Deadline: 15-Aug-20
The Community Foundation of Northern Ireland is currently seeking applications for the Comic Relief Community Support Programme.
Objectives
The focus of this programme will be to:
- No-one left Behind recognising and addressing the issues around social injustice and inequity that have been further unmasked as a result of the Covid-19 restrictions.
- Continue to support the generosity of individuals and communities.
- BuildBackBetter as they collectively contribute to developing a more caring, equitable and inclusive society that rebuilds, renews and brings hope for the future.
Focus Areas
The focus areas of the Comic Relief Community Support Programme are as follows:
- Child Food Poverty
- Child Digital Poverty
- Gender-Based Domestic Violence
- Taking Care of Returning Back to School
- Responding to Loss and Grief
- Refugees and Asylum Seekers
- Racism – Community-Based Responses
- Racism – Supporting Structural Change
Funding Information
Grant awards of between £5,000 and £20,000 are available. Applicants should note the following:
- Two-thirds of the grant awarded MUST be spent and verified by 31st March 2021 (applicable only to awards over £10,000)
- The project MUST be completed within 12 months of the date of issue of the Grant Aid Agreement by the Foundation
- Operational costs to assist in the delivery costs may include a contribution to salaries, small capital items and general running costs
The Foundation will Prioritise
- Initiatives that involve and empower those with lived experience ShiftThePower
- Initiatives that involve locally-based community organizations
- Initiatives that have a clear social impact
- Initiatives that will see the completion of the project within a 12 month period from the date of the grant award
The Fund will not support:
- The Foundation will not fund organizations or activities which promote causes that are contrary to purposes or those of Comic Relief. Causes and activities that are contrary to purposes include, but may not be limited to, those outlined in investment policy.
- They will not, therefore, fund organizations or activities which determine are linked to the promotion of armaments, alcohol, human rights abuses, tobacco, or pornography.
Eligibility Criteria
- Constituted organisations with charitable purposes operating within Northern Ireland
- Organisations whose income is £500,000 or below. Please note that should the Programme be an oversubscribed preference for support will be given to organizations with an income level of £250,000 or below.
- Priority will be for activities and programmes delivered on the ground which MUST make up at least 50% of the grant being requested.
- Organizations supported must factor in the NI Executive Pathway to the Recovery plan and updated guidance that is given. The Foundation acknowledges that future-proofing the project with the Covid-19 lens will be challenging but groups are asked to consider this when putting together the application.
All organizations applying to the Programme should do so in the understanding that should a grant be awarded they will commit to engaging in a wider Programme of learning, reflection and evaluation which will include the following:
- Two peer learning/reflection events with other organizations who have been funded under the particular theme (this could be either via zoom or if circumstances permit via face to face meeting).
- Working with the support organization to draw out impact and learning from the programme supported that contributes to Practice to Policy documents.
- Host if selected a good practice – Seeing is Believing event for Foundation trustees and/or other Programme grantees.
- Profiling the support from Comic Relief and the Foundation in highlighting the work the group has undertaken with the grant as part of Red Nose Day 2021.
- Participating in a final Programme learning and celebration event.
For more information, visit https://communityfoundationni.org/grants/comic-relief-community-support-programme/
