Developing Healthy Communities (DHC) Limited

Developing Healthy Communities (DHC) Limited is a longstanding Northern Ireland-registered charity with over 30 years of experience transforming lives by enhancing mental, physical, and social wellbeing, particularly in Derry City, Strabane District, and Limavady. Driven by values of inclusion, partnership, empowerment, and a holistic public health approach, DHC addresses health inequalities through collaborative action across local government, voluntary sectors, businesses, and statutory services. It leads initiatives like the WHO Healthy Cities designation for Derry City and Strabane, the CLEAR Project for mental health standards and suicide bereavement support, the Early Intervention Strategic Partnership for children and young people, and age-friendly community programmes, while fostering workplace health and research partnerships via the Ideas Fund.

DHC funds evidence-based, short-term projects tackling mental health, emotional wellbeing, suicide prevention, substance misuse, ageing, early intervention for youth, and community resilience. Beneficiaries include people and grassroots communities across Northern Ireland, with emphasis on Western, Belfast, Northern, South-eastern, and Southern Health and Social Care Trust areas.

Eligible applicants are constituted and non-constituted community/voluntary groups, favouring small, volunteer-led organisations with modest resources and fewer than five paid staff; no strict income thresholds apply, but projects must operate in Northern Ireland. Typical grants range from £1,000 (Award One, all groups) to £1,001–£5,000 (Award Two, constituted groups only), covering revenue costs for activities, materials, or modest equipment (up to £500 for sports clubs). Applications are unsolicited via online form at https://dhcni.submit.com (no EOI needed), with the next PHA Making Life Better round opening 28 April 2025 and closing 3pm on 16 May 2025; projects must end by 27 February 2026, with ad hoc decisions.

DHC excludes core funding, capital expenditure, unrestricted support, or ongoing commitments, distinguishing itself as a catalyst for asset-based community development, cross-sector mobilisation, and embedding lived experience in system change, rather than transactional grant-making.