Deadline: 01-Dec-2025
The Community Festival Fund is offering financial support to community, voluntary, and charitable organisations to deliver vibrant local festivals within the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area.
Funding of up to £5,000 is available for a one-year grant or up to £10,000 for a two-year grant to support community festivals run by community, voluntary, or charitable organisations. Single-year applications are invited annually, while two-year applications open every two years.
Eligible groups must be properly constituted and demonstrate democratic accountability through regular public meetings and an Annual General Meeting. They need to have a decision-making process and aims acceptable to the Council and be managed by a publicly elected committee with Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer positions. Groups must also show a fair and equitable ethos in line with relevant legislation and ensure that their proposed festival activities do not duplicate others in the area.
Applicants are required to produce independently verified accounts or a bank statement if they are new groups. They must also provide evidence to the Council on how the festival will sustain itself once funding ends and submit a Festival Evaluation Form after each event. Compliance with monitoring, evaluation, and training procedures is also expected.
Certain costs are excluded from the funding. Festivals outside the council area, events primarily for charity fundraising, projects under other statutory bodies, and retrospective expenses cannot be funded. Other exclusions include professional fees unrelated to the festival, bank charges, rent of the group’s own premises, salaries, alcohol, conferences, awards events, financial benefits to members beyond volunteer expenses, and purchases of balloons, single-use plastics, or flags without prior approval.
The projects must take place within specified dates to qualify, ensuring funds are used for timely community benefit. This opportunity aims to empower community groups to deliver vibrant festivals that engage local people and promote cultural and social cohesion.
For more information, visit Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.
