Community Finance Ireland (previously UCIT): Building Better Futures Loan Fund
Overview
Who can apply?
- community groups
- voluntary organisations
- charities
- social enterprises.
What level of finance is available?
Small, unsecured loans from £1000 to £25,000 can be used for a wide range of purposes, including
- buildings and repairs
- purchase of equipment
- making facilities more energy efficient or
- funding shortfalls in larger grant assisted projects.
Previous Loans
To date (July 2019) the fund has loaned over £1,100,000 to over 58 groups resulting in ground breaking developments at local level.
NOTE
The Building Change Trust was established in 2008 by the Big Lottery Fund with a National Lottery grant of £10million as an investment for community capacity building and promotion of the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland.
Belfast Charitable Society was established in 1752 to tackle disadvantage and poverty and in doing so it built the Poor House and Belfast's first Infirmary, which remains as Clifton House. Today, the Society continues to work to tackle disadvantage and promote philanthropy while sharing its vast heritage with others.
Community Finance Ireland (previously UCIT) is a Charity which provides loans exclusively to other third sector organisations such as community groups, charities, sports clubs and social enterprises in Northern Ireland. UCIT was established in response to decreasing grant support from government and the difficulties experienced by community organisations in accessing commercial loan facilities. As a registered charity, all profits generated by UCIT are retained and recycled for reinvestment into the third sector.