Charities urged to apply for emergency funding

The COVID-19 Charities Fund is reopening on 3 August, Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín has today announced.

Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín pictured at the Blackie Centre with Sean Quinn, chairman of Blackie River Community Group and Community Development Coordinator Ciaran Beattie for the reopening of the COVID-19 Charities Fund

The funding programme, which is being administered on behalf of the Department for Communities by The National Lottery Community Fund, will provide financial support to charities which have lost income due to the impact of COVID-19 and are unable to cover unavoidable costs until 30 September 2020.

A diverse range of charities have already received funding ranging from £1,000 to £75,000 in the initial tranche with an average request for £21,000 financial assistance.

During a visit to Blackie River Community Group in west Belfast, which was successful in the first funding round, the Minister urged all eligible charities to apply to the funding programme, which will be open for three weeks from Monday.

The Minister explained:

“Blackie River Community Group was one of the successful applicants of the first round of the COVID-19 Charities Fund. I have seen how they this funding from the Department for Communities will be used to enable them to continue to provide vital support for the community.

“It is really important that we help those who helped us during this global pandemic and I am delighted to be launching the second round of the COVID-19 Charities Fund, which will be open for applications from 3 August.

“Reopening for a further three weeks will ensure more groups have the opportunity to apply and I would encourage all organisations including small and grassroot groups to apply to the fund. Over a third of applications to date have been for less than £10,000 so this fund is for all charities of all sizes facing different levels of financial hardship.”

The programme will provide up to £75,000 for eligible organisations and the amount of funding required to cover immediate costs and prevent short term closure will vary for each organisation.

Organisations wishing to avail of the funding programme must meet a number of eligibility points. Help is available to make an application. 

Notes to editors: 

1. Photo caption: Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín pictured at the Blackie Centre with Sean Quinn, chairman of Blackie River Community Group and Community Development Coordinator Ciaran Beattie for the reopening of the COVID-19 Charities Fund.
2. The charities which have already receiving funding from the initial £15.5m  can be found at The National Lottery 
3. The Covid-19 Charities Fund ran from 15 June 2020 and closed 10 July 2020 Department's Website. 
4. Blackie River Community Group provides: Day care and afterschool services; Sure Start affordable childcare service; youth programmes; community development promoting social, educational, health and cultural activities and older people wellbeing services.
5. Media enquiries to DfC Press Office. 
6. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.
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