Belfast City Council: Ending Violence Against Women and Girls

Overview

Background

The Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) Strategic Framework was launched by the Executive in September 2024 and is funded by the Executive. 

It intends to bring together a whole of society and whole of government response to address this issue which impacts the lives of far too many women and girls across our society. The main focus of this strategy is on prevention. This recognises that tackling the underlying causes of violence, abuse and harm towards women and girls and stopping it before it starts, is vital.

 The Strategy includes a first Delivery Plan (2024-26) and will support those organisations working to prevent and challenge the attitudes, behaviours and culture that can lead to violence against women and girls. It will deliver real change for those who suffer harm and abuse across our society every day. 

For further information about the EVAWG Strategic Framework and the first Delivery Plan, and to access the full documents, please visit: https://www.executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk/topics/ending-violence-against-women-and-girls  

This Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Change Fund is a Belfast City Council run scheme as part of the delivery plan.

Purpose of the fund 

The purpose of the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Change Fund is to support the community voluntary sector in Belfast to deliver events, projects or programmes of activity aimed at ending violence against women and girls.

Every application will be required to demonstrate how the project will contribute to: 

• Outcome 1: Changed attitudes, behaviours, and culture Everyone in society understands what violence against women and girls is, including its root causes, and plays an active role in preventing it. 

Projects may also contribute to Outcomes 2 and/or 3, although applications will not necessarily score more highly with multiple outcomes as the focus will be on the quality of the project. 

• Outcome 2 - Healthy, respectful relationships Everyone in society is equipped and empowered to enjoy healthy, respectful relationships. 
• Outcome 3 - Women and girls are safe and feel safe everywhere Organisations and institutions across government and society embed the prevention of violence against women and girls in all that they do, so that women and girls are safe and feel safe everywhere. 

Applicants must be able to demonstrate a track record of grassroots activity/impact and to detail how proposed activities will primarily support beneficiaries in the Belfast City Council area.

Each organisation can only make one application to the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Change Fund 2025-26 across Tiers 1, 2 and 3.

Funding Size and submission deadlines

• Tier 1 - Maximum award £5,000.00 - Deadline 12 noon on Friday 28 February 2025
• Tier 2 - Minimum award £5,001.00 Maximum award £15,000.00 - Deadline 12 noon on Monday 17 February 2025
• Tier 3 - Minimum award £15,001.00 Maximum award £25,000.00) - Deadline 12 noon on Monday 17 February 2025

Eligible organisations

Open to not-for-profit community, voluntary or social enterprise organisations, the purpose of the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Change Fund is to support the community voluntary sector in Belfast to deliver events, projects or programmes of activity aimed at ending violence against women and girls. 

• Community and Voluntary Sector (CVS) organisations may apply for funding. 

These are understood as: “not-for-profit organisations that support a wide range of social, environmental, and economic outcomes and rely to a large extent on voluntary contributions through their boards of trustees, formal volunteering and donations. The sector spans a very diverse range of organisations in terms of scale and focus of operations and interests. Volunteers define and drive this sector, but organisations will also all have some sort of formal structure or constitution. They are self-governing and independent from government or the private sector. They have social objectives and work to benefit the community. They may operate a social enterprise or community business, but any profits will be re-invested for community benefit”. 

Department for Communities Voluntary and Community Sector Infrastructure Support Framework Draft Framework: Proposals for Consultation November https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/consultations/communities/dfc-voluntary-community-sector-infrastructure-support-framework-consultation.pdf

See Guidance for further details

Your organisation must also meet the following requirements: 

• Formally constituted – have a formal governing document such as a constitution or memorandum and articles of association. 
• Non-Governmental - is not part of government or under a substantial degree of executive control by government. 
• Self-governing – has its own decision-making system and usually a formal constitution with procedures for accountability to independent trustees or its own members or constituents. 
• Non-profit-making – cannot distribute any surplus money to owners or members but spend them on serving your basic purpose and this is included in the governing document. 
• Voluntary – has an element of involvement of volunteers. This can include board member roles. 
• Be legally able to operate in Northern Ireland 

Your organisation must also be able to provide the following at the submission of the application:

• a fully completed application form submitted through the online grants management system at https://grants.belfastcity.gov.uk/login
• Governing document - a copy of your constitution or memorandum and articles of association.
• Bank statements - copies of your organisation’s most recent 3 months bank statements. The bank statements must show your organisation’s name as the name of the account. 
• Annual accounts – copy of your organisation’s most recent, current, signed annual accounts. The accounts must be no more than 18 months old. 
• Management accounts – Management accounts dated within the last three months and signed
• Policy confirmations - To be eligible for funding, your organisation must also have policies in place. 

See Guidance for full details

Eligible costs

• Restricted costs may include equipment, overheads/core funding, and staff time for project. See Guidance for each Tier. 
• You must clearly list any costs for facilitators, mediators, consultants, or project evaluators clearly in the budget. You must also describe the work they intend to carry out and how it is reasonable and necessary to your project.
• Petrol receipts must be supported by detailed mileage claims.
• Internal costs - costs for use of own facilities or internal charges within an organisation (notional costs) will only be eligible if they are normally used for commercial activity.
• Cash payments - a limit of £20 per cash transaction