Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust: Northern Ireland

Overview

General Eligibility - all programmes

JRCT is interested in funding work which:

• is about removing problems through radical solutions, and not simply about making problems easier to live with
• has a clear sense of objectives, and of how to achieve them
• is innovative and imaginative
• and where the grant has a good chance of making a difference.

Within its areas of interest, the Trust makes grants to a range of organisations and to individuals.

If your organisation is a registered, excepted or exempt charity based within any of the four jurisdictions of the UK and all of your work fits within their published programmes, they encourage you to consider applying for unrestricted or core support, although you may apply for programme or project funding if you prefer.

If you are based outside the UK and you are registered as a charitable organistion in your local jurisdiction, you may apply for general support if all of your work fits within their published programmes, and the following criteria are also met:

• your organisation is governed by an unpaid board
• your organisation is not for profit
• your organisation's formal purposes fall within the list of charitable purposes recognised within English law.

For all other organisations or individual applicants, you may apply for a specific project or defined programme of work that would provide public benefit and further our aims as set out in our published policies.

Northern Ireland Programme

Vision

The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust is committed to funding initiatives that advance peace, equality, inclusion, and human rights within Northern Ireland. Our vision is of a Northern Ireland with the following characteristics:

1. A constitutional settlement which takes account of the range of political views of the people of Northern Ireland, Britain and Ireland, and which is underpinned by the principles and values of democracy, human rights and equality. 
2. A pluralist political culture which is transparent, responsive, accountable and inclusive of the full breadth and diversity of the population. 
3. Effective and democratic mechanisms for managing societal and political difference without recourse to violence. 
4. A respectful and inclusive public discourse about the historical conflict in Northern Ireland, which promotes a shared understanding of the root causes of the violence, and a public policy framework which facilitates truth, justice and reconciliation.
5. A cohesive society where diversity is celebrated and cultural heritage is respected, fostering a sense of unity and belonging among all communities in Northern Ireland.

Priorities

The Northern Ireland programme has three priority areas:

1. Strengthening human rights and equality 

They are interested in funding work which:

• aims to ensure the implementation of human rights commitments by the state
• promotes policy initiatives and advocacy campaigns aimed at achieving equity and inclusion for marginalised or minoritised communities
• strengthens the anti-racist voice in systems of power and accountability in Northern Ireland.
   

2. Reimagining society

They are interested in funding work which:

• fosters a positive, forward-thinking political landscape in Northern Ireland, emphasising participation, inclusion and sustainability
• promotes inclusive, evidence-based and responsible public discourse
• facilitates the growth of progressive social movements within Northern Ireland.
   

3. Cultivating peace and reconciliation 

They are interested in funding work which:

• promotes a shared understanding of the root causes of past violence
• encourages groups engaged in armed struggle to take steps towards exclusively non-violent strategies and to engage in comprehensive processes of transition from paramilitarism to civilian life.
• assists communities heavily influenced by paramilitarism in cultivating democratic, anti-sectarian, and non-violent methods for expressing and managing political differences.

Applicant notes

Decisions about grants in the Northern Ireland programme are made by a Northern Ireland committee consisting of trustees, staff, and co-opted members selected on the basis of experience/expertise.

Please note that JRCT aspires to be an anti-racist organisation and this means that they are committed to supporting their grantees in pursuing similar goals. As part of your application, they would like to know what being anti-racist means to your organisation, and what help you might need to develop this aspect of your working practice or understanding.

Some factors that will be taken into consideration when assessing your applications are: 

• Does the proposed work effectively address the intersecting harms of economic inequality, climate breakdown, patriarchy, and racial or sectarian injustice?
• Is the proposed work likely to bring about lasting, strategic, or systemic changes?
• Does the proposed work centre the voices and experiences of marginalised or underrepresented groups at different levels?
• Does the proposed work explore the underlying root causes of violence and injustice, rather than merely addressing superficial symptoms? 

The programme prioritises applications that demonstrate ‘upstream’ characteristics. This means that they are more likely to support an application if it demonstrates qualities shown on the right-hand side of the diagram below.  

Geographical focus

While the primary focus of the programme lies within Northern Ireland, the committee will consider applications for initiatives that work on an all-island basis, or that will strengthen civil society relationships on an East-West or North-South basis (in partnership with organisations in Britain and Ireland).

Local work will be supported only where it is likely to have a wider impact, for example if it is testing a model which can then be replicated, or is addressing a local issue that has wider social or political implications.

Please note that all applications to JRCT which propose work with a geographical focus on Northern Ireland will be considered through the Northern Ireland programme only.