The Ireland Funds: Heart of the Community Grants

Overview

What is the Heart of the Community Fund?

The Heart of the Community Fund is an open grant round designed to meet the needs of not-for-profit organisations delivering vital services and supports to people across the island of Ireland.

The Ireland Funds recognises the challenges organisations face in securing funding to build their capacity or meet their core costs, so the Heart of the Community Fund 2025 will provide Organisational Investment Grants. 

The application form will enable you to share what you’re working towards and how you deliver on your mission, so they can get a picture of your organisation as a whole.

If your application is successful, you can then allocate the funding to meet your most pressing needs. 

For 2025

This year, The Ireland Funds will deliver the Heart of the Community Fund through two separate grant rounds. 

• The first round will support organisations in Northern Ireland.
• The second round will support organisations in the Republic of Ireland. 

This approach allows them to better address the needs of each region and maximise the positive outcomes of their funding. 

Funding levels 

The Heart of the Community Fund 2025 will provide grants between £5,000-20,000 to non-profit organisations with an annual turnover of less than £3,000,000.

How will this work?

The application form includes questions that will help them understand what your organisation does, why you do it, who you do it for and how you monitor your effectiveness. It also includes questions about your budget for the year and how much your current shortfall is, as well as a section where you can provide some examples of what this funding could be used for.

The Ireland Funds Grants Team will assess your application and, if your application is successful, will determine the most suitable amount to offer your organisation within the range available. 

When you receive the grant offer, you will then be asked to specify the designation for the funding e.g. €10,000 for Marketing Manager Salary and €10,000 for Utility Bills.

They understand the need to have flexible funding that can be deployed throughout the year as needed, so up to 25% of the amount you are awarded can be designated to your “Flexible/Contingency Costs Fund”.

Please note that funds much be expended within 12 months.

Funding Priorities for 2025

For the first round of the Heart of the Community Fund for 2025, within our four pillars, they will prioritise applications from organisations working in Northern Ireland in the following areas:

• Organisations across Northern Ireland working with youth (0-23 years) to encourage civic leadership, providing opportunities for upskilling and employment, and investing in youth talent and ambition; and
• Organisations across Northern Ireland tackling and providing mental health supports. 

Priority: 

Within these focus areas, organisations working in hard to reach rural communities. 

Your organisation must be working with these focus areas to apply for funding. 

Criteria 

• Organisations must be a CIC, or a registered charity, or have applied to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. For further details, please visit The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.
• The organisation must have an annual turnover* of less than £3,000,000. Organisations with a turnover exceeding this limit** are not eligible to apply for this specific grant round.
  • *Turnover is the total income made in a certain period. It is sometimes referred to as gross revenue or income.
  • **If your organisation is a smaller semi-independent unit that operates within a larger organisation with a turnover above the threshold, please contact them to determine your eligibility. The work you are seeking funding for must take place in Northern Ireland. 

Due diligence is critical for The Ireland Funds. To be eligible, organisations must be a registered charity/ CIC or on the path to registering and; 

• Must have:
  • Governing Document (i.e. Memorandum & Articles of Association; Trust Deed; Constitution).
  • Financial Statements (Audited or Unaudited Accounts are equally accepted).
• Must have a governing document that contains the following clauses:
  • Income and Property including a Directors Clause:
    • Outlining the allocation of any income to the sole purpose of pursuing the organisations purpose and objects.
    • Ensuring that any Directors will not be remunerated by salary or fees.
  • Winding Up/Dissolution: Providing security for income/funds should the organization cease operations. Funds are guaranteed to be transferred to an organisation with a similar charitable purpose.
  • Limited Liability: Formal recognition that the company is limited by guarantee, as opposed to shares, and establishes that dividends etc. will not be afforded due to the organisation’s status as a CLG.
• Please note multiple applications from the same (registered) organisation for different areas of work or different geographic areas will not be accepted.
• Organisations whose work takes place in Northern Ireland but who are based in the Republic of Ireland can apply once their organisation is eligible under the Ireland Funds criteria. The services provided must take place in Northern Ireland.

Previous funded

Practical application advice 

During application 

• Keep answers concise, compelling, and coherent. Do not exceed the word count.
• Tell them about your mission, activities and communities in clear, plain English and avoid using too much jargon.
• Complete all questions on the application form accurately.
• Submit all required documents as per the guidance notes, e.g., governing documents.
• Once submitted, all applications are final. Please ensure you review and are happy with your application before submitting it. 

After application 

• Keep a record of your application. The online portal will allow you to download a completed PDF copy of your full application just before you submit it. They would also urge you to keep a record of the email address and password you used as you will be able to return to view the submitted application at a later day.
• Once the application has been received, confirmation will be sent to the email address provided on your form.
• Please note that acknowledgement emails may land in your spam or junk folder. Ensure you have marked grantsinfo@irelandfunds.org as a ‘safe sender’ so you don’t miss anything.