Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council: Grand Choice

Overview

Groups can apply for up to £1,000 for things such as online activities, events, tutors, venue hire, transport for trips, workshops, performers, specialist facilitator, funding towards marketing campaigns to raise awareness of specific issues identified by the community, equipment for projects e.g. iPads, litter picks, safety equipment, sports kits, outdoor gym equipment and other innovative ideas events.

Your project must demonstrate how it relates to one or more of the Take 5 Ways To Wellbeing themes:

• Connect – with the people around you and keep in touch with each other
• Be Active – to help us feel good both physically and mentally
• Take Notice – to ensure the community is safe
• Keep Learning – new things that give us a sense of achievement, enjoyment and increased confidence
• Give – doing something that gives back to our community and help each other

The key difference between Grand Choice and other council managed funding opportunities is that the successful projects are chosen by the local community. As with previous rounds of Grand Choice, successful projects can win up to £1,000 and will be chosen by their local community.

Who can apply

You don’t have to be an existing group with your own constitution to apply. You just need a minimum of three people who have an idea for a project and a constituted group to sponsor your entry. Groups with a constitution are also welcome to apply.

You must be based within the Castlereagh East area.

What is Grand Choice?

So, what is Participatory Budgeting all about?

Grand Choice is a Participatory Budgeting initiative which means that local people get to decide how public funds are used to address needs in their area. Community Planning Partners have pooled their resources to fund community projects.

The key difference between Grand Choice and other council managed funding opportunities is that the successful projects are chosen by the community. The votes of those living in the dedicated area (varies) will decide which projects will be funded.

The Process

Before applying, please check that:

• your organisation is eligible to apply;
• your application meets the priorities of this fund;
• you have completed every question on your Application Form;
• you can provide all the information we ask for as part of the application process.

Grand Choice Stage 1:

Generating Ideas and Apply Stage – where groups can complete a short application form outlining their project idea.

Once your initial application is received, they will:

• Perform an Eligibility Check on your application and then assess it against the key themes of the grant, as highlighted in the PROGRAMME CRITERIA section;
• Contact you with questions should they need to, so please keep a copy of your Application Form for your reference;
• Not assess your application if it is incomplete.

If your initial application is successful, they will:

• Contact you about Stage 2 of the process
• At this stage successful groups will be asked to attend the November Community Decision Event to showcase their project.

How does the voting work?

• Voting will take place at the Community Decision Event.
• Voting will be by electoral area only.
• Voters attending on the day will be asked to vote for 10 projects.
• The projects with the most public votes will be awarded up to £1,000 to make their initiative happen!
• When voting closes, results will be announced shortly after the Community Decision Event.

The shortlisted projects will be required to exhibit their proposal at a Community Decision Event on Saturday 9th March 2024 in St. Mary's, Ballybeen, 1A Craigleith Drive, Dundonald, BT16 2RY.

If your project is selected through the public vote, they will:

• Send you a Conditional Offer and our Terms & Conditions of Grant by email for your organisation to sign and return to the council;
• Clearly indicate the eligible expenditure for the funding offered.
• Request the grant to be acknowledged through the inclusion of the official Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s logo on all related promotional material associated with the project and that an Elected Member or Council Officer from Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, is invited to the event/activity to which the grant is awarded.
• Request the compulsory completion of an Event Notification Form (only where the event is outdoors and requires members of the community to gather together). This will be assessed by the Council’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) to ensure compliance with regulations, the impact of which may impact on your proposal.

Once they have received your signed Terms and Conditions they will:

• Make payment to your group’s bank account, via the Bankers Automated Clearance System (BACS).

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council request successful applicants submit relevant promotional material of their events to share on their social media platforms in line with the Grand Choice programme.