Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council: Community Facilities and Programme Grant

Overview

A call will be made annually for single year applications, while two-year applications will open at the end of every two year cycle.

The aim of the Community Development Grant Aid Programme is to provide financial support for projects which have Community Development as a primary objective to 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. 

The Community Development Grant Aid programme is available to organisations who 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 wellbeing of the community The total amount of funding available within each category is outlined below:

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 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.

Community Facilities Grant Criteria 

• Groups who either own a facility outright or have a lease/rental agreement may apply for a community facilities & programmes grant if they can demonstrate that they are running a programme of community development activity. The ownership or lease/rental agreement must be demonstrated by way of appropriate documentation covering the period 2026 – 2028 or be willing to renew the agreement to cover this period. Evidence of renewal must be received before monies are released. 
• In the instance where more than one group is eligible to apply under these criteria, for the same building, the maximum amount awarded to the building, will not exceed the maximum Community Facilities & Programmes grant of £5,000. Where an annual rent is paid for the facilities, the total rent paid by groups in the building will not exceed this amount.
• The exception to (b) above will be a scenario where more than one group operates from the same building, but each has a separate rental agreement and metering arrangements for electricity etc. In this case each group may apply for a Community Facilities & Programmes grant. As above where an annual rent is paid for the premises, the total rent paid by groups in the building will not exceed this amount. 
• In the absence of ownership or lease/rental agreements groups will not be eligible to apply for a community facilities & programmes grant, however if using the facilities on a casual basis for the delivery of a programme the group could apply for the cost of room hire under the Community Programmes & Activities grant. 

Community Programmes & Activities Grant Criteria 

Provided for groups that deliver a year long service/programme (or a project that is part of a yearlong programme) for the benefit of the community, engaging with those who might otherwise be isolated or detached from community life and introducing new or additional activity where there is a demonstrated need.

This grant can also include a Summer Programme for groups who want to provide five, or more days’ activity over the summer period from June to September each year. Maximum amount available for a Summer Programme is £3,000, £2,000 for Summer Programme & up to £1,000 for Insurance (Public and Employer’s Liability). 

Buildings and Contents Insurance Costs are only eligible to groups running a facility – groups should provide information on support requested on the facilities finance section of the Community Facilities & Programmes grant application.

What can be funded