The Telecommunity Fund was established with capital from BT, management and unions. It exists to support small, locally based grass roots community projects.
Who can apply:
Constituted grass roots community and voluntary groups
Criteria:
- Priority will be given to applications from small groups, typically with an annual income of less than £200,000, as evidenced in most recent set of accounts
- Projects must aim to directly support one of the following specific groups:
- Young people
- Older people
- People with disabilities
- The Fund will not support projects targeting all ages.
- Priority will be given to projects that will benefit groups dealing with disadvantage (e.g. rural isolation, low income, social exclusion, reduced access to services), and projects that involve the beneficiaries in their development and delivery.
Examples of types of projects that may be supported within Fund themes:
- Community education and training opportunities
- Communication and leadership skills
- Local initiatives to improve resources and community facilities
- Creativity and self-expression through drama, music or a range of arts activities
- Inclusion and involvement of disadvantaged communities
- Out of school projects for young people
The 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.
In addition, the Telecommunity Fund will not support:
- Individuals
- Salary costs and ongoing running costs
- Capital projects and large equipment (generally over £1,000)
- Trips outside Northern Ireland, holidays away and one-off residentials are ineligible, however, trips may be eligible within Northern Ireland at the panel’s discretion as long as they are essential to a longer term project
- Sports activities
- Promotion of religion or party politics
- Funding for projects that are already taking place and looking for retrospective funding
- Replacement for statutory funding
- Portable IT equipment (except in exceptional circumstances and at panel’s discretion, for example IT equipment for disabled beneficiaries which is specialised and necessary for their development)
The next panel meeting will take place on 24th November 2020, therefore applications submitted after 27th October 2020 at 12 noon will not be considered in this round.
More information about this grant and to apply here
Closing date for applications: This is a rolling programme.
