The Ultach Fund (UK)

Deadline: 15-May-23

Applications are now open for the Ultach Fund to support communities throughout Northern Ireland who wish to use and promote the Irish language through the work of registered charities, voluntary groups and community groups.

The Ultach Fund is now managed and administered by the Community Foundation which is delighted to continue to fund grass roots community and voluntary groups to promote the Irish language.

The Ultach Fund was established with capital from the Ultach Trust.

Priorities

• The fund is open to registered charities and constituted grass roots community and voluntary groups based in Northern Ireland.  Priority is given to Irish language community organisations and centres, should the fund be oversubscribed.
• Projects that promote and encourage the use of Irish at community level.
• Priority is given to projects that promote the active use of Irish and/or interest in it.
• Projects that show an innovative, imaginative and creative approach to Irish language arts.
• Projects that celebrate and embrace the cultural heritage of the Irish language.
• Projects that reflect cross-community aspects and/or reach new audiences and promote mutual understanding between different communities.

Funding Information

• Grants Available: Up to £5,000.

Examples of Types of Projects

• Promotion of the Irish language through the following but not limited to:
  • Irish classes and courses and other relevant learning opportunities (but we will not fund after-school associations or youth associations that have other streams of funding available to them)
  • Structured Irish social events to improve fluency and/or support fluent Irish speakers, including families.
  • Production of Irish language learning or awareness aids, such as innovative publications and relevant digital aids.
  • Art-based Irish language activities.
  • Current costs might be considered eligible for Irish language centres.
  • Small capital costs relevant to the project may be eligible.

Area: Northern Ireland / Northern Ireland.

They Will Fund?

• Projects that promote and encourage the use of the Irish language at community level.
• Priority is given to projects that promote the active use of and/or engagement with the Irish language.
• Projects that demonstrate innovative, imaginative, creative approaches to Irish language arts.
• Projects that celebrate and embrace the cultural heritage of the Irish language.
• Projects that demonstrate cross-community aspects and/or reach new audiences, promoting mutual understanding and contact between different communities.

Eligibility Criteria

• The fund is open to registered charities and constituted grass roots community and voluntary groups based in Northern Ireland.  Priority is given to Irish language community organisations and centres, should the fund be oversubscribed.

Ineligible

• The Community Foundation will not fund organisations or activities which promote causes that are contrary to our purposes. Causes and activities that are contrary to our purposes include, but may not be limited to, those outlined in our investment policy.  We will not therefore fund organisations or activities which we determine are linked to the promotion of armaments, alcohol, human rights abuses, tobacco or pornography;
• The advancement of religion.  This includes organisations whose purposes include the advancement of religion;
• The establishment of endowment of any school or institution providing further education within the meaning of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1972;
• The provision of assistance to any Housing Association within the meaning of the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1976;
• Promotion of religious or political activity, including any flags and emblems that may deem to be associated with such;
• CIC Companies Limited by Shares, or CICs without an asset lock clause.  Eligible CICs must have at least three unrelated committee members, and/or the majority of the committee unrelated;
• Trips outside the island of Ireland;
• Applications from individuals;
• Applications from statutory organisations;
• Projects lasting longer than twelve months;
• Salaries;
• Purchase of vehicles;
• Holiday schemes;
• Parties and shopping trips;
• Activities that duplicate existing services;
• Retrospective funding;
• Substitution for statutory funding;
• Administration/management fees;
• Groups who have not complied with previous monitoring requirements;

For more information, visit The Ultach Fund.