Community Foundation for NI: Pressure Group Fund

Scheme Provider
Community Foundation for NI
Level of Grant Available
Up to £1000 with the possibility of a further £1000 being made available>
Types of Initiative Funded:

The Pressure Group Fund was 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 a NI-wide scheme which aims to allow the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland to be responsive to the needs and issues facing communities.  Groups do not have any formal governance structure to apply. Grants are up to £1000.

Scheme details

Grants available: Up to £1000 with the possibility of a further £1000 being made available.

Purpose Of The Fund

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 campaigning.  It is one way in which the Foundation can be responsive to needs and issues facing communities.

This Fund Aims To Encourage

  • Applications are invited for projects that can demonstrate how they are trying to address social injustice and what the impact of their work will be. In particular, how they will encourage civic action, working with groups and individuals to get their voices heard by decision-makers.

  • Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate that they are representing minorities whose voices are excluded from current decision-making.

What Level Of Grants Is Available?

Grants size – £1000, with potential for further £1000

What Does This Fund Support?

  • Examples of projects where they can offer some support include groups who wish to promote discussion and debate on key issues, educating local people on specific issues, enhancing democratic participation and diversity where it is not currently happening, articulating issues that local politicians and government decision-makers are not currently addressing adequately.

Who Can Apply?

  • Constituted and unconstituted groups ie: groups of people coming together to address a particular issue who do not have any formal governance structure

  • In the event of groups coming together who do not have any formal governance structure payment can be made to an individual as long as the group provide evidence of spend on as agreed in the award offer. Payment can be made directly to the supplier if either the Foundation or the applicant believes this to be appropriate.

In the event of payments directly to the applicant, they must have access to a current account to enable the Foundation to make a payment via the BACS system.

For further information please contact the Grants team on 028 9024 5927 or email applications@communityfoundationni.org.

Exclusions

The funds are not available to:

  • Individual applications and/or applications pursuing a private economic interest

The Foundation will not fund organisations or activities which promote causes that are contrary to their purposes.  Causes and activities that are contrary to their purposes include, but may not be limited to, those outlined in their investment policy.  They will not therefore fund organisations or activities which they determine are linked to the promotion of armaments, alcohol, human rights abuses, tobacco or pornography.

In addition, the fund will not support: 

  • Trips outside of Northern Ireland

  • Projects that encourage violence

  • Purchase of vehicles and general capital costs

  • Running costs of large organisations

  • Holiday schemes

  • Parties and shopping trips

How to apply

There are no deadlines as the fund will be open to applications on a rolling call basis, promoted through the Foundation’s website

For further information please contact the Grants team on 028 9024 5927 or email applications@communityfoundationni.org

Priority Groups/Areas:
Opening Dates:
Further Information: