Our Funds

Over 65 Funds, Giving To Hundreds Of Communities

Your funds are helping individuals, families and organisations to give with impact and change lives.

Thematic Funds

Acorn Fund

Area:
Derry~Londonderry

Priorities:
Children and Young People, Older People and Local Impacts of Climate.

A fund made up of donations from generous people in the Derry - Londonderry area who aim to make a positive contribution towards improving the lives of people and the community in their locality. Since 2012 we have awarded small grants to charitable and community groups where the need is greatest and where they can make a significant difference.

Circle of Change Fund

Area:
Belfast

Priorities:
Funding projects that are innovative or new, and that can't be funded by statutory funds. We want to support projects that are addressing the systemic causes of poverty; or that recognise the legacy of underlying sectarianism that influences many of our social problems.

We're a group of people from all backgrounds from around Belfast who have come together to talk about and learn from each other about the root causes of issues affecting our communities, and over 6 months we pool our fundraising and make grants to organisations working on those issues.

Destitute Asylum Seekers Fund

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Destitute asylum seekers who are actively engaged in supporting others, including by giving other asylum seekers assistance, mobilising and lobbying for change, providing interpreting/translation for peers and providing care to other vulnerable persons.

Northern Ireland has around 50 individuals at any one time who are destitute because of their asylum status. This means that they have no adequate accommodation, are unable to meet their other essential living needs, and have no means to do so. This fund celebrates the compassion, public spirit, selflessness, generosity, leadership, civic engagement, ethos of service that these individuals are representing in our community. The fund delivers programmes and grants to support destitute asylum seekers, including emergency accommodation support and a housing project.

Dungannon Community Trust

Area:
Dungannon District

Priorities:
Community based activities supporting young people aged 13 - 25 with low levels of educational attainment and which enhance their opportunity to gain employment or further education.

A restricted endowment fund for the Dungannon District area, this fund was transferred to the Community Foundation to manage and award grants in support of disadvantaged young people from the district.

Older People’s Fund

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Provision of small grants to support independence, isolation and safety issues, and encourage older people to live active lives.

The Older People’s Fund offers funding for locally based community 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.

One Small Step

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Encouraging initiatives that stimulate people into action to build a peaceful future.

This fund was established by the Community Foundation in 2006 when a number of donors pooled their resources collectively to set up an endowment. The context is one of peace being an issue for each of us as individuals and for all of our organizations and communities and the fund provides small scale financial assistance for activities led by people and organisations in Northern Ireland that endeavour to make a positive difference towards a ‘shared future’.

Pressure Group Fund

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Projects that demonstrate that they are representing minorities who cannot represent themselves.

Throughout the Foundation’s history we have been committed to addressing the challenges of peacebuilding, social justice and effective community development. We believe in the power of community activity to change Northern Ireland for the better. The Pressure Group Fund has been established in recognition of the contribution groups and people in our society, who are working towards supporting social change, can make through direct civic action, lobbying and engagement. It is one way in which the Foundation can be responsive to needs and issues facing communities.

Social Justice Small Grants

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Projects and initiatives that contribute to peacebuilding, tackle the impact of poverty and austerity measures and/or give voice to excluded groups.

Originally set up by Atlantic Philanthropies as part of its Human Rights legacy in Northern Ireland, the Social Justice Fund is more than a fund and has a programme element attached. It supports local community groups with projects and initiatives that contribute to peacebuilding, tackle the impact of poverty and austerity measures and/or give voice to excluded groups. Contributing to building a culture of rights within and between communities, particularly those most marginalized from decision making and supporting communities and marginalized groups to find solutions to contentious issues are core elements of this fund alongside the strengthening of local capacity to advocate by building relationships/connections between communities, policymakers, politicians and funders.

Women’s Fund

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Women aged 18 and over, living in Northern Ireland, who are striving to get into, or back into employment.

A giving circle where women give collectively in one-off and regular donations to support women, the Fund provides Individual Bursaries filling a gap in funding opportunities for women who require a small amount of financial aid to support them towards fulfilling their potential.

Ulster People’s College

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
The aim of the fund will be to empower communities with skills and experiences to create a stronger, more engaged society in Northern Ireland.

The Ulster People’s College Fund was set up in 2014 by the Ulster People’s College with the aim of supporting the many communities in NI who continue to suffer from social and economic problems.

Ultach Fund

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
To promote shared culture and heritage.

The original Iontaobhas Ultach Trust was established in 1989 to promote the Irish language as part of Northern Ireland’s shared cultural heritage. During its lifetime the Trust invested over £2million in a wide range of Irish language projects, classes, social events, publications, competitions, research, resources, and education projects.

In 2021 the Ultach Fund was established through a ‘Trust Transfer’. This would see the original Iontaobhas Ultach Trust formally close and its remaining assets be used to establish a new fund within the Community Foundation. The Ultach Fund will continue to meet the objects of the original Trust by supporting 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

Individual / Family / Memorial Funds

ARN Foundation

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Supporting Mental Health Issues

An independent charitable trust, they began distributing funds through the Community Foundation in 2017 in support of Mental Health Issues and people with learning difficulties in NI.

Ballygrainey Fund

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Children and Young People with Educational Disadvantage

Started by a private donor in support of educational activities for young people from disadvantaged areas. Ballygrainey supports projects that directly benefit children disaffected from mainstream education and is particularly interested in partnership approaches involving multiple agencies, working with parents, teachers and community based organisations.

David Ervine Foundation

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Educational, training and/or personal development opportunities for children and young people from socially and economically deprived backgrounds and enable them to reach their full potential.

The Foundation was set up in memory of David Ervine, former leader of the Progressive Unionist Party. David was an impressive politician and a charismatic leader, who dedicated all his time and effort in pursuit of a better society and a peaceful future for Northern Ireland and all its citizens.

Hope for More Foundation

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Young people and philanthropic giving.

This private fund was set up to support young people with philanthropic giving in NI.

Keadue Fund

Area:
Derry~Londonderry including Limavady, Strabane and Dungiven

Priorities:
Funding local organisations who are already making a difference in the lives of people who are struggling with difficult life issues and their subsequent effects.

Set up by anonymous donors who wished to give back to their local community this fund was established by a local family to provide support to local organisations tackling growing social needs in Derry~Londonderry and surrounding rural areas. The family are interested in helping to support a wide range of need and particularly organisations working with people living in poverty, those with addictions, low educational attainment, those suffering from ill health, a disability, family breakdown, abuse, bereavement and/or loneliness and isolation.

MAN Fund

Area:
Derry~Londonderry

Priorities:
Men experiencing a mental health crisis.

The MAN Fund has been established with a donation from a local family from Derry-Londonderry. The donation has been matched by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland the fund provides small targeted grants to local organisations which support men experiencing a mental health crisis. Organisations which provide direct support, either through an existing programme, or provision of counselling services, or are creating a new programme have benefitted and the donor is particularly interested in supporting organisations which use creativity to support local men in crisis, raise awareness within the male community of recognising mental health conditions, and how to ask for help.

McCall Foundation

Area:
Northern Ireland with preference for Antrim Area

Priorities:
Health and social care projects particularly supporting the elderly who are Isolated

Inspired by philanthropists like ‘Chuck Feeney’ and Warren Buffett, Northern Ireland businessman Mervyn McCall and his wife Wilma set up the McCall Foundation because they wanted to give something back. Having benefited from the help of others as well as enjoying a lot of good luck along the way Mervyn was inspired by Raymond, a Carrick taxi driver to set up his own charitable Fund:
Raymond runs a charity golf day every year raising money to help people local to the Carrick area and “seeing the impact that £1000 or £2000 had on people was immense and opened my eyes to how even a small amount of money can make a difference".

Murlough Fund

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Issues relating to loneliness and isolation and issues around access to, and support of, education.

A private fund set up by a family originally from but now living outside of Northern Ireland. The Murlough Foundation was set up to support people who are excluded, or disadvantaged, through low income, rural or social isolation, age, disability or gender and the family like to support and prioritise organisations and areas where there has been limited access to funding in the past.

Raj Darshna Foundation

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Supporting disadvantaged young people and the elderly, in particular education of young people.

Raj Darshna was set up by a private donor with the aim of giving back to the local community.

Staff Trustees Fund

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Social Justice and Social Need

The Foundation staff make a monthly grant from the staff and trustee fund of £500 to an organisation working to address the issues of social justice and social need. Any staff member can nominate proposals from which one grant per month is awarded.

The Ann McGeeney Fund

Area:
Newry and South Armagh Areas

Priorities:
Local community organisations that are addressing need in the Newry Area.

Ann McGeeney was born in 1962 in Cornonagh, a small townland outside Crossmaglen in South Armagh, Ireland. Throughout her working life she was dedicated to working with and for the community in deprived areas, across the border, supporting peacebuilding and inspiring women to be confident and make a difference to their lives. Ann worked in dangerous and difficult times but despite intimidation, confrontation and challenge she never diverted from what she believed in or in the defence of who she believed in. Ann died in September 2014 from cancer and in recognition of her life and work her family and friends established the Ann McGeeney Charitable Trust.

Thomas Devlin (Bursaries)

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Young people 15-19 who would like to pursue a career or study music, the arts or drama.

The Fund was set up in memory of Thomas Devlin who, at the age of 15, was murdered in an unprovoked attack. Providing a bursary scheme that aims to support gifted young people with exciting and unique opportunities to develop their skills and talent in music, the arts and drama, over the last ten years the bursaries have supported over 60 young people in a range of diverse activities from assisting a local dancer hoping to work with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, funding living costs in London so a recipient could take part in a summer National Youth Theatre Production to attending a 2 week residential cello course in Minnesota.

Mike Moloney

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
The bursary/grant is to pay for tailored mentoring by a local professional artist for individuals and to pay for projects that groups are running to support ex-prisoners who are interested in developing their artistic skills.

Mike Moloney was Director of the Prison Arts Foundation. He died as the result of a tragic accident in May 2013 and the fund was set up in his honor of the work he had been involved in.

RJ Hunter Fund

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
The Fund will be used to provide bursaries to enable researchers/scholars to consolidate the legacy of the interest and research of RJ Hunter and to support broader engagement with associated areas of historical interest.

Mr Hunter was a distinguished teacher and researcher who had dedicated his life's work to the study and understanding of the Ulster Plantation. The fund was established to commemorate his achievements by enabling research to be continued in those areas covered by his interests and reflected in his library and collections of papers.

The Noah Donohoe Foundation

This Fund Is Currently Closed

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
The fund will offer grants supporting children and young people from all communities across Northern.

Noah Donohoe (14) went missing from his home in South Belfast on Sunday 21st June 2020. He was a boy with many academic, sporting and artistic talents alongside a huge generosity of spirit. His Mum Fiona has set up the Noah Foundation in his memory; a foundation to support children from all communities across Northern Ireland in as many diverse ways as possible. There is no limit to what any child can achieve given the right opportunity. Noah's passion for life and learning will live on through this foundation.

BC & P Fund

This Fund Is Currently Closed

Area:
Mid and East Antrim, and Antrim and Newtownabbey.

Priorities:
Priority will be given to applications from small groups, typically with an annual income of less than £200,000, as evidenced in the most recent set of accounts; Priority will be given to projects that will benefit groups dealing with disadvantage (e.g. rural isolation, low income, social exclusion, reduced access to services), and projects that involve the beneficiaries in their development and delivery.

The BC & P Fund exists to support small, locally based grassroots community projects in the Local Authority areas of Mid and East Antrim, and Antrim and Newtownabbey.

Small scale grants that are limited to £3,000 - £4,000 Larger scale grants that are limited to £10,000.

The David Cross Young People’s Fund

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
The fund has four key objectives: To support youth entrepreneurship; To enhance young people’s skills and employment prospects; To encourage cross community working and reconciliation; To support creative and innovative thinking and problem solving

The David Cross Young People’s Fund has been established by the David Cross Foundation, in partnership with the Community Foundation for NI and the Department for Communities.

The Fund has been established to support young people in Northern Ireland, with a particular focus on entrepreneurship and employability. It is envisaged that it will offer grants of up to £15,000.

The fund recognises that we all face huge challenges to our way of life as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is particularly true of young people, many of whom will have seen their education interrupted at a key moment, their future plans derailed and their employment prospects damaged.
To help address this the fund aims to make a small number of awards to organisations working with young people to enable them to meet these and other challenges.

It’s one of five philanthropic funds investing in the voluntary and community sector to roll out this year. Philanthropic funding has been secured from individuals, families and charitable trusts and is being matched funded by DfC to support innovative and sustainable projects within a broad range of themes across NI.

The Gill’s Charity Fund

Area:
Borough of Carrickfergus

Priorities:
Reducing isolation and vulnerability of older people, through supporting participation in activities; Reducing the fear of crime amongst older people; Encouraging and supporting the independence of older people; Improving health and well-being, and supporting older people to remain in their homes; Supporting older people to keep warm; Supporting older people to access a nutritious meal; Reducing the potential for age discrimination, and/or abuse; Enabling older people to access technology, and; Enabling older people to access potential benefits and entitlements that they may not be aware of; Engaging older people to take community action; Enabling active participation of older people in the community in decision-making, and addressing issues facing their sector.

The Gill’s Charity Fund offers funding to organisations for projects for the benefit of older people resident in the Borough of Carrickfergus (as per the old Local Government area).

In recognition of the needs of older people, and the great work that groups supporting older people are doing, the Community Foundation have recently acquired the management and administration of the Gill’s Charity Fund. The Fund will be accessible annually.

The Hobson Looked After Children and Young People Funds

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
The fund aims to support looked after children and young people, and those transitioning from care, to support them to feel emotionally stable and financially secure, and ultimately make sure that they are able to thrive in life. We want to make a small number of awards to those organisations working in the community and voluntary sector, who are delivering innovative and new projects offering additional value for looked after children at this time, in areas where statutory support is falling short of need, is limited, or in some places at the moment non-existent.

The Hobson Fund for looked after Children and Young People has been established in partnership with The Community Foundation and Department for Communities (DfC) .

The DfC Match Philanthropy Programme has levered £500,000 of funding to be distributed to Voluntary and Community organisations and Social Enterprises. Five new funds, each with a value of £100,000 will be set up through philanthropic donations and DfC.

The Hobson Looked After Children and Young People Fund has been established to support looked after children and young people, and those transitioning from care.

The Brian Conlon Foundation

This Fund now open

Area:
Newry area (See boundary map)

Priorities:
Funding will be made available for organisations and charities based in Newry City working to advance education, amateur sport, provide opportunities for young people and to assist Community Groups in the local area.

The Brian Conlon Foundation is an independent Charitable Trust set up in Brian’s memory to continue his legacy by supporting causes that were close to his heart and that he was passionate about.

Brian was hugely successful in many walks of life - a high achiever in education, entrepreneurship, sport and in business. When a knee injury ended his budding Gaelic football career, Brian turned his attention to business setting up First Derivatives from his mother’s spare bedroom in 1996. Now one of Ireland's most successful companies, it employs nearly 3,000 people with fifteen offices globally. Thousands of local graduates have passed through the company’s HQ in Newry many of whom ended up being deployed to large financial institutions throughout the world.

Organisational Funds

Brockaghboy

Area:
Swatrath and Rasharkin Area

Priorities:
Sports and Recreation, Health and Wellbeing, Environment and Conservation, Energy Efficiency and Sustainability, Culture and Heritage, Education, Children, Young People and Elderly People

Community-based projects that reduce poverty and disadvantage, Improve the health of local residents, help tackle climate change and encourage sustainability and environmental projects.

Business Eye Fund

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Young People

Set up from donations through Business Eye and the business community in NI this fund support general charitable purposes in NI

Carn Hill Fund

Area:
The Monkstown, Grange, Woodburn,Greenisland and Ballynure area

Priorities:
Projects aimed at providing skills development for young adults, Intergenerational projects tackling rural isolation, community arts and/or projects which improve the utilisation of community space.

The fund has been set up by Gaelectric, and now managed by CGN Europe, a wind energy company in support of the local community in the area

Change Something Fund

Area:
Derry~Londonderry

Priorities:
Young people who are aged between 13-25 years old from Derry City and Strabane District Council area

Established with support from Big Lottery Community Fund and Derry City and Strabane District Council (DCSDC), this fund provides an opportunity for young people aged 13 – 25 living in the area to take the lead in addressing social need identified by themselves in their communities.

Comic Relief

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Children Survive & Thrive, A Safe Place to Be, Global Mental Health Matters and Fighting for Gender Justice

With donations coming from Red Nose Day, the Comic relief funding for NI will prioitise reaching smaller grass roots organisations and people with a lived experience of the four thematic issues.

Pears Community Spaces Fund

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
To give space to groups to connect, share ideas, explore and learn together.

As the gap between rich and poor widens and our society becomes ever more polarised, the Pears Community Spaces Fund is committed to addressing the challenges that social entrepreneurs are facing by providing spaces for people to come together. Working in partnership with communities, Pears Foundation are encouraging communities to work together to be innovative and take risks and for local leaders to promote and encourage community relations in NI.

Cregganconroe Fund

Area:
Pomeroy

Priorities:
Projects that address marginalisation and help tackle rural isolation particularly Children and teenagers (including pre-school children)/ The provision of skills development of local people and arts and cultural activities. Activities and events designed to encourage greater community interaction and cohesion. Projects that improve the utilisation of existing community space, including community venues and outdoor spaces and programmes and projects designed to improve local environmental and conservation management are supported.

This local community fund has been set up by Gaelectric, a wind energy and energy storage company that believes in a sustainable future. Gaelectric is committed to ensuring that their wind farms provide significant economic benefits to the local community alongside environmental benefits.

Dunbeg Fund

Area:
Limavady Area

Priorities:
Projects that address marginalisation and help tackle rural isolation particularly Children and teenagers (including pre-school children)/ The provision of skills development of local people and arts and cultural activities. Activities and events designed to encourage greater community interaction and cohesion. Projects that improve the utilisation of existing community space, including community venues and outdoor spaces and programmes and projects designed to improve local environmental and conservation management are supported.

The fund has been set up by Gaelectric, and now managed by CGN Europe, a wind energy and energy storage company that believes in a sustainable future. Gaelectric is committed to ensuring that their wind farms provide significant economic benefits to the local community alongside environmental benefits.

Inishative Fund

Area:
Carrickmore, Castlecaulfield and Pomery

Priorities:
Projects that address marginalisation and help tackle rural isolation particularly Children and teenagers (including pre-school children)/ The provision of skills development of local people and arts and cultural activities. Activities and events designed to encourage greater community interaction and cohesion. Projects that improve the utilisation of existing community space, including community venues and outdoor spaces and programmes and projects designed to improve local environmental and conservation management are supported.

Irish Football Association

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Disability and Womens clubs.

The IFA through the Community Foundation are delighted to open a new Inclusive Clubs Programme. The Inclusive Clubs Programme is aimed at supporting football clubs who are developing a disability or women’s section, and who wish to encourage participation from everyone in society, particularly those most marginalised, and including the BME community, as well as those with a disability.

Long Mountain Fund

Area:
Within 5 miles of the windfarm

Priorities:
Projects that address marginalisation and help tackle rural isolation particularly Children and teenagers (including pre-school children)/ The provision of skills development of local people and arts and cultural activities. Activities and events designed to encourage greater community interaction and cohesion. Projects that improve the utilisation of existing community space, including community venues and outdoor spaces and programmes and projects designed to improve local environmental and conservation management are supported.

This local community fund has been set up by Energia Renewables, working in close partnership with local groups from the areas surrounding the Long Mountain Wind Farm. The Irish Infrastructure Fund and Energia have set up the fund to ensure the wind farms, whilst having obvious environmental benefits, will also provide significant social and economic benefits to the local community.

Mars

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Small, locally-based organisations in areas of disadvantage,

The Mars brand has donated 10% of the profits from sales of a chocolate bar to a “Goodness Knows Fund” that supports community projects and local initiatives. The fund is in support of locally-based organisations in areas of disadvantage, run by people
directly affected by the issues they are dealing with and that have a clear understanding of the needs they are supporting.

Micro Grants

This Fund Is Currently Closed

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Reducing isolation and vulnerability, positive contributions of people within the community, active participation of a community in decision-making and addressing of ...

This endowment fund was establised by our trustees 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.

Monnaboy Fund

Area:
Greysteel

Priorities:
Projects that address marginalisation and help tackle rural isolation The provision of skills development of local people and arts and cultural activities. Activities and events designed to encourage greater community interaction and cohesion. Projects that improve the utilisation of existing community space, including community venues and outdoor spaces and programmes and projects designed to improve local environmental and conservation management are supported.

This local community fund was set up by Gaelectric, a wind energy company in support of the local community in the area.

Nationwide Fund

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Local housing projects that will strengthen local communities to support the most vulnerable. Preventing people from losing their home, helping people into a home and/or supporting people to thrive within the home environment.

Nationwide Building Society was founded to help people into homes of their own. Its ambition is that everyone should have a place fit to call home stands firm today. Charities, Community Land Trusts and housing co-operatives can apply for grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 to make a change in their local area. Managed by the Community Foundation, applications are reviewed and voted on by a regional Community Board, made up of Nationwide members and colleagues. And it’s more than just money, the funded projects also get community and volunteering support.

Rathsherry Fund

Area:
Broughshane / Ballymena

Priorities:
Projects that address marginalisation and help tackle rural isolation The provision of skills development of local people and arts and cultural activities. Activities and events designed to encourage greater community interaction and cohesion. Projects that improve the utilisation of existing community space, including community venues and outdoor spaces and programmes and projects designed to improve local environmental and conservation management are supported.

This local community fund has been set up by Energia Renewables, working in close partnership with local groups from the areas surrounding Broughshane and Ballymena Energia have set up the fund to ensure the wind farm, whilst having obvious environmental benefits, also provides significant social and economic benefits to the local community.
General running costs, running costs for centres, community events, training costs, transport costs, small capital purchases, promotion, refurbishment are eligible for funding.

RiverRock

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Activities, including outdoors and fitness projects, aimed at enhancing people’s health and wellbeing; Projects supporting the family, such as intergenerational storytelling, nutrition and cooking classes. Projects supporting educational awareness of emotional wellbeing or physical wellbeing. Creative projects, including hobbies, that might support people’s social needs, particularly in areas with limited access to social activities, such as a local knitting club, a storytelling project, or a local drama project.

Established by Coca Cola under the RiverRock brand this fund aims to support one-off projects that will take place within 12 months of receiving funding.

Royal London

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Supporting organisations that have a local impact, rather than ones that operate nationally and that fit within our theme of ‘supporting people with a chronic or long-term condition’.

The Royal London Foundation helps members support local organisations that make a difference in their communities. Established in 2011 to mark Royal London’s 150th anniversary, the Foundation gives core cost grants to community groups nominated by members.

Tampon Tax

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Women and girls who are most marginalised.

The purpose of the Tampon Tax Fund is to allocate the funds generated from the VAT on sanitary products to projects that improve the lives of disadvantaged women and girls. Aiming to support women who are most marginalised to overcome barriers that prevent them from fulfilling their potential, the programme will invest in a wide variety of projects, that make a tangible and long-term difference to health, well-being, confidence and social/economic activity, as well as addressing equality gaps.

Telecommunity

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Young people, older people or people with disabilities.

The fund was established with capital from BT, management and unions. It exists to support small, locally-based grassroots community projects.

Oak Fund

Area:
Belfast

Priorities:
Support grassroots organisations addressing local housing and homelessness issues.

The Oak Foundation is a global fund managed by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland.

Cloonty Fund

Area:
Within 5km of the wind farm site

Priorities:
Projects aimed at providing skills development for young adults and/or the unemployed, intergenerational projects, tackling rural isolation, community arts and improving the utilisation of community space.

Corby Knowe Fund

Area:
Within 5km of the wind farm site

Priorities:
Projects that address marginalisation and help tackle rural isolation particularly Children and teenagers (including pre-school children)/ The provision of skills development of local people and arts and cultural activities. Activities and events designed to encourage greater community interaction and cohesion. Projects that improve the utilisation of existing community space, including community venues and outdoor spaces and programmes and projects designed to improve local environmental and conservation management are supported.

Dunmore Fund

Area:
Within a 13 mile radius of the wind farm

Priorities:
Projects that address marginalisation and help tackle rural isolation particularly Children and teenagers (including pre-school children)/ The provision of skills development of local people and arts and cultural activities. Activities and events designed to encourage greater community interaction and cohesion. Projects that improve the utilisation of existing community space, including community venues and outdoor spaces and programmes and projects designed to improve local environmental and conservation management are supported.

The fund has been set up by Gaelectric, and now managed by Netro Energy, a wind energy company that believes in a sustainable future and is committed to ensuring that their wind farms provides significant economic benefits to the local community alongside environmental benefits.

Crighshane CBF

Area:
Within 6km of the wind farm

Priorities:
Projects that address marginalisation and help tackle rural isolation particularly Children and teenagers (including pre-school children)/ The provision of skills development of local people and arts and cultural activities. Activities and events designed to encourage greater community interaction and cohesion. Projects that improve the utilisation of existing community space, including community venues and outdoor spaces and programmes and projects designed to improve local environmental and conservation management are supported.

This local community fund has been set up by Energia Renewables, working in close partnership with local groups from the areas surrounding the Crighshane and Church Hill Wind Farms.
The Irish Infrastructure Fund and Energia have set up the fund to ensure the wind farms, whilst having obvious environmental benefits, will also provide significant social and economic benefits to the local community. The Irish Infrastructure & Energia Community Benefit Fund will be administered by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland.

Community Innovators Programme

Area:
Belfast, Ballymena, Londonderry~Derry and Enniskillen

Priorities:
The Community Innovators programme is for voluntary, community or social enterprise organisations who would like support to explore and develop new solutions to a real world social, economic or environmental challenge.

All organisations who complete the Community Innovators Programme will be eligible to apply for a grant from the Foundation’s Social Innovation Seed Fund to help them deliver the idea or ideas they develop through participation in the programme.

Energia Tyrone 3 Windfarms Community Benefit Fund

Area:
Within a 5 miles of the centre of the three windfarms.

Priorities:
Funding will be available to local community projects that are planned and run for the benefit of the local population.

Energia Renewables has set up the fund to ensure that the wind farm, whilst having obvious environmental benefits, will also provide significant social and economic benefits to the local community. Funding will be available to local community projects that are planned and run for the benefit of the local population and are within 5 miles of the centre of the three windfarms.

The Fibrus Community Fund

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Projects that will target those most in need of support to use and access digital technologies * Projects that build on the assets within communities, to support those who have faced digital challenges

The Fibrus Community Fund has been established by Fibrus Networks Ltd.

The pandemic has massively increased our use of technology and it now plays a vital role in our daily lives.

Homeschooling during lockdown, with children requiring laptops, tablets and phones, has further exacerbated the digital divide for young people. Some children, and their families, do not have access to adequate technology to enable them to progress.

Having suitable equipment, as well as a stable internet connection has also been an issue for many, particularly those living in rural areas.

Many families can only afford one device yet may have a number of children requiring access to online devices for online classes. That has meant that those children have had to share devices, have missed a great deal of opportunity to adequately continue their education during lockdown.

Those who perhaps are already disadvantaged and isolated, are now even more so as a result of the pandemic. The digital divide remains a problem throughout Northern Ireland.

All-Island Fund

This Fund Is Currently Closed

Area:
Northern Ireland

Priorities:
Supporting the collaberation of North and South, East and West organisations. Starting conversations about the future of all-island relationships and how this is changing dramatically.

The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland and the Community Foundation for Ireland are delighted to embark on a new partnership and to combine over 60 years of grantmaking experience to launch the All-Island Community Fund. This new Fund will provide flexible philanthropic support for civil society engagement on a north-south basis, leading to better understanding, strong relationships and progression towards a fairer, more equitable society on the island of Ireland.