Open Grants & Programmes

Open Grants & Programmes

All our current opportunities

If you have already started an application, please continue to use the link emailed to you upon registration.

Have you checked if your organisation/project is eligible?


Open Grants

Closing Date: May 12, 2025 13:00

  • Area:

  • Northern Ireland

  • Grant size:

  • Grants will be available for up to three years and will range from £30,000 to £50,000 per annum. The maximum available for a three-year grant will be £150,000.

  • Priorities:

  • refugees and people seeking asylum people experiencing domestic abuse people leaving the criminal justice system

Thriving Futures Fund

The Henry Smith Charity is a large independent trust in the UK that gives out over £40 million each year.

The Charity aims to use its resources to help people and communities in a time of need and to bring about positive change. They achieve this by funding organisations that work with people to reduce social and economic disadvantage.

Find out more

Thriving Futures Fund

Closing Date:

May 12, 2025 13:00

  • Area:

  • Northern Ireland

  • Grant size:

  • Grants will be available for up to three years and will range from £30,000 to £50,000 per annum. The maximum available for a three-year grant will be £150,000.

  • Priorities:

  • refugees and people seeking asylum people experiencing domestic abuse people leaving the criminal justice system

The Henry Smith Charity is a large independent trust in the UK that gives out over £40 million each year.

The Charity aims to use its resources to help people and communities in a time of need and to bring about positive change. They achieve this by funding organisations that work with people to reduce social and economic disadvantage.

Find out more

Closing Date: May 16, 2025 13:00

  • Area:

  • Northern Ireland

  • Grant size:

  • £500-£2,000

  • Priorities:

  • Young people, older people or people with disabilities

Openreach Community Fund

The Openreach Community Fund (previously the Telecommunity Fund) was established with capital from BT, management and unions. It exists to support small, locally based grass roots community projects.

Find out more

Openreach Community Fund

Closing Date:

May 16, 2025 13:00

  • Area:

  • Northern Ireland

  • Grant size:

  • £500-£2,000

  • Priorities:

  • Young people, older people or people with disabilities

The Openreach Community Fund (previously the Telecommunity Fund) was established with capital from BT, management and unions. It exists to support small, locally based grass roots community projects.

Find out more

Closing Date: May 23, 2025 13:00

  • Area:

  • Northern Ireland

  • Grant size:

  • Grants will be offered between £10,000 - £25,000 for a duration of up to two years

  • Priorities:

  • Organisations should be addressing at least one of the priority areas below: Renter rights Supply and access to genuinely affordable and decent homes Reduction and prevention of homelessness

Housing & Homelessness Fund 2025

The aim of the Housing & Homelessness Fund is to help voluntary and community organisations serving those at risk of homelessness, and develop their capacity to better support people:

The grants can provide direct funding for those eligible charities that are delivering clear outcomes as a result of their work.
The grants under stage one will not provide funding for direct delivery of services, nor core funding except where it covers a relevant member of staff’s time to engage in these organisational development activities.

Find out more

Housing & Homelessness Fund 2025

Closing Date:

May 23, 2025 13:00

  • Area:

  • Northern Ireland

  • Grant size:

  • Grants will be offered between £10,000 - £25,000 for a duration of up to two years

  • Priorities:

  • Organisations should be addressing at least one of the priority areas below: Renter rights Supply and access to genuinely affordable and decent homes Reduction and prevention of homelessness

The aim of the Housing & Homelessness Fund is to help voluntary and community organisations serving those at risk of homelessness, and develop their capacity to better support people:

The grants can provide direct funding for those eligible charities that are delivering clear outcomes as a result of their work.
The grants under stage one will not provide funding for direct delivery of services, nor core funding except where it covers a relevant member of staff’s time to engage in these organisational development activities.

Find out more

Closing Date: Jun 13, 2025 13:00

  • Area:

  • Northern Ireland

  • Grant size:

  • Grants will be available up to £5,000. In very exceptional circumstances the panel may decide to award grants up to £15,000.

  • Priorities:

  • • To give voice and power to those whose human rights are most at risk and to support them to challenge inequality, exclusion, and unfairness. • To provide groups and communities with support to challenge, monitor and remedy inequality and rights violations. • To increase awareness of and contribute to building a culture of rights within and between communities, particularly those most marginalized from decision making • To support communities and marginalized groups to find solutions to contentious issues

Social Justice Small Grants Programme

The Social Justice Fund is part of, and supported by, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Fund (NIHRF).

NIHRF Purpose: This collaborative Fund will work to advance a fairer and more equal society where the human rights of all are protected.

Aims of the Social Justice Fund:
To support local community groups to give voice to excluded groups, and work to advance a fairer and more equal society where the human rights of all are protected.

Target Group: Community Sector
The fund will support locally based community groups and locally based ‘communities of interest’ with an interest in promoting or embedding human rights and social justice in their day-to-day work for and with their chosen communities.

Find out more

Social Justice Small Grants Programme

Closing Date:

Jun 13, 2025 13:00

  • Area:

  • Northern Ireland

  • Grant size:

  • Grants will be available up to £5,000. In very exceptional circumstances the panel may decide to award grants up to £15,000.

  • Priorities:

  • • To give voice and power to those whose human rights are most at risk and to support them to challenge inequality, exclusion, and unfairness. • To provide groups and communities with support to challenge, monitor and remedy inequality and rights violations. • To increase awareness of and contribute to building a culture of rights within and between communities, particularly those most marginalized from decision making • To support communities and marginalized groups to find solutions to contentious issues

The Social Justice Fund is part of, and supported by, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Fund (NIHRF).

NIHRF Purpose: This collaborative Fund will work to advance a fairer and more equal society where the human rights of all are protected.

Aims of the Social Justice Fund:
To support local community groups to give voice to excluded groups, and work to advance a fairer and more equal society where the human rights of all are protected.

Target Group: Community Sector
The fund will support locally based community groups and locally based ‘communities of interest’ with an interest in promoting or embedding human rights and social justice in their day-to-day work for and with their chosen communities.

Find out more

Ongoing - No Deadline

  • Area:

  • Northern Ireland

  • Grant size:

  • Up to £1,500

  • Priorities:

  • Financial wellbeing, physical wellbeing and mental wellbeing. Focus on the positive contribution of people within the community. Enable active participation of a community in decision-making and involvement in making their community a better place to live in. Focus on the assets within the community which the project will use to make the community a better place to live in. Help get people engaged in taking community action where it hasn’t happened before to make the community a better place to live in. Projects that address more than one particular strand of well being.

Micro Community Investment Fund

The Micro Community Investment Fund has been launched in partnership with Bank of Ireland and Comic Relief, in recognition and celebration of the contribution of voluntary groups and people to our society and the need for a simple application process for small amounts of funding.

The fund will provide valuable investment for community initiatives making a difference in towns and villages across Northern Ireland.


Find out more

Micro Community Investment Fund

Ongoing - No Deadline

  • Area:

  • Northern Ireland

  • Grant size:

  • Up to £1,500

  • Priorities:

  • Financial wellbeing, physical wellbeing and mental wellbeing. Focus on the positive contribution of people within the community. Enable active participation of a community in decision-making and involvement in making their community a better place to live in. Focus on the assets within the community which the project will use to make the community a better place to live in. Help get people engaged in taking community action where it hasn’t happened before to make the community a better place to live in. Projects that address more than one particular strand of well being.

The Micro Community Investment Fund has been launched in partnership with Bank of Ireland and Comic Relief, in recognition and celebration of the contribution of voluntary groups and people to our society and the need for a simple application process for small amounts of funding.

The fund will provide valuable investment for community initiatives making a difference in towns and villages across Northern Ireland.

Find out more

Ongoing - No Deadline

  • Area:

  • Northern Ireland

  • Grant size:

  • Up to £2000

  • Priorities:

  • To be eligible to apply, you need to: - Be between the ages of 18-30 - Live in Northern Ireland - Applications must come from a majority shareholder - Be from a low-income household or facing other financial challenges preventing you from developing your business

SWEF Enterprise Fund Business Grant

Community Foundation NI is working in partnership with SWEF Enterprise Fund which helps young people from Northern Ireland develop their business idea and gain support with business investment that they would otherwise not be able to afford.

SWEF exists to support those who cannot afford to invest in their own business or raise money externally.


Find out more

SWEF Enterprise Fund Business Grant

Ongoing - No Deadline

  • Area:

  • Northern Ireland

  • Grant size:

  • Up to £2000

  • Priorities:

  • To be eligible to apply, you need to: - Be between the ages of 18-30 - Live in Northern Ireland - Applications must come from a majority shareholder - Be from a low-income household or facing other financial challenges preventing you from developing your business

Community Foundation NI is working in partnership with SWEF Enterprise Fund which helps young people from Northern Ireland develop their business idea and gain support with business investment that they would otherwise not be able to afford.

SWEF exists to support those who cannot afford to invest in their own business or raise money externally.

Find out more

Ongoing - No Deadline

  • Area:

  • Northern Ireland

  • Grant size:

  • Up to £500

  • Priorities:

  • To be eligible to apply, you need to: - Be between the ages of 18-30 - Live in Northern Ireland - Applications must come from a majority shareholder - Be from a low-income household or facing other financial challenges preventing you from developing your business

SWEF Enterprise Fund Start-Up Grant

Community Foundation NI is working in partnership with SWEF Enterprise Fund which helps young people from Northern Ireland develop their business idea and gain support with business investment that they would otherwise not be able to afford.

SWEF exists to support those who cannot afford to invest in their own business or raise money externally.


Find out more

SWEF Enterprise Fund Start-Up Grant

Ongoing - No Deadline

  • Area:

  • Northern Ireland

  • Grant size:

  • Up to £500

  • Priorities:

  • To be eligible to apply, you need to: - Be between the ages of 18-30 - Live in Northern Ireland - Applications must come from a majority shareholder - Be from a low-income household or facing other financial challenges preventing you from developing your business

Community Foundation NI is working in partnership with SWEF Enterprise Fund which helps young people from Northern Ireland develop their business idea and gain support with business investment that they would otherwise not be able to afford.

SWEF exists to support those who cannot afford to invest in their own business or raise money externally.

Find out more

Open Programmes

There are currently no open Programmes available. Please check again soon for updates.

Who to speak to

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Grants Team

Achieving Impact

The Grants Team are here to support you with your application and monitoring, carry out due diligence and assessment of applications and to manage the Foundation’s funds to ensure we make effective grants and achieve impact.

logo achieving impact square

Grants Team

Achieving Impact

The Grants Team are here to support you with your application and monitoring, carry out due diligence and assessment of applications and to manage the Foundation’s funds to ensure we make effective grants and achieve impact.

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