LCCC Community Support Grant 2025/26

The following list is a basic eligibility criteria that your organisation must meet to be able to apply for any grant from us.

If your organisation does not meet the eligibility criteria, we will not consider your application for funding. Council officers will perform an initial eligibility check on all applications to ensure that the application meets the basic eligibility criteria including the following:

• evidence that the application is from a formally governed community/voluntary sector organisation, which includes a community forum, network or similar body
• evidence that the applicant group’s governing document open and accountable
• evidence that the group is based with the Lisburn and Castlereagh area or that the project beneficiaries are resident of our area
• successful applications will be determined on the basis of merit
• if more than one group operates within a particular locality, the council would welcome partnership applications, however a lead applicant will need to be identified. Please note in this case the applicant must demonstrate that there is no project duplication
• funding must be spent between the date of the letter of offer and 31st March 2026.
• applicants can apply to other sources of public support, outside of the council, but must declare this in their application form
• organisations in receipt of a grant must comply with all statutory obligations regarding the delivery of and access to their programme, including council procurement/health & safety/safeguarding and licensing requirements
• applicants will be expected to make every effort to increase capacity within their local community, through for example, skills training and volunteering
• it is a prime responsibility of the council to ensure the proper and efficient use of, and accountability for, public monies.  To this end, applicants must forward all supporting documentation requested along with the application. We will be unable to assess applications without all supporting documentation being received
• applicants will be required to demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of their project, and adequately show how it will have a positive and measurable impact on the local community
• future funding may be withheld if any required closing documentation is still outstanding for previous grants administered by us, including invoices, receipts, accounts, bank statements and evaluation reports
• successful applicants in any given year should not presume continued support in subsequent years
• evidence that the project is not of a commercial nature or organized  on a profit/ commercial basis
• evidence that the projects administration/equipment costs are proportionate to the overall  programme costs
• evidence that the application is not for trade or professional conferences/ conventions
• evidence that the application is not primarily fundraising for charitable purposes, or deploying potential sources of income to a charity
• evidence that the application is not for a social event that has no community benefit 

Those interested in applying for a grant scheme are invited to attend an information workshop. Please book in advance using the contact details below. The workshop dates and times are:

27 November 2024:  Maghaberry Community Centre at 7.00pm
5 December 2024:    Moneyreagh Community Centre at 7.00pm
10 December 2024:  Online (a link will be forwarded) 11.00 am
 
To register, please contact Community Services by emailing community.services@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk 

We do not fund organisations that are:

• not formally constituted, in other words, they do not have a constitution or memorandum and articles of association
• not operating on a not-for-profit basis (taken from the constitution or memorandum and articles of association) as we cannot support commercial projects or projects that could be carried out commercially. If, in the reasonable opinion of the council, the organisation applying for funding is a de facto commercial organisation, whatever the legal make-up of the organisation, then we shall not fund that organisation. The decision of the council shall be final in this regard
• able to share out profits (taken from the constitution or memorandum and articles of association)
• not prepared to share learning from their project with us and other relevant groups
• local authorities or public-sector organisations
• local authorities, public-sector organisations or regional voluntary organisations with a focus wider than our area
• groups whose primary focus in not community development, this includes groups who deliver community development outcomes however have a different core focus i.e. sports, arts, religious & culture
• in operation for less than one year

Projects that:

• take place outside of our area
• provide no potential benefit to the public, either in the short or long term
• are of a commercial nature, organised on a profit/commercial basis
• are aimed at funding the normal running costs of a community organisation
• have already taken place or are already under way at the time of the assessment
• duplicate what already exists
• are party political in intention, use or presentation
• promote a particular religion
• are  primarily fundraising events, for charitable purposes, or deploy potential sources of income to a charity
• are contrary to any council policies

As well as the above, the following are considered ineligible for all grants:

• application forms that are not completed
• projects by individuals/sole applicants
• contributions towards general appeals
• funding towards campaigning around a single issue
• activities related to the promotion of religion or political parties
• areas of statutory responsibility or where such funding has been withdrawn
• retrospective payments or the repayment of loans
• awards ceremony or industry events
• holiday schemes
• organisations that are in poor financial health or cannot show effective financial control
• organisations who have previously received a grant from us that was not managed satisfactorily or was not completed. This includes if you did not send us the monitoring and evaluation forms within the agreed timescales or if you did not seek approval for changes to your project.
• overheads allocated or apportioned at rates in excess of those used for any similar work you carry out
• building/capital costs
• costs which are not clearly linked to the project
• costs that are poor value for money, or procured outside of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s procurement guidelines (services or items under £1,500 require 2 – 3 written quotes)
• costs that are already covered by other funding or income sources
• costs related to private or unfunded pensions
• amounts for gifts and donations
• reclaimable VAT
• alcohol
• prizes and trophies 
• funding towards uniforms
• equipment costs unless they have an on-going use throughout the project and are essential and necessary to complete the project

The financial support available through this grant may not cover all costs associated with the requirements of the group for the development of your project. Where this is the case, the criteria will require the organisation to cover any shortfall from their existing resources.

Match funding is not a pre-requisite for the submission of applications. 

A panel made up of representatives of council officers will review all eligible grant applications and make recommendations to council based on the results of an assessment process. 

The Assessment Process

Section 1 & 2: Organisation eligibility and governance

Applications received shall initially go through an eligibility and good governance check, based on the information provided in Part 1 & 2 of the application form.

Each section will be marked as ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ based on your answers and supporting documentation/evidence.   All sections must be rated ‘pass’ for an application to move on to the next phase of assessment. 

Section 3: About the programme

Section 3 will be assessed drawing on the evidence you provide in relation to each of the questions asked. Each question will be given a score out of 5 as follows:

0  No evidence presented
1  Very little, weak or irrelevant evidence presented
2  Some evidence presented but lacks in either conviction or relevance
3  Clear, relevant answers with limited evidence
4  Clear, convincing answers with strong evidence
5  Strong, clear and relevant convincing evidence from a variety of sources
(Proportionate to scale)

Each question will be weighted to reflect its importance. This means the score is multiplied by the weighting number to give a weighted score.

Section 4: How will you deliver

Section 4 will be assessed drawing down on the evidence provided in relation to each question asked.  Each question will be given a score out of 5 as above.

Section 5: How much money do you need

Please detail all programme expenditure.  Each question will be given a score out of 5 as above.

Section 6: Details and Declarations

Ensure all documentation is attached and signed by two members of the organisation.

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.

 

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 we ask for 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
• as a condition of the awarding of a grant contact details may be included on committee reports which will be accessible to the public e.g. your group name
• 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
• request the applicant submit relevant promotional material of their project to share on its social media platforms

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
• 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

Scoring system overview

Sections 1 & 2:  About your organisation
All sections must pass to move to Section 3	Pass/Fail
Section 3, 4 & 5	Max weighted score	Pass mark to move to next section
Programme details	35	17
Capacity to deliver	45	23
Funding request	20	10
Total score	100
Section 6: Details and declaration	Pass/Fail

 

Section 1 & 2: About your organisation

	Pass/Fail
Legal name of organisation	Name reflects governing document
Based in Lisburn & Castlereagh	Statement that funded service is 100% in LCCC
Date formed	Date of incorporation on document is more than 12 months ago
Contact for the group	Clear contact details for organisation
Contact details for group	Organisation has a registered address
Charity number	Registered with Charities Commission NI or pending registration
Main purpose of group	The description reflects the purposes set out in the governing documents The organisation’s role is consistent with community development defined by NOS (see also D1)
Premises	Clear indication of type of premises
Number of people involved in running organisation	There are three or more board members The total number of people running the group appears reasonable given the nature of the group’s usual work
How do you recruit / replace committee members	There is evidence that committee roles and volunteering opportunities are open to members of the community. (e.g. AGM, word of mouth, advertising)
Ensuring committee members and any other volunteers have the skills they need	There is evidence that the group recognises and addresses skills needs (e.g. mentoring, training, buddies)
Bank Account / Signatories	At least two unrelated people to sign any withdrawal
Most recent audited signed accounts	Accounts less than 18 months old
Insurance	Evidence provided
Policies	All appropriate policies provided e.g. H&S, safeguarding etc.

   
 If all passed, applications can move to section 3.
 

Section 3: About your programme

	Evidence	Weighting
Programme	Clear outline of programme / project and what they hope to achieve	3
Need and response	There is evidence of proportionate efforts to demonstrate needs and to shape the work on input from	2
Work in partnership or complement the work of others	There is evidence the group is aware of other services and can identify the gaps it fills or added value it brings (e.g. different people, locations, particular approaches, skills, experience)	1
Activity, dates and number of participants	Clear indication of activities, dates of when activities will take and number of participants	1

   
Requires a minimum score of 17 to pass and move to the next section.

 

Section 4: Delivery

	Evidence	Weighting
Capacity to deliver	The number of people and their roles, skills, past experience	3
Promotion	There is evidence: the group is aware of appropriate means to communicate with intended users or participants and has a system in place to do this of thought being given to reaching specific groups as relevant to the list of main beneficiaries	3
Barriers	There is evidence the group has thought about what may stop people taking part and has made reasonable plans to address them e.g. timing, cost, physical, sensory or intellectual access, transport, culture	2
Risk management Contingency Plans	There is evidence that the group 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	1

 

Requires a minimum score of 23 to pass and move to the next section.

Section 5: Funds and value for money

	Evidence	Weighting
Funding needed	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 sources	There is evidence that: the group has made efforts to raise funds from elsewhere and is meeting with some success our funding will leverage funds from elsewhere across the three years	2
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

 

Requires a minimum score of 10 to pass and move to the next section.

 

 

Section 6: Bank details and declaration

	Pass/Fail
Account information	Details completed Details for signatories given
Acknowledgment agreement	Accepted with signatures, below
Declaration	Signed by contact Signed by a member

 

Application will proceed to allocation if Section 6 is completed in full.

Click here to apply