Latest grants supporting sustainability in VCSE sector total £1.8m

Organisations from the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector in Northern Ireland are benefitting from almost £1.8 million from the Dormant Accounts Fund NI.

Delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund in conjunction with the Department of Finance, the programme is supporting the sector to be more resilient and prepared for the long-term future.

Compass Advocacy Network (CAN) is one of 21 organisations receiving a share of this funding today, which has been raised from dormant UK bank and building society accounts.

Members of CAN taking part in wood working crafts

CAN will use a £99,826 grant to utilise the green space and buildings at their new site at Lislagan Farm, outside Ballymoney, to grow their social enterprise opportunities and increase sustainability.

Janet Schofield, CEO of CAN, said: “This funding has come just at the right time. Moving to Lislagan Farm has given us a great opportunity to expand our work but we needed this grant to give us the support and time to explore new opportunities for income generation and to review our operations to become more efficient.

“At the end of the three years we’ll be in a much stronger position to start relying less on grant funding and be able to offer a wider variety of activities, training and respite for people with a learning disability or autism.”

Street Soccer NI, which uses sport to tackle homelessness across Belfast, Coleraine, Derry/Londonderry and Downpatrick, has also been awarded a £96,967 grant to develop staff skills and diversify income.

Justin McMinn, CEO, Street Soccer NI, said: ''We're absolutely delighted to receive funding from the Dormant Accounts Fund.

“The grant will be used to strengthen our capacity, increase our income and take our charity to another level. More lives across NI will be positively impacted as a result of this support.''

Another group receiving funding is Bruiser Theatre Company in Belfast. They are using a £90,814 grant to enhance their digital capacity and financial sustainability.

Ulster Hockey has been awarded a £66,750 grant to implement succession planning by building the skills of young people on their youth forum who can become future leaders in the organisation.

For full details of funding awarded today to arts, sports, charities and community-based organisations, download the grant table.

Paul Sweeney, The National Lottery Community Fund’s NI Chair, said: “I’m pleased to announce the latest grants from Dormant Accounts Fund NI which are helping another 21 organisations across Northern Ireland to become more financially resilient.

“The programme closed on 3 March 2023 after two years of funding 168 projects totalling over £14 million. We’ve received a large number of applications which we’ll continue to make decisions on and announce over the next six months.”

Dormant accounts are UK bank and building society accounts that have been untouched for 15 or more years, where customers who own the accounts cannot be traced. As part of this first phase of Dormant Accounts Fund NI support, organisations can apply for up to £100,000 as part of a flexible and responsive grant programme.

For more information on Dormant Accounts Fund NI visit: www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/dormant-accounts-ni.

Details of grants awarded from Dormant Accounts Fund NI, 28.3.23

Table of grants awarded Dormant Ac Fund NI 28 3 23 (DOCX 154 KB)

Date published: 28 March, 2023
Region: Northern Ireland

Notes to Editors

Dormant accounts are defined in the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008 as those which have seen no customer-initiated activity for at least 15 years.

Under the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008, the Reclaim Fund releases funds from dormant bank accounts to the National Lottery Community Fund for distribution to good causes across the UK.
The Reclaim Fund Ltd. (RFL), which was established in March 2011 to receive and invest dormant account balances across the UK, transferred the first tranche of monies from dormant bank and building society accounts to the National Lottery Community Fund on 2 August 2011.
The National Lottery Community Fund received policy directions regarding the Dormant Accounts Fund NI from the Department of Finance in September 2019.
The National Lottery Community Fund are the largest community funder in the UK awarding money, raised by National Lottery players, to local communities.
Since The National Lottery began in 1994, £43 billion has been raised for good causes. National Lottery funding has been used to support over 635,000 projects - 255 projects per postcode area.

We are passionate about funding great ideas that matter to communities and make a difference to people’s lives. At the heart of everything we do is the belief that when people are in the lead, communities thrive.

Dormant Accounts NI

Dormant Accounts Fund NI supports the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector in Northern Ireland to be more resilient and prepared for the future by funding activity that increases capacity and sustainability.