The Community Foundation Northern Ireland - local charitable foundation

lightbody foundation community foundation northern ireland

Connecting people who care with causes that matter.

Inspiring Generosity

We advise individuals, families and businesses on giving, philanthropy and funding, helping you find the best way to support the issues and causes that inspire you.

Achieving Impact

Our grants and programmes are accessible to those who need them, equipping and empowering the local community to create change.

Coronavirus Statement

We are aware of and understand the many challenges that people and organisations we fund and stakeholders we work with may be facing due to the Coronavirus. We want to be as supportive as we can be, adapt and play our part in responding to this ever-changing situation. That is why we’ve put processes in place to ensure we can continue to operate the Foundation as usual; and since March we have opened a number of Coronavirus Community Funds to support those most affected.

What We Do

In a society where everyone can prosper and live in peace; we encourage and support those who want to give and empower the local community to effect change.

40 Years From Now

This year we celebrate 40 years of connecting people who care with causes that matter. Since we began we have awarded over £100 million in grants to individuals & local communities working to inspire generosity and achieve impact.

Forty years of The Community Foundation

Giving Back, Looking Forward.

Coronavirus Statement

What We Do

In a society where everyone can prosper and live in peace; we encourage and support those who want to give and empower the local community to effect change.

40 Years From Now

Forty years of The Community Foundation

Giving Back, Looking Forward.

Start A Fund

Setting up a fund through the Community Foundation is similar to having your own charitable trust but without the hassle of administration.

Our Impact

In the last 40 years, we have awarded over £100 million in grants to individuals & local communities.

Apply For A Grant

Find all our open grants here with details on the types of projects we support, who’s eligible and how to apply.

26 Jan 2021

Community Voice – Podcast

Capacity building in the Third sector In August 2020, the Department for Communities along with 5 local philanthropists announced £500k for a pioneering initiative to…

Foundation News

22 Jan 2021

How much of a crisis is enough of a crisis to ignite change?

Written by Paul Braithwaite for Involve NI. Paul leads the Foundation’s work on social and civic innovation. Since 2013 he has developed and delivered a series of unique…

Foundation News

20 Jan 2021

Celebrating public spirit and generosity

In Northern Ireland, there are around 50 individuals at any one time who are destitute because of their asylum status (NICRAS). This means that they have no adequate…

Foundation News

In the last 40 years, we have awarded over £100 million in grants to individuals & local communities.

The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland is a local, independent charitable foundation. We help communities in need, drive social change and change lives through impactful grantmaking and delivering innovative programmes.

Supporting bespoke giving and providing philanthropic advice we are a trusted, secure means through which donors choose how, when and where to give and we provide a range of management and grant making services for charitable funds.