NIHE Social Housing Enterprise Plus Investment Scheme: Education, Training & Business Start-up Grants

Overview

Grants of up to £1,000 are available.

Eligibility

• As an individual applicant you must be a resident in a defined Housing Executive estate or involved in a social economy initiative in a NIHE neighbourhood
• As an organisation you must be contributing to the social economy of Housing Executive neighbourhood

Funding Criteria

You must be able to prove that an award will achieve one or more of the following objectives:

(i) Increase your personal capacity or that of a group to contribute to the local social economy

(ii) Develop new services that contribute to the local (neighbourhood) economy

(iii) Increase technical skills/knowledge of an individual or group to develop/deliver their own or their communities social economy activities

What can be supported?

Examples of what may be considered for support

(i) Contribution to course fees/skills training

(ii) Business start-up equipment - Subject to further conditions ie match funding or engagement with local enterprise agencies

(iii) Market research with economic / business relevance

(iv) Business start-up activities e.g. proof of concept

NB Priority will be given to applicants that clearly demonstrate that there will be both personal and social economy benefit.

The above are general statements of principle if applying for an award please note the overall aim of the Social Investments in Social Housing Communities Strategy is to improve/develop services/capacity/ economic activity in Housing Executive areas. To this end they will consider applications from individuals and organisations/groups that can demonstrate how their personal development or that of the organisation/ group will contribute to the local social economy - the application form provides opportunity to provide information on how you can meet this objective.

Applications may be submitted by an organisation for multiple persons, but depending on the availability and number of applications submitted this will be awarded accordingly.

This criteria is not exhaustive and the Housing Executive has the right to enhance / change the criteria as listed above.

Assessment of applications

Applications will be assessed on the basis that there is a fit with the Social Housing Enterprise Strategy, that the objectives referred to above are met and that the proposed activities are suitable for public sector financial support.

Funds are limited and all applications which meet the criteria will not necessarily be funded.