Write a commentCommunities Minister, Paul Givan, MLA has announced funding of £270k for a small grants pilot programme to provide assistance to voluntary and community organisations to purchase equipment.
The Programme will be run across Northern Ireland and will be aimed at small organisations who may have difficulty accessing more mainstream funding programmes. It is expected that applications will be received from a range of organisations across the youth, sporting, charitable and religious sectors.
Minister Givan said : “This pilot programme aims to assist those community organisations who are in need of small items of equipment to enable them to deliver much needed services across the community.”
The Department for Communities is providing £270,000 to establish a Small Capital Grants pilot programme. The Programme is intended to reach small organisations to enable them to purchase items of equipment to sustain and enhance their activities and services to the community.
The Minister continued : “I welcome this opportunity to be able to announce this funding and I would encourage small community organisations who fit the criteria to apply for funding. It is intended that this fund will help small organisations increase their levels of participation, enhance their activities and encourage new levels of volunteering in this important sector.”
Individual awards of between £1,500 and £5,000 will be made to community organisations. Funding may be used to purchase a range of equipment to enhance activities, increase participation, increase numbers of volunteers and increase the numbers and diversity of participants.
The Programme goes live today and will be run by the Limavady Community Development Initiative (LCDI) who have been appointed as the Intermediary Funding Body for the Small Grants Programme.
LCDI Grants Manager Johnny McShane said: “We are very pleased that community and voluntary organisations will have access to small capital grants. LCDI is currently operating a small grants scheme on behalf of the Department for Communities for programme funding and many organisations have highlighted the need for capital to purchase equipment. This funding will enhance organisations’ vital offering for local communities.”
For application details please visit https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk
Closing date for applications is 23rd November 2016.
