The Older People’s Fund, Food and Fuel Small Grant Programme

Criteria and guidance

The Older People’s Fund offers funding for projects that are planned and run by and for older people.  Originally called the Turkington Fund, it was created with financial support from NICVA via resources from Turkington and Seapark and is managed by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland. The fund has grown significantly in recent years with additional investment from the Community Foundation and Atlantic Philanthropies.

In June 2022 the Community Foundation met with a number of key stakeholders and called for the formation of an Executive to address the cost of living crisis.

As part of the Foundation’s commitment to being flexible and responsive we have agreed to review some of our funds with a view to supporting communities at this time.

Among the hardest hit by the cost of living crisis are older people. Older people are often on fixed income, and the rising cost of food and fuel has often led to having to choose between eating or heating.

The latest cost of living research from the charity found around 65,000 households aged 60+ in Northern Ireland will have insufficient income to cover their essential spending this year.

Around 25,000 (almost 40%) of pensioners here are currently living in poverty or just above the poverty line.

There are concerns that over the next few months and into the winter that older people will suffer further.

In recognition of the needs of older people, the Community Foundation has therefore developed a new Older People’s Fund, Small Grant Programme with a particular focus on food and fuel.

Groups supporting older people, can access up to £5,000 of financial support.  

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply your project must target at least one of the key priorities detailed below:

• Supporting older people to keep warm.
• Supporting older people to access a nutritious meal.
• Reducing isolation and vulnerability of older people through supporting participation in activities.
• Enabling older people to access technology, and to potential benefits and entitlements that they may not be aware of.

Examples of projects could include, but are not limited to:

• Supporting older people through delivery of services to live an independent and well-nourished way of life in their own home and as part of the community.
• Providing opportunities for older people to be involved in the design, delivery and ongoing management of community-based initiatives.
• Overcoming social isolation through social contact with other older people building on food activities, such as cooking from scratch and sharing meals, and other activities involving the wider community.
• Promoting intergenerational activities by involving older and younger people in food-based and social activities.
• Providing choice in meeting nutritional needs, including delivery of shopping by volunteers or accompanied shopping, and befriending support.
• Increasing affordability of, and access to, basic foodstuffs and/or fuel.

What can be supported?

• Running costs, such as sessional costs for tutors, support costs, venue hire, transport.
• Food costs for luncheon clubs, meals on wheels, community fridges.
• Capital costs are eligible if they address at least one of the key priorities.
• An end of grant monitoring report must be submitted upon completion of the project.

Projects should be complete by 31 March 2024, however, we are open to supporting longer term projects where appropriate.

Who can apply?

• Fully constituted community organisations based within Northern Ireland.

There are some general things that our grant aid cannot be used for:

• 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;
• 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;
• Trips outside of Northern Ireland;
• Applications from individuals;
• Applications from statutory organisations;
• Purchase of vehicles;
• Holiday schemes;
• Activities that duplicate existing services;
• Retrospective funding;
• Substitution for statutory funding;
• Groups who have not complied with previous monitoring requirements.