Department for Communities: Small Capital Grants Programme
Overview
Who can apply?
Applications must include a minimum of 2 organisations. Those applying must nominate a lead partner to whom the whole of the grant will be paid. The Lead Partner should complete the application form.
The amount of grant available to apply for will be dependent on the amount of partners within the application:
- 2 partner groups = can apply for £1,500
- 3 - 4 partner groups = can apply for up to £3,500
- 5+ partner groups = can apply for up to maximum £5,000
To be eligible for grant assistance organisations must:
- be constituted voluntary/community sector organisations located in Northern Ireland
- have an annual income of less than £100,000 per year.
This grant is only eligible for expenditure on capital items and groups must be able to incur the expenditure before 31 March 2020.
What types of items can be funded?
Partners can apply for a wide range of capital items, such as office equipment, furniture, sports goods, kitchen fittings and minor capital works to improve premises.
Please note that applications for capital works e.g. works involving construction activities, will only be accepted from either the owner or leaseholder of the property concerned.
Programme Objectives
When completing your application form please ensure that your project meets all of the following programme objectives. Applications will be scored against how well applicants meet these outcomes so as much detail as possible should be provided.
Objective 1 – Range and quality of services:
Applicants must demonstrate how their proposal will help improve the range and quality of services for the local community. The anticipated outcome benefits of this objective are:
- Improved services on offer to the local community; and
- Improved accessibility to services.
Objective 2 – Partnership and collaboration:
Applicants must detail how their organisation works in partnership and collaborates with other groups. A Partnership/Consortium Agreement form is attached to the application form
and this must be completed and signed by each organisation and returned with the application form. The anticipated outcome benefits of this objective are:
- Increased connectivity within the local Community and Voluntary sector; and
- Improved understanding of the local services available within a given locality.
Objective 3 – Enhanced good relations:
Applicants must demonstrate how their proposal will tackle obstacles to good relations within and/or between local communities. The anticipated outcome benefits of this objective are:
- Increased collaborative working between groups from different community backgrounds; and
- Improved effective cross community and cross cultural partnerships designed to adopt a pragmatic approach to shared evidenced need.
Objective 4 – Enhanced capacity to deliver services:
Applicants must demonstrate how their proposal will lead to enhanced capacity to deliver services in their local community. The anticipated outcome benefits of this objective are:
- Improved opportunities to increase the skills, knowledge and confidence of voluntary organisations in delivering local services; and
- Increased capacity within organisations to access public funding
If you have any enquiries about the programme, please email smallcapitalgrants@cooperationireland.org