Inishative Community Benefit Fund

Purpose of the fund:

This local community benefit fund was set up by Gaelectric in 2016 and is now managed by CGN Europe – a wind energy and energy storage company that believes in a sustainable future. CGN is committed to ensuring that their wind farms, whilst having obvious environmental benefits, also provide significant economic benefits to the local community.

The Inishative Community Benefit Fund is available for local community projects within a 6-mile radius of the wind farm.* Applicant organisations must be located in this area. Priority is given to applicant organisations based within the Carrickmore (3.5 miles), Galbally/Cappagh (4-5 miles) and Sixmilecross (6 miles) areas.

*Applicant organisations must be located within the 6-mile radius (straight-line measurement) of the wind farm co-ordinates (LAT 54.55757 LON -6.97479) as measured using Google Maps.  

The Inishative Community Benefit Fund is administered by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland.

The fund aims to encourage:

• Stronger more inclusive communities by ensuring that local people have ownership and involvement in the design and delivery of the project.
• Partnership working with community, voluntary and statutory agencies to ensure a coordinated approach.
• Sustainable solutions that address local issues.
• Projects that improve the utilisation of existing community space in each of the above areas.
• Particular emphasis will be placed on funding activities/services that are specifically aimed at older people, people with disabilities, children and teenagers (including pre-school children), providing skills development of local people and promoting health related activities or services.
• Given the remoteness of some of these locations, the isolation and lack of statutory transport provision consideration will be given to local transport initiatives.
• Projects and programmes offering invaluable advice and information and signposting on key rural issues e.g. Farm Support Services, Welfare & Benefits and Parenting/Family issues etc.
• Outdoor/Environmental projects will also be considered in terms of encouraging a healthier and active community as well as protecting and enhancing the local environment.
• Finally, wider community events and programmes that encourage greater community interaction (including cross community aspects) encompassing the local rich and varied cultural aspects of music, drama, dance and sport.
• Funding will be considered for costs associated with running/administration costs and for purchasing additional equipment to expand services/activities in each of the areas.
• Priority will be given to projects which demonstrate the ability to collaborate, network and share best practice.

Grant size:

Grants up to £2,000

What we can't fund:

The Community Foundation will not fund organisations or activities which promote causes that are contrary to our purposes. Causes and activities that are contrary to our purposes include, but may not be limited to, those outlined in our investment policy.  We will not therefore fund organisations or activities which we determine are linked to the promotion of armaments, alcohol, human rights abuses, tobacco or pornography.

In addition, the Inishative Community Benefit Fund will not support:

• The advancement of religion.  This includes organisations whose purposes include the advancement of religion;
• The establishment of endowment of any school or institution providing further education within the meaning of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1972;
• The provision of assistance to any Housing Association within the meaning of the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1976;
• Promotion of religious or political activity, including any flags and emblems that may deem to be associated with such;
• CIC Companies Limited by Shares, or CICs without an asset lock clause.  Eligible CICs must have at least three unrelated committee members, and/or the majority of the committee unrelated;
• Applications from individuals;
• Applications from statutory organisations;
• Salaried posts;
• Trips abroad;
• Vehicles;
• Activities that duplicate existing services;
• Retrospective funding;
• Substitution for statutory funding.

Applicants with a live grant will still be required to submit their monitoring. However, as the monitoring function on the Fundseeker portal is still under development, this will need to be provided at a later date. We will contact you as soon as this has been activated.

In 2025 the success rate for applications to this fund was 53%.

Please read the following text before beginning your application:

• You are a locally based not-for-profit, voluntary or community group working in Northern Ireland to improve the quality of life for local people;
• You have an active management committee, with no two related cheque signatories;
• You have a governing document, i.e. Constitution in the name of the applicant organisation;
• You have a current bank account in the name of your organisation;
• You have up to date annual accounts;
• You have complied with the conditions of previous grants including submission of monitoring returns.

Please note: The Community Foundation now uses a new Fundseeker Portal for all applications and monitoring. If this is your first time applying, or your first time accessing the portal, we recommend reading the ‘How to Apply’ guide before starting your application.

For further information and to find out if your group or project is eligible, please contact the grants team on 028 9024 5927.