Comic Relief Local Communities 

The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland is delighted to announce it will be one of the delivery partners for Comic Relief’s Local Communities programme.

Comic Relief is working with the Community Foundation Network (CFN) and Community Foundations across the UK, to deliver this funding and the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland will be distributing the funds in Northern Ireland.

There are still many communities in the UK that suffer from economic and social deprivation and the current economic climate may make this situation worse.

For this reason, Comic Relief has decided that £4.5 million should be available to fund projects across the UK which are addressing these issues through a second phase of the 'Local Communities' programme Grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 will be available.

The amount of grant money available for the Comic Relief Local Communities programme in Northern Ireland is £62,900 for 2012-13.

Under the programme, organisations can apply for funding to increase local services, build skills of local people, increase community cohesion, respond to local economic needs and increase access to sport and exercise for people who face social exclusion and isolation.

Organisations which have received a Community Cash grant or any other grant from a Community Foundation can apply for a Local Communities grant.

However organisations which already hold a grant directly from Comic Relief, cannot apply for a Local Communities Grant. A Local Communities grant must be at least 30% of the total cost of the project.

Community/voluntary groups, residents associations, community centres are amongst the groups eligible for funding with the types of activities that might be funded including projects providing access to benefits advice, projects combating fuel poverty, community consultation exercises, community employment projects, food co-ops, running costs, committee and volunteer/staff training and community sport activities.

Unfortunately, grants will not be awarded to individuals, statutory organisations, including schools or those wishing to fund trips abroad, fund buses, mini buses or other community transport schemes (not including transport costs forming part of a project), building costs, including access adaptations to buildings, as well as, organisations which are in receipt of a grant directly from Comic Relief.

The 2012 round of funding has now closed. A new round of funding will open later in 2013.