Community Facilities Fund 2025/26

The aim of the overall grant funding programme is to:

•  improve, upgrade and/or refurbish Community Facilities to offer activities and services which help to increase opportunity, reduce inequality and broaden community engagement;
•  support pitch development/maintenance; and purchase/hire of equipment to enhance the sustainability of external sporting facilities; and/or 
•  enhance community events to build on social cohesion and engagement opportunities.

The objective is to provide better access to existing community services, create a wider range of services, improve the ability to respond to community needs and improve community links and networks.  The Community Facilities Fund spend must align to the principles of the Community Plan which include Sustainable Development, Equality and Participation.  

The primary objectives of the grant funding programme are:

•  To improve the quality and accessibility of community facilities
•  To encourage participation in community life through enhanced facilities and resources

To promote well-being through greater access to social, cultural, and sporting opportunities

Based on eligibility, applicants may apply to two out of the three funding strands if their project aligns with the respective criteria. Each application must be submitted on a separate form to ensure appropriate evaluation.

1. Repairs, capital works, and digital improvements to community facilities
    Funding Amount: Up to £15,000

    Eligible projects:

• Repairs and upgrades to existing community buildings (e.g., structural repairs, roof work, changes to encourage multi-use of premises and make it fit for purpose)
• Capital works for facility improvements (e.g., accessibility upgrades such as ramps or lifts, heating improvements)
• Digital enhancements (e.g., installation of Wi-Fi, purchase of IT equipment for community use)
• Exterior grounds improvements (e.g. landscaping, fencing, lighting, parking improvements)

N.B Organisations that have previously been in receipt of funding through the Community Facilities Fund Scheme in 2023-24 or 2024-25 will be unable to apply to Strand 1.

2. Event infrastructure for community events
    Funding Amount: Maximum of £8,000

    Eligible projects:

• Audio/visual equipment
• Stage infrastructure
• Marquees or canopies for outdoor community activities
• Beacons for events
• Welfare & Safety equipment

3. Sporting pitch development and maintenance
    Funding Amount: Maximum of £20,000
   

Eligible projects:

• Maintenance and improvement of existing sports pitches (e.g., resurfacing, drainage work).
• Materials to support general pitch maintenance 
• Equipment and tools to support and maintain regular pitch maintenance
• Contractor support for pitch maintenance 
• Essential health and safety infrastructure 

Please note, these are not exhaustive lists in regard to eligible items of spend

 

 

The Community Facilities Fund is open for projects in the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area. Applicants need to demonstrate that the facility or event is of significant importance in the local community and can evidence this.  All applications will need to show how the community has been involved in the development of the project and how they will continue to be involved in the future.

The pitch development and maintenance and events infrastructure for community events are new funding streams for 2025/26.  All 3 strands will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and funds for this and future years are subject to availability of financial resources.  Groups should ensure that they take adequate measures therefore to ensure future sustainability of their facilities, events and/or pitch development and maintenance.

Projects will be assessed against five criteria – eligibility, affordability, deliverability, feasibility and sustainability. Eligible projects will be assessed against a prioritisation matrix based on the above criteria where they will have to reach a minimum threshold score as detailed below:

Project Eligibility – If applicants do not meet the project eligibility criteria the application will be deemed to be unsuccessful, and no further scoring will be recorded.

Prioritisation Scoring Matrix – Project assessment on:

a)  Feasibility – what needs are being met, how these were identified, key beneficiaries, outputs and outcomes, strategic fit to council outcomes and with any other relevant plans. 
b)  Deliverability – details of location, timeframe, capacity, experience
c)  Affordability – estimated total cost (budget). Costs must be reasonable, relevant and present value for money.
d)  Sustainability – how would ongoing revenue costs be met, how would the project be managed in the future, how will the project be assessed over time.

Projects must achieve a minimum threshold score of 50 in order to be successful and will be ranked according to individual scores.

Successful projects must provide feedback to monitor progress, evaluate results and capture learning and good practice.  This may include attendance at council facilitated workshops and/or meetings.
 

The Community Facilities Fund (CFF) is open to community/voluntary organisations based in the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area that meet the following criteria:

•  an open and accountable governing document (Constitution or Articles and Memorandum of Association, or applicable governing document) that has been properly adopted; 
•  a bank account in the name of the organisation, which requires at least two (unrelated) signatories    
•  an annual set of independently examined financial accounts, endorsed at an Annual General Meeting;
•  a Management Committee or Governing Board, elected by its membership at an Annual General Meeting, and elected office bearers;
•  have appropriate Safeguarding Policies for protecting Children and Vulnerable adults, who are involved as part of the group’s programme;
•  have appropriate Health and Safety Policies 
•  a minimum of £5 million Public Liability Insurance, to cover all risk associated with the activities of the organisation.
•  evidence of a lease or permission of landownership for the facility with a minimum of 10 years remaining

We will not fund individuals, sole traders or profit-making organisations.  

Organisations that have previously been in receipt of funding through the Community Facilities Fund Scheme in 2023-24 or 2024-25 will be unable to apply to strand 1.

Proposals must comply with relevant government, public health and licensing guidance and regulations. Any activity outside the set timescales or guidance and regulations will not be eligible for funding.

•    Individual people (applicant organisation must be a lease holder)
•    Upgrade to roads and carparks that are not on the community facility’s land
•    Landscaping, that does not actively meet a community need 
•    Routine repairs/maintenance and operating expenses for buildings (in case of Strand 1 such as administration or staffing
•    Equipment purchases that do not directly contribute to the overall project 
•    Revenue costs associated with the development of a business plan, feasibility study or design only project
•    Purchases of land or buildings
•    Private businesses / commercial /statutory /regional sector organisations.
 

Section 1- Eligibility Criteria (Pass/Fail)
Section 2 – About your organisation (Pass/Fail) 
Section 3 – Feasibility 

Please provide sufficient detail to enable us to understand what your project is about and what you will do with any funding offered. 

		Weighting
About your project	Clear outline of programme / project	3
Beneficiaries and how they will benefit	Clear indication of number of people and details of how the changes will benefit the local community	1
Needs and consultation	Ability to demonstrate needs of community and how needs were identified	2
Outputs / outcomes	Clear outline of project outcomes and what is hoped to be achieved
Total	Maximum weighting 40

 

Section 4 - Delivering 

In Section 4 you will need to let us know if planning permission or building control is required. This can take time and needs to be factored into the timeframe of the project. Procurement is also required for any project activity and quotes need to be obtained before any work can be carried out. Again, this will have a time implication. 

		Weighting
Capacity and experience	The number of people and their roles, skills, past experience in delivering similar projects	2
Timeframe to deliver	Clear indication of realistic timeframes to deliver and complete project	1
Risks and contingencies	There is evidence that the applicant has considered and identified those risks most likely to occur and have the greatest impact and has taken reasonable and proportionate steps to manage them.	3
Total Score	Maximum weighting 15

 

Section 5 - Affordability

Please consider the following when estimating the cost of your project:

• Detail each specific cost on a separate line (e.g. materials, equipment hire, labour etc.) giving a cost for each separate item. Add lines where necessary. 
•  Ensure your costings are relevant and realistic. It is beneficial to obtain quotes/ current market rates for costs proposed.
•  If you are not applying for 100% of your project costs we need to know where you are planning to get the balance of your money from. This might be from another funder or from your own funds.  

		Weighting
Relevant Budget	The funding requested falls within the rules and parameters of the scheme. The budget adds up, appears to cover key elements and is proportionate to the scale of work and the nature of the needs of users or participants.	1
Other funds	There is evidence that the group has made efforts to raise funds from elsewhere and is meeting with some success.	1
Value for money	The funding requested offers value for money given the number of people engaged and the nature of the needs being met.	1
Total Score	Maximum weighing 15

 

Section 6 - Sustainability 

Organisations are expected to consider how the funded project or initiative will continue to deliver benefits after the grant period has ended. Council will monitor the delivery of successful projects to determine the impact of the improvements based upon the project. Applicants should consider how:

•    Ongoing revenue costs will be met 
•    Facility or project will be managed and maintained in the future
•    Ongoing evaluation will help adapt and sustain the project.

		Weighting
Ongoing costs	Clear, realistic, and sustainable plans to cover ongoing operational costs once the grant funding ends	1
Future management and maintenance	A comprehensive outline of the facility's future management structure and strategy	1
Monitoring and evaluation	Applicants must show how the project outcomes will be assessed over time to ensure its success and adaptability Applicants must show how the project outcomes will be assessed over time to ensure its success and adaptability	1
Total score	Maximum weighting 15

 

 

 

 

 

The required supporting documentation must be sent with the application unless we have received it in the last 12 months and no changes have been made to it:

• Signed governing document (constitution, Articles of Association)
• Most recent Annual Accounts (independently verified)
• Most recent Annual General Meeting minutes
• Evidence of Public Liability Insurance (minimum of £5 million)
• Signed Health & Safety Policy
• Signed Safeguarding Policy
• Proof of ownership or evidence of lease for facility

Before applying, please check that:

• your organisation is eligible to apply;
• your application meets the priorities of this fund;
• you have completed every question on your Application Form;
• you can provide all the information requested as part of the application process.

Once your application is received, we will:

• Perform an eligibility check on your application and then assess it against the key themes of the grant, as highlighted in the Programme Criteria section above;
• Contact you with questions should we need to, so please keep a copy of your Application Form for your reference;
• Not assess your application if it is incomplete.

If your project is successful, we will:

• Send you a Conditional Offer and our Terms & Conditions of Grant by email for your organisation to sign and return to the Council;
• Clearly indicate the eligible expenditure for the funding offered;
• Request the grant to be acknowledged through the inclusion of the official Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s logo on all related promotional material associated with the project and that an Elected Member or Council Officer from Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, is invited to the event/activity to which the grant is awarded.

If your application is unsuccessful, we will:

• Contact you by email informing you of the reasons why your application has not been successful, for which there is no right of Appeal.
• Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council request the successful applicant submit relevant promotional material of their project to share on its social media platforms.

Closing date for receipt of applications will be 8 May 2025 at 12noon

Apply now