Ards & North Down Borough Council: Community Development Grants
Overview
Ards and North Down Borough Council has opened its annual funding scheme for local constituted voluntary and community groups. Awards are subject to budget availability. Groups from the Ards and North Down Borough can apply to the following grants funding streams –
1. Community Development Fund 2024-2025 - for help with running costs for a constituted community or voluntary group.
The purpose of the Council’s Community Development Fund is to support local groups who:
- Require running costs for local community bases, and groups (e.g. stationery, printing, insurance etc.), which aim to improve the quality of life in our communities. (Running Costs)
- Want to deliver a local project e.g. a defined piece of work, training or a project which is time bound. (Project Grants)
The Community Development Fund aims to:
- to strengthen local communities;
- to increase community participation;
- to promote social inclusion through the stimulation and support of community groups; and
- to encourage and promote community activity
Outcomes of funding:
- an active and organised community
- an influential community
- an informed community
- a sustainable community
Who can apply?
The Community Development Fund is open to all community and voluntary groups / organisations in the Ards and North Down Borough Council area.
To be eligible to apply, the applicant must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Be constitutionally correct and provide appropriate governance documents.
- Be democratically accountable, through regular public meetings, annual general meetings and be managed by a publicly elected committee.
- Demonstrates a fair and equitable ethos through the applicants aim and objectives, in accordance with Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Section 75).
- Demonstrates how the funding will improve the quality and capacity of the community.
What funding is provided?
The scheme will support the following types of community development activity subject to the availability of funding:
- Up to £2,000 - Running Costs for local community bases/resource centres and groups which aim to improve the quality of life in our communities.
- Up to £1,000 - Project Costs to deliver a local project e.g. a defined piece of work, training or a project which is time bound.
General Principles
- This is a competitive scheme and applications will be determined on the basis of merit.
- Applications to this scheme will be open to all eligible applicants who can meet the minimum requirements and core criteria of the Community Development Fund.
- Applicants may be able to apply to other sources of funding to enhance their application. However applicants must ensure that funding from the Council is additional, and is not used to fund any element of the application which is funded from other sources.
- Organisations in receipt of public funding must comply with all statutory obligations regarding the delivery of and access to their events.
- It is a prime responsibility of Council to be accountable for public monies. To this end, successful applicants will be required to provide relevant supporting information when claiming funding e.g. original receipts, original invoices and bank statements.
For further information please contact Community Development Manager
To see a video which guides you thorugh the application process - click on the link below