Belfast City Council Grants System

Belfast City Council Grants System

1. Small development & Equipment Grants

• £1000 per annum 
• One-off equipment grants for up to £250 for new clubs or new sections within existing clubs, for example, a youth or ladies' section. 
• Apply: Applications for small development grants must be made at least six weeks before your event or activity and before the 24th of each month to be considered at our next meeting. If your application is successful, you will be asked to fill out a small development grant report form to assess the success of your event or activity. 

Categories

• Club development training - This grant is aimed at clubs who hope to improve themselves by gaining awards such as Sports Equity, Coach Profile or Coaching Young Performers 

• Training of coaches* - This grant offers support to clubs who wish to train new or existing coaches in any area of benefit to them.  It covers all levels of accredited sports-specific coaching, first aid and fitness qualifications and child protection training 

• Kick start grant* - A kick start grant is open to clubs who are only starting up or who are launching a new section within their club.  Funding may be available to help out with initial start-up costs, such as facility hire and coaching. Clubs who apply for a kick start grant may also be eligible for a one-off equipment grant of £250.  Please note that clubs who already have their own facilities can only apply for facility hire for outreach programmes. 

• Try-it event* - Try-it grants are open to clubs who are planning to hold events to promote their club and attract more members.  However, funding will only be offered to programmes which are held in addition to normal club training sessions.  The grant awarded covers costs such as facility hire (only if the event is being held outside a club's own facilities), coaching expenses and marketing and officials' costs. 

• Sports festival/development event* - This grant is open to clubs who are organising events which will provide new competitive opportunities for juniors or beginners or which will raise the profile of their club.  Costs eligible for cover include facility hire (if the event is taking place outside club premises), trophies and certificates and officials' costs. 

• Equipment grant - Clubs, or new sections within clubs, which have been established within the last three years, are eligible for a one-off payment of £250 towards the purchase of new training equipment. 

*Please note that 75 per cent of eligible project costs will be offered, up to a maximum of £1,000 (this does not apply to equipment grants).

For all the above areas, ineligible costs include travel expenses outside Belfast, clothing costs, catering and alcohol, non-club-based activities, leagues, and church and school-based programmes.

2. Large development grants

We offer 12 annual grants, worth £5,000 each, to clubs who have active development plans and want to expand further through new initiatives.  These large development grants are open to all Belfast-based sports clubs.  There are two stages to the application process

Step one

1. You must first fill in a self-assessment form. Download a a grant self assessement form - check Belfast City council web page. 
2. When your form is completed, return it to: Leisure Development Unit Sports Development Team Cecil Ward Building 4-10 Linenhall Street Belfast BT2 8BP 

Step two

1. When we receive your self-assessment form, we will supply you with a full application form. 
2. You must also supply a current club development plan, child protection policy and equality statement with your full application form. 
3. We will use the information you supply on your full application form and club development plan to assess your bid for funding. 
4. Please note that we are not currently accepting applications for large development grants.

3. Hospitality Funding

• This grant offers support for athletes and officials taking part in major sporting events in Belfast.  It also celebrates excellence in achievement by competitors from Belfast.  Application forms for this grant must be received three months in advance of your hospitality function.

4. Awards for Sport

• Aimed at Coach Education Programmes e.g. Level 1 , SAQ, Community health, wellbeing & education.
• Aim is to increase participation in sport and physical recreation, especially among under-represented groups; and increase the number of athletes with improved sporting performance
• Awards range from £1000 to £10,000
• Currently closed but BCC hope it will open up again.

5. Cash for Clubs

• Available to NGB registered clubs who work with grass roots.
• Awards of £250, £500 and £1000
• Equipment grants.
• http://cash-4-clubs.com/

6. Comic Relief - Sport for Change

• Funds community groups and organisations using sport as part of a broader programme of work to bring about change at an individual and /or community level. We particularly want to fund organisations working to support people from BME communities, older people and women/girls e.g. Twilight soccer 
• Clubs may need to tap into community groups and help them run a programme e.g. supply coaches but the club will have access to the players. 
• Maximum grant size in this programme is £100,000 
• http://www.comicrelief.com/apply_for_a_grant/uk/sport

7. Community Cash

• Community Cash grants of £500-£1000 are available to small organisations and individuals in the greater Belfast area doing great work to help local people living tough lives. 
• Closing date 5th March 2010 
• http://www.communityfoundationni.org/

8. Funding Lanes

Lloyds £5000 – Equipment Grant.  Next deadline is 9th April.  http://www.lloydstsbfoundationni.org/

Tesco Charity Trust £500 - £4000 – Equipment

http://www.tescoplc.com/plc/corporate_responsibility_09/community/making_difference/charitablegiving/tesco_charity_trust/

UnLtd Funding - £5000

http://www.unltd.org.uk/template.php?ID=1&PageName=whatareunltdawards

02 Funding £1000 – equipment grant.