The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has announced a new £1 million Community Partnership Fund aimed at strengthening and empowering voluntary sector and grassroots community organisations across Northern Ireland. The initiative is designed to harness the expertise of established voluntary sector bodies to better support local groups, including informal organisations and those operating in rural or underserved areas.
The grant will be awarded to a forum made up of experienced Northern Ireland voluntary and community sector organisations. This forum will then collaborate with smaller local groups to help them develop ideas, build skills, and improve their ability to access funding opportunities. The goal is to ensure that more community organisations have the knowledge, networks, and confidence needed to secure financial support and grow sustainably.
This funding builds on previous UK Government investments in Northern Ireland, including £310 million confirmed for City and Growth Deals, £40 million through the Pride in Place Programme in Coleraine and Derry-Londonderry, and nearly £500,000 distributed to 21 organisations under the NIO’s Connect Fund. The new scheme continues efforts to strengthen communities and boost local development.
Through the Community Partnership Fund, the successful forum will identify and engage smaller grassroots groups that may currently be overlooked by traditional funding systems. It will create networking opportunities, foster ambition by encouraging larger-scale project development, and provide comprehensive guidance from initial idea generation to project delivery. The programme also aims to enhance financial resilience and support long-term sustainability for participating organisations.
In the coming months, the NIO will work closely with the voluntary and community sector to shape the fund and ensure it is targeted where support is most needed. The grant will be awarded through a competitive process opening later this year, with applicants required to demonstrate strong partnerships with sector leaders and a clear plan to deliver meaningful benefits for community and voluntary groups across Northern Ireland.
