for community organisations in Northern Ireland to support young people from different cultural, ethnic or religious communities to work together on a creative, practical or outdoors project.

Amount: up to £5,000

International Fund for Ireland

Funding is available for projects to tackle the underlying causes of sectarianism and violence and to build reconciliation between people and within and between communities throughout the island of Ireland. The fund focuses its efforts in Northern Ireland and the southern border counties. One of the programmes is teh

Personal Youth Development Programme which aims to help at risk young people build and develop life skills that foster good relations, build confidence and resilience and make them more employable.

You will need to contact the fund to ensure eligibilty before being given application details.

Kingspan Kickstart Sports Fund (Island of Ireland)

Grants are available to amateur athletes, amateur sports clubs and community sports facilities based on the island of Ireland to support them in achieving their sport development goals.

Amount: up to £850

National Lottery Awards for All – Northern Ireland

Grants are available for voluntary and community organisations, schools and statutory bodies in Northern Ireland to support projects that improve the lives of local communities, and to help community organisations change and adapt to new and future challenges.

Amount: £300 to £10,000

National Lottery Community Fund – Sustainable Community Buildings Programme (Northern Ireland)

Deadline: 19/02/2025

Grants are available for voluntary and community organisations in Northern Ireland to support them in making their buildings more energy efficient, helping to save money on bills. Currently open for organisations in

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Derry City and Strabane District Council, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council areas. Other areas will have opportunities in future.

Amount: up to £50,000

Northern Ireland – Social Capital Loan Scheme

Loans are available to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to support the delivery of capital projects addressing social needs in communities across Northern Ireland.

All loans are to be repaid to the Department for Communities over a period of 15 years from drawdown.

Power NI – Brighter Communities Fund

Grants are available to charitable, sports and community organisations in Northern Ireland for equipment purchases or projects and activities that enhance their offering within their local community.

Amount: £1,000

Special EU Programmes Body: PEACE PLUS 2021-27 opens 2 more calls

PEACEPLUS funding supports 6 themes aimed at investing in efforts to address long standing social and economic challenges throughout the region. Nine calls are currently open including Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing. Deadlines vary.

Sport Northern Ireland – Creating Opportunities (with Crowdfunding)

Deadline: 20/01/2025

Match funding is available to community organisations in Northern Ireland for innovative crowdfunding projects aimed at promoting accessibility and inclusion in sports, coaching, officiating and leadership for traditionally excluded groups.

Amount: approved applicants will receive from Sport NI project match funding of 50%, up to a maximum of £5,000

Sport Northern Ireland – Your School Your Club

N.B although this is for schools (who can’t be Sported members) it could be a useful fund to pass on to a school in your local area if relevant and beneficial to your group

Schools in Northern Ireland can obtain funding to enhance their sports facilities, enabling increased community use.

The Honourable The Irish Society

Deadline: considered in Feb, June and October each year

Grants are available to community organisations in County Londonderry to support local wellbeing initiatives; and to support the work of smaller charities in the rest of Northern Ireland. The funding is intended to support a wide range of community activities and local causes on the basis of need, as determined by the Society’s Local Advisory Committee. Particularly disadvantaged minority communities and disadvantaged young people.

Amount: £2000

The Women’s Fund

The Women’s Fund for Northern Ireland was established in March 2012. It aims to support women to overcome barriers preventing them from fulfilling their potential.

Victoria Homes Trust

Deadline: 02/01/2025

Grants are available for voluntary projects that assist the physical, mental and spiritual development of young people in Northern Ireland under 21 years of age. Examples of eligible areas include: alcohol and drugs abuse; homelessness; and counselling for those in need of guidance, advice and support.

Amount: £500 to £2,500