Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council: Community Development/Festivals Grant Aid 2025/26
Overview
This is a one year COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT/FESTIVALS GRANT AID PROGRAMME (2025-2026) which will allow interested community/voluntary/charitable organisations to apply for grant aid for community facilities and programmes/activities to cover a one-year period (subject to availability of funding), with the exception of the Small Grant & Technical Assistance Grant which will continue to be available all year round on a rolling basis.
The aim of the Community Development Grant Aid Programme is to provide financial support for projects which have Community Development as a primary objective that improve the lives of local people. Projects must develop a strong, healthy and vibrant community whilst encouraging maximum participation in community life by all residents.
Community development is a process where community members come together to find solutions to common problems and to take local actions (economic, social, environmental or cultural) to support community well-being. Part of this process is the positive change that takes place in relation to the number of people volunteering, the increased use of community buildings and the number of educational programmes being offered. The process allows the community to engage with each other and become more involved in local projects which not only improve the quality of life but by working together can bring real change to local communities.
What is a Community Development Project?
Organisations applying to this fund must have community development as a primary objective of their application. A ‘project’ is a series of activities with a common theme delivered within a defined start and end date. There should be a clear purpose to the activity and it should be based on sound community need. The activity should promote participation, involvement, progression and create a sense of community ownership and pride contributing in a positive way to the social well-being of the community.
What is a Festival?
A community ‘festival’ is defined as a series of events with a common theme and delivered within a defined time period. It is developed from within a community and should celebrate and positively promote what the community represents. Community festivals are about participation, involvement, inclusion and the creation of a sense of identity, and are important in contributing to the social well-being of a community.
Who can apply?
Only properly constituted community, voluntary & charitable groups can apply to the grant aid scheme and must be able to meet the following conditions. The group must:
- Be comprised of at least six members.
- Be democratically accountable through regular public meetings.
- Hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM).
- Be properly constituted and include a decision making process, and aims and activities that are acceptable to the Council.
- Be managed by a publicly elected committee; the office bearing positions of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer must be held as a minimum.
- Demonstrate a fair and equitable ethos through their established aims and objectives in accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998).
- Demonstrate that proposed activities are not a duplication of other activities.
- Produce an annual statement of independently verified or certified accounts, or a bank statement for new groups only.
- Agree to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council's monitoring, evaluation, and training procedures if required.
Projects must take place between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, any activity outside these timescales will not be eligible for funding.
See Guidance for General conditions of funding.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANT AID PROGRAMME 2025-2026
Application forms for the programme have changed and instead of there being three separate forms for Premises, Outreach and Involvement and Summer Scheme (with optional additional insurance) there will only be one application form requiring completion regardless of what is being applied for.
Technical Assistance and Small Grants will remain the same as before, will be open on a rolling basis and will only be for a one-year period.
There will only be one Small Grant and no Seeding Grant.
The two different options available are:
- Community Programmes and Activities Grant (up to £5,000 available per year for a three-year period, £15,000 max. in total for the three-year period) – which will cover what was previously community outreach and involvement and summer scheme and will also cover insurance. Summer Programmes are limited to £3,000 per year - £2,000 for Programme & £1,000 for Insurance.
- Community Facilities and Programmes Grant (up to £10,000 available per year for a three-year period, up to £5000/year for facilities/ premises and up to £5,000/year for Programmes - £30,000 max. in total for the three-year period) – which will cover what would have been premises, community outreach and involvement, summer scheme and insurance.
Funding Levels
| Grant Scheme | Grant Type | Rolling/Call | Maximum award |
| Small Grant | Seeding/Activity Grant and/or Insurance | Rolling - Only one grant per year. | £1,000 |
| Large Grant | Technical Assistance Grant | Rolling - Only one grant per year. | £10,000 |
| Community Facilities & Programmes | 3 year period to cover facilities/premises, community programmes and insurance | Grant call normally November – January each year but only one application needed per three year period | Up to £10,000 per year Up to £30,000 for three year period Up to £5,000 for Facilities and £5,000 for Programmes/Insurance |
| Community Programmes & Activities | 3 year period to cover community programmes and insurance only | Grant call normally November – January each year but only one application needed per three year period | Up to £5,000 per year Up to £15,000 for three year period Up to £5,000 for annual programmes, summer programme and insurance |
| Festivals Grants | 1 year period to cover community festivals | Grant call normally November – January each year | Up to £10,000 £5,000 per year but up to £10,000 per year available for events attracting more than 5,000 people |
See Guidance for specific eligible costs per funding scheme