Strengthening Communities
The National Lottery Community Fund
Award
£20k – £500k
Deadline
Rolling — apply any time
Where
Northern Ireland
Summary
Strengthening Communities funds community-led projects that help people live healthier, happier lives. It supports our strategy, It starts with community.
Who can apply
Our Strengthening Communities programme focuses on supporting people early who are experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination. It may not be suitable for some types of projects we’ve funded in the past. Ongoing or repeat funding Because the programme is competitive you should not expect ongoing or repeat funding. If you are applying for further funding, you must demonstrate: • learning from previous funding • the impact of previous investment • sustainability and income development Learning from previous funding Tell us what you learned, what changed and how this shaped your new application. The impact of previous investment Show us clear evidence of the difference your project made to your community. Sustainability and income development Show us your progress towards financial resilience, including diversifying income and reducing reliance on a single funder. New applications We fund a range of voluntary, community and not-for-profit organisations. Your organisation must have been operating for at least 2 years to be eligible for funding. You can apply if your organisation is: • an unregistered voluntary or community group • a voluntary or community organisation that's a registered charity, but not a company registered with Companies House (in both the above cases, if you get more than £50,000 funding you must become incorporated, otherwise your trustees or members can be personally responsible for things such as unpaid debts) • a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee • a Community Interest Company (CIC) UK-wide organisations There should be Northern Ireland representation on your Board or Senior Management Team. You should be able to provide a breakdown of income and expenditure in Northern Ireland and where possible contribute financially to the project. You need at least 3 unrelated board or committee members We consider people related if they are: • married • in a civil partnership or long-term relationship • related through a long-term partner • living at the same address • related by blood All organisations must have at least 3 directors who are not related in any of these ways. This also applies to companies that are also registered as charities.
Full details
• Project location: Northern Ireland • Amount: £20,001 to £500,000 • A decision in: 16 weeks • Programme status: Open to applications Strengthening Communities funds projects that: • support people who experience poverty, disadvantage and discrimination • support people early to help prevent negative experiences • are led by your community and build on its strengths and connections Your project must also achieve one of these outcomes Your project must help: • reduce health inequalities • improve people’s physical health, mental health or wellbeing • people have positive relationships and connections • young people reach their potential and thrive as adults • children and young people develop good social and emotional skills It’s OK if it helps achieve more, but that will not improve your chances of getting funded. How much you can apply for We offer funding from £20,001 to £500,000. The amount you can apply for depends on your organisation’s size: • organisations of any size can apply for £200,000 or more • only smaller organisations can apply for less than £200,000 By smaller organisations, we mean those with an annual income under £500,000. This is based on your average income over the last 2 years.