Closes 19th February 2025
Open for applications from 8 January 2025 to 19 February 2025 for organisations with community buildings in the:
Belfast City Council, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council areas.
Opened for applications in all the other council areas at different times through 2024. For details of when we opened to other areas see the projects we fund. This was to make sure that we offer a spread of funding across Northern Ireland. It also helps us manage demand.
Suitable for: Voluntary or community organisations (with an annual income of less than £500,000)
Funding size: Up to £50,000 (capital funding only)
This funding is to help your organisation to:
- learn how to be more environmentally sustainable – by attending carbon literacy training
- understand what changes you can make to be more environmentally sustainable – by working with experts in sustainability to create an environment plan for your organisation
- improve the environmental performance of your building – for example, we could offer funding so that you can add solar panels, improve insulation or install energy-efficient lighting
- share the benefits of being more environmentally sustainable with your community
- monitor, measure and report on the impact of your funding – for example, track what difference the improvements have made to carbon emissions, energy savings, community engagement and behaviour change
- ultimately reduce your carbon footprint and energy bills.
ELIGIBILITY:
• Your community building must have been built before 2005
• You must own your building or have an unbreakable lease for at least 6 years
• You must have an annual income of less than £500,000
• You must not have solar panels already
• Your building must be open and used
We want to fund community buildings that are well-used by communities. We’ll ask for details about the number of people who use your building and its opening hours. We’ll prioritise buildings that can demonstrate they are well used throughout an average week.
• You must not be solely focused on delivering sports activities
Or be affiliated with a governing body of sport (recognised by Sport Northern Ireland. We’ll still consider your application if sports clubs are part of a range of groups that use your community building. However we cannot fund sports clubs that are affiliated with a governing body of sport – for example, the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Ulster Rugby and Irish Football Association.
More information and how to apply can be found here.