The Ultach Fund / An Ciste ULTACH

Purpose of the Fund:

The Ultach Fund was established with capital from The Iontaobhas Ultach Trust.  It exists to support the work of communities across Northern Ireland who wish to use and promote the Irish language, through the work of registered charities, voluntary and community groups.

Established in 1989 the Trust promoted the Irish language as part of Northern Ireland’s shared cultural heritage. The Trust in its lifetime invested over £2 million in a wide range of activities.  The Trust sought to maximise impact and added value wherever possible. The support of voluntary activity was a priority and the Trust’s grants programme gave recognition and encouragement to groups and individuals who were working on the ground. They included a geographically diverse range of community groups running classes, Irish language social events and talks.

The Ultach Fund is now managed and administered by the Community Foundation which is delighted to continue to fund grass roots community and voluntary groups to promote the Irish language.

Cuspóir an Chiste:

Is le caipiteal ó hIontaobhas Ultach a bunaíodh an Ciste Ultach. Tá sé ann le tacú le hobair pobail ar fud Thuaisceart Éireann ar mian leo an Ghaeilge a úsáid  agus a chur chun cinn fríd obair charthanachtaí cláraithe, grúpaí deonacha agus grúpaí pobail.

Sa bhliain 1989 a bunaíodh an tIontaobhas agus chuir sé an Ghaeilge chun cinn mar chuid d’oidhreacht chultúrtha chomhroinnte Thuaisceart Éireann. Lena linn, d’infheistigh an tIontaobahas corradh le £2 mhilliún i réimse leathan de ghníomhaíochtaí. Rinne an Iontaobhas iarracht tionchar a imirt agus luach a chur le saothar nuair ab fhéidir é. Bhí tacaíocht le gníomhaíocht dheonach ar na tosaíochtaí aige, agus le clár deontais an Iontaobhais tugadh aitheantas agus spreagadh do ghrúpaí agus do dhaoine aonair a bhí ag obair ar an talamh. Ina measc sin bhí grúpaí pobail as áiteanna éagsúla ag reáchtáil ranganna, imeachtaí Gaeilge agus cainteanna.

Tá an Ciste Ultach á bhainistiú agus á riarú anois ag an Chiste Pobail, agus tá lúcháir orainn leanúint leis an chistiú do ghnáthghrúpaí pobail agus do  ghnáthghrúpaí deonacha leis an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn.

Grants Available: Up to £4,000 / Deontais ar Fáil: Suas le £4,000

Who Can Apply?

The fund is open to registered charities and constituted grass roots community and voluntary groups based in Northern Ireland.

Priority is given to Irish language community organisations and centres, should the fund be oversubscribed. 

Cé a Fhéadann Iarratas a Dhéanamh?

Tá an ciste oscailte do charthanachtaí cláraithe agus do ghnáthghrúpaí pobail agus gnáthghrúpaí deonacha lonnaithe i dTuaisceart Éireann.

Tugtar tús áite d’eagraíochtaí pobail agus d’ionaid Ghaeilge, más rud é go bhfuil ró-éileamh ar an chiste.

We Will Fund

• Projects that promote and encourage the innovative and creative use of the Irish language at community level.
• Priority is given to projects that promote the active use of and/or engagement with the Irish language.
• Projects that demonstrate innovative, imaginative, creative approaches to Irish language arts.
• Projects that celebrate and embrace the cultural heritage of the Irish language.
• Projects that demonstrate cross-community aspects and/or reach new audiences, promoting mutual understanding and contact between different communities.

Tabharfaimid maoiniú do na rudaí a leanas

• Tionscadail a chuireann chun cinn agus a spreagann úsáid na Gaeilge ag leibhéal pobail.
• Tugtar tús áite do thionscadail a chuireann chun cinn úsáid ghniomhach na Gaeilge agus/nó suim inti.
• Tionscadail a léiríonn cur chuige nuálach, samhlaíoch, cruthaitheach maidir le healaíona na Gaeilge.
• Tionscadail a cheiliúrann agus a ghlacann le hoidhreacht chultúrtha na Gaeilge.
• Tionscadail a léiríonn gnéithe trasphobail agus/nó a bhaineann lucht éisteachta úr amach agus a chuireann chun cinn comhthuiscint idir pobail éagsúla.

Examples of Types of Projects:

Promotion of the Irish language through, but not limited to:

• Irish language classes, courses and other relevant learning opportunities (however we will not fund after school clubs, youth clubs for which there are other funding streams available).
• Structured Irish language social events to improve fluency and/or support fluent Irish language speakers, including families.
• Production of Irish language learning or awareness resources, such as innovative publications and relevant digital resources.
• Irish language arts-based activities.
• Running costs may be deemed eligible for Irish language centres.
• Small capital costs relevant to the project may be eligible.

Samplaí de Chineálacha Tionscadail:

Cur chun cinn na Gaeilge fríd na rudaí a leanas ach gan bheith teoranta dóibh:

• Ranganna agus cúrsaí Gaeilge agus deiseanna foghlamtha ábhartha eile (ach ní thabharfaimid maoiniú do chumainn iarscoile ná do chumainn óige a bhfuil sruthanna eile maoinithe ar fáil dóibh)
• Imeachtaí sóisialta struchtúrtha Gaeilge le líofacht a fheabhsú agus/nó le tacú le Gaeilgeoirí líofa, lena n-áirítear teaghlaigh.
• Táirgeadh áiseanna foghlamtha nó feasachta Gaeilge, amhail foilseacháin nuálacha agus áiseanna ábhartha digiteacha.
• Gníomhaíochtaí Gaeilge ealaín-bhunaithe.
• Is féidir go measfaí costais reatha a bheith incháilithe d’ionaid Ghaeilge.
• Is féidir go mbeadh costais bheaga chaipitil atá ábhartha don tionscadal incháilithe.

In the event of oversubscription, we will prioritise:

1. Applications which include all the required supporting documentation as specified in the application form.  Please note if the fund is oversubscribed, failure to submit the required supporting documentation will result in the application not being shortlisted for assessment.
2. Irish language organisations whose core objectives in the governing document are the promotion of the Irish language. *
3. Projects for which there are no other funding streams available.

I gcás ró-éileamh ar an chiste tabharfaimid tús áite do na rudaí a leanas:

1. Iarratais ina bhfuil na cáipéisí tacaíochta riachtanacha uilig mar a shonraítear san fhoirm iarratais. Tabhair do d’aire má bhíonn ró-éileamh ar an chiste, nach gcuirfear an t-iarratas ar an ghearrliosta don mheasúnú mura gcuirtear isteach na caipéisí tacaíochta riachtanacha uilig
2. Eagraíochtaí Gaeilge arb iad a bpríomhchuspóirí sa cháipéis rialaithe cur chun cinn na Gaeilge.
3. Tionscadail nach bhfuil sruthanna eile maoinithe ar fáil dóibh.

We Will Not 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;

• 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 the island of Ireland;
• Applications from individuals;
• Applications from statutory organisations;
• Projects lasting longer than twelve months;
• Salaries;
• Purchase of vehicles;
• Holiday schemes;
• Parties and shopping trips;
• Activities that duplicate existing services;
• Retrospective funding;
• Substitution for statutory funding;
• Administration/management fees;
• Groups who have not complied with previous monitoring requirements;

Ní mhaoineoimid na Rudaí a Leanas:

Ní mhaoineoidh an Chiste Pobail eagraíochtaí nó gníomhaíochtaí a chuireann chun cinn cúiseanna atá in aghaidh ár gcuspóirí. Áirítear sna cúiseanna agus sna gníomhaíochtaí atá in aghaidh ár gcuspóirí, chomh maith le rudaí eile nach iad, na cinn atá luaite inár bpolasaí infheistíochta. Mar sin de, ní mhaoineoimid eagraíochtaí nó gníomhaíochtaí atá bainteach dar linn leis na rudaí a leanas a chur chun cinn – armáil, alcól, leatrom ar chearta an duine, tobac nó pornagrafaíocht;

• Cur chun cinn reiligiúin. Áirítear leis seo eagraíochtaí a bhfuil cur chun cinn reiligiúin ar na cuspóirí s’acu;
• Ciste a bhunú  do scoil nó d’insitiúid ar bith a sholáthraíonn breisoideachas taobh istigh de bhrí An tOrdú um Oideachas agus Leabharlanna (Tuaisceart Éireann) 1972;
• Soláthar cúnaimh do Chumann Tithíochta ar bith taobh istigh de bhrí An tOrdú um Thithíocht (Tuaisceart Éireann) 1976
• Cur chun cinn gníomhaíocht ar bith reiligiúin nó polaitíochta, lena n-áirítear bratacha nó suaitheantais ar bith a shíltear a bheith bainteach lena leithéid;
• Cuideachtaí Leas an Phobail (CICs) Faoi Theorainn Scaireanna, nó CICs gan foráil ghlasáilte sóchmhainne. Ní mór do CICs incháilithe trí bhall coiste ar a laghad nach bhfuil muinteartha dá chéile a bheith acu, agus/no bunús an choiste gan bheith muinteartha dá chéile;
• Turais taobh amuigh d’Éirinn;
• Iarratais ó dhaoine aonair;
• Iarratais ó heagraíochtaí reachtúla;
• Tionscadail a mhaireann níos mó na dhá mhí dhéag;
• Tuarastail;
• Ceannach feithiclí;
• Scéimeanna laethanta saoire;
• Cóisirí agus turais siopadóireachta;
• Gníomhaíochtaí a dhéanann aithris ar sheirbhísí atá ann cheana féin;
• Maoiniú cúlghabhálach;
• Ionadaíocht ar mhaoiniú reachtúil;
• Táillí riaracháin/bainistíochta
• Grúpaí nár chloígh le riachtanais mhonatóireachta a bhí ann roimhe seo.

In 2025 the success rate for applications to this fund was 61%.

Please note: Applicants that currently hold a live Ultach Fund grant – please submit your monitoring and spend information for this grant as soon as possible, as this will need to be submitted prior to payment of any new award, if your application is successful.

* Please note that for the previous round of funding all awards were allocated to those in the priority group – Irish language organisations whose core objectives in the governing document are the promotion of the Irish language.

In 2025 ba é 61% an ráta rathúlachta maidir le hiarratais ar an chiste seo.

Tabhair do d’aire: Maidir le hiarratasóirí a bhfuil deontas beo ón Chiste Ultach  acu faoi láthair – ní mór d’eolas monatóireachta agus caiteachais don deontas seo a chur isteach a luaithe agus is féidir, mar go gcaithfear sin a chur isteach sula n-íocfar deontas úr ar bith, sa chás go n-éiríonn le d’iarratas.

* Tabhair do d’aire gur tugadh na dámhachtainí uilig sa bhabhta maoinithe roimhe seo dóibh siúd a bhí sa ghrúpa tosaíochta – eagraíochtaí Gaeilge a bhfuil cur chun cinn na Gaeilge mar phríomhchuspóir acu sa cháipéis rialaithe.

The fund will be open for applications from 9:00am on Monday 30th March 2026 and will close at 1:00pm on Thursday 7th May 2026.

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.

If you require any help with this application, please contact the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland Grants and Donor Care Team on 028 9024 5927 or email applications@communityfoundationni.org.

Beidh an ciste oscailte le haghaidh iarratais ó 9:00am Dé Luain 30ú Márta 2026 agus druidfidh sé ar 1:00pm Déardaoin 7ú Bealtaine 2026.

Léigh an téacs a leanas le do thoil sula dtosaíonn tú d’iarratas:

• Is grúpa seachbhrabúsach deonach nó pobail tú atá lonnaithe go háitiúil agus ag obair i dTuaisceart na hÉireann le caighdeán na beatha a fheabhsú ar son muintir na háite
• Tá coiste bainistíochta gníomhach agat, gan beirt sínitheoirí seice atá gaolta
• Tá cáipéis rialaithe agat, i.e. Bunreacht in ainm na heagraíochta iarrthóra
• Tá cuntas bainc reatha agat in ainm d’eagraíochta
• Tá cuntais bhliantúla suas chun dáta agat
• Chloígh tú le coinníollacha deontais roimhe seo lena n-áirítear tuairisceán monatóireachta a chur isteach.

Tabhair faoi deara le do thoil: Tá The Community Foundation ag baint úsáid as tairseach Fundseeker úr anois le haghaidh gach iarratais agus le haghaidh monatóireachta.  Más rud é gur seo do chéad uair ag déanamh iarratais, nó do cheád uair ag dul isteach ar an tairseach, molann muid go léifear an treoir ‘Cad é Mar a Dhéantar Iarratas’ sula dtosaíonn tú d’iarratas.

Má tá cuidiu de dhíth ort leis an iarratas seo, déan teagmháil le Community Foundation for Northern Ireland Grants and Donor Care Team ar 028 9024 5927 or email applications@communityfoundationni.org.