NORTH WEST
Guidelines to Applications
North West Fund
We welcome applications from individuals and local organisations – from amateur sports and senior citizens clubs; youth groups; community, residents, workers and health associations to schools and other educational bodies – across the entire County or close neighbouring areas (includes any town/village within the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council).
Grant Levels
- Individuals can apply for grants up to £250
- Community Groups, Clubs, Associations can apply for grants up to £1,000
- Occasionally, exceptions are made to these amounts
Grants to any single community group/club/association will not normally be made at less than 3 year intervals and are confined to projects or causes within County Londonderry or close neighbouring areas.
Charitable organisations elsewhere within Northern Ireland (outside County Londonderry or close neighbouring areas) should apply to the Northern Ireland Fund.
- By email
- Use the On-line Form
- Post applications to the Society’s office – Cutts House, 54 Castleroe Road, Coleraine.
- Application form
- A brief description of your organization and its activities must be submitted. Similar information must be supplied for individual applications. Additional information should be attached on a separate sheet.
- Copies of 6 months’ bank statements or relevant financial information must accompany applications. If annual accounts are provided these must be recent/up to date.
- Quotation of costs.
- Details of other funding applied for or already secured.
The Local Advisory Committee normally meets several times a year to consider applications received.
Closing Date | Grant Allocation |
31st December 2024 | February 2025 |
30th April 2025 | June 2025 |
29th August 2025 | October 2025 |
We recommend not leaving applications until the last moment, as it may result in the Committee having to defer consideration until the next meeting, if too many applications have been received.
The local Advisory Committee does not normally grant applications retrospectively, so please ensure you give plenty of notice of funding requirements.
All requests for assistance must fall within at least one of the charitable purposes listed below:
- The advancement of education.
- The advancement of citizenship or community development.
- The advancement of the arts, culture, heritage or science.
- The advancement of amateur sport.
- The advancement of environmental protection or improvement.
- The relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage.
Where possible, grants are made for specific projects or items of equipment, etc, particularly of a more permanent nature. Contributions to general funds are not made. Financial assistance cannot be given to meet travelling expenses.
In addition to the above, the local Advisory Committee will not normally fund:
- Individuals applying for welfare or other social support grants
- Community groups/clubs/associations or individuals based outside Co. Londonderry
- Grants which do not benefit the inhabitants of Co. Derry or close neighbouring areas.
- Political parties or political lobbying
- Non-charitable activities
- Statutory or corporate bodies where the body involved is under a statutory or legal duty to incur the expenditure in question
- Grant-making bodies to make grants on its behalf
- Schools, universities or other educational establishments, except items of equipment for extra-curricular activities
- Ex-servicemen’s or similar organisations, except for social welfare projects
- Medical or academic research
- Tertiary education, except for Arts courses – eg, music, dance and drama
- Churches or other religious bodies where the money will be used for religious purposes
- Items which have already been purchased or work / activity which has already been completed
- Repeat grants within three years, except in special circumstances
- Travel costs
- Feasibility Studies
- Commemorative Bonfires/Street Parties
- Marching Bands
- Evidence of expenditure of grant must be provided within six months. And we are always pleased to receive photographs and reports on how the grant monies have been used to include on our website.
- Any grant monies not used should be returned to the Society.
In the case where several individuals are applying to participate in a team event (e.g. bowlers, young farmers, etc.) a group application, rather than an individual one, should be submitted.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office.
