Northern Ireland36+ Funders

Northern Ireland Charity Grants

Find charity grants in Northern Ireland including Belfast, Derry/Londonderry, and organisations across all Northern Irish counties.

Northern Ireland's funding landscape is uniquely shaped by its post-conflict context, creating both distinct challenges and dedicated funding streams that exist nowhere else in the UK. The legacy of the Troubles continues to influence community needs, with many funders supporting peace-building, cross-community reconciliation, and work that addresses the intergenerational trauma experienced by communities across Northern Ireland. This peace-building strand represents a significant funding opportunity for charities doing relevant work. The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland is a central pillar of the local funding ecosystem, managing a diverse portfolio of funds and distributing grants to organisations working across the region. It serves as an essential gateway for charities seeking local funding and maintains deep relationships with both local and international donors interested in supporting Northern Irish communities. The International Fund for Ireland and various EU-linked peace programmes have historically provided substantial funding, though the landscape has evolved since Brexit. Cross-border funding with the Republic of Ireland remains a distinctive feature of the Northern Irish landscape. Several funding programmes support work that spans the border, particularly in areas such as health, education, and economic development. Charities positioned to deliver cross-border programmes can access funding streams that are unavailable to organisations in other parts of the UK. The funder pool in Northern Ireland is smaller than in England or Scotland, but it is characterised by deep dedication to the region and a strong understanding of local context. Belfast and Derry/Londonderry concentrate much of the charitable infrastructure, but rural communities across all counties have their own distinct needs. Charities seeking grants in Northern Ireland should demonstrate awareness of the post-conflict context and the specific social, economic, and community dynamics that shape life in the region.

Funders in Northern Ireland

36 funders found

An Ciste Infheistíochta Gaeilge

Open

An Ciste Infheistíochta Gaeilge is an independent capital development fund dedicated to empowering Irish language communities through strategic invest...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £250,000

ARN Foundation

Open

The ARN Foundation is an independent charitable trust dedicated to advancing general charitable purposes across the UK, with a primary focus on Northe...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £10,000

Artists' General Benevolent Institution

Open

The Artists' General Benevolent Institution (AGBI), founded in 1814 by J.M.W. Turner and granted Royal Charter in 1842, is the UK's oldest artist-led ...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £3,000

Arts Council of Northern Ireland

Open

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI), established in 1962, is the principal public funding body for the arts in Northern Ireland, distributing ...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £15,000

Atlas Memorial Limited

Open

Atlas Memorial Limited advances poverty prevention and relief through targeted grants enhancing education, general welfare, and living conditions for ...

Grant Range
Contact funder

British Film Institute

Open

The British Film Institute, established by Royal Charter in 1933, leads UK efforts to advance film, television, and moving image culture through prese...

Grant Range
Contact funder

Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK Branch

Open

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation UK Branch, established in 1956 from the bequest of Armenian oil magnate Calouste Gulbenkian, is a London-based arm ...

Grant Range
£10,000 - £600,000

Co-operation Ireland

Open

Co-operation Ireland, established in 1979 as Co-operation North, is an all-island peace-building charity dedicated to fostering reconciliation and pos...

Grant Range
£10,000 - £100,000

Comic Relief

Open

Comic Relief, founded in 1985 by Richard Curtis, Sir Lenny Henry, and Jane Tewson in response to the Ethiopian famine, is a pioneering UK charity that...

Grant Range
£50,000 - £600,000

Community Foundation for Northern Ireland

Open

The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, established in 1979 as the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust, is an independent grant-making body with o...

Grant Range
£3,000 - £20,000

Developing Healthy Communities (DHC) Limited

Open

Developing Healthy Communities (DHC) Limited is a longstanding Northern Ireland-registered charity with over 30 years of experience transforming lives...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £5,000

Drapers Charitable Fund

Open

The Drapers Charitable Fund, administered by the historic Worshipful Company of Drapers founded in 1364 by woollen cloth merchants, upholds a mission ...

Grant Range
Up to £25,000

Enkalon Foundation

Open

The Enkalon Foundation embodies a mission rooted in community resilience and social welfare, originating from support for former factory workers facin...

Grant Range
£500 - £6,000

Fermanagh Trust

Open

The Fermanagh Trust, an independent community foundation established in 1995, serves as the sole dedicated funder for County Fermanagh, Northern Irela...

Grant Range
£500 - £3,000

Focus Foundation

Open

Focus Foundation, established in 2021 as the philanthropic arm of Focus Group, drives sustainable community development and social equity by bridging ...

Grant Range
£2,000 - £8,000

Garfield Weston Trust Ulster University

Open

The Garfield Weston Trust Ulster University (GWT), established in January 1969 with an endowment from philanthropist Willard Garfield Weston, is dedic...

Grant Range
Contact funder

Groundwork UK

Open

Groundwork UK, established in 1981 from the Countryside Commission’s Operation Groundwork, champions practical community action to alleviate poverty a...

Grant Range
£500 - £5,000

Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland

Open

Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland, established over 40 years ago and funded entirely by Lloyds Banking Group profits as one of four autonomous H...

Grant Range
£2,500 - £45,000

Heart Trust Fund (Belfast Heart Centre)

Open

The Heart Trust Fund (Belfast Heart Centre), a registered Northern Irish charity likely established in the late 1980s or early 1990s, advances cardiac...

Grant Range
Contact funder

Honourable the Irish Society

Open

The Honourable the Irish Society, established by Royal Charter in 1613 as an offshoot of the City of London Corporation, originally oversaw the Planta...

Grant Range
£250 - £2,000

James Kane Foundation

Open

The James Kane Foundation advances education for public benefit through non-statutory work experience, employment training, and pathways into occupati...

Grant Range
£10,000 - £100,000

James Tudor Foundation

Open

The James Tudor Foundation is an independent grantmaker dedicated to relieving sickness and advancing health and wellbeing through targeted support fo...

Grant Range
£10,000 - £15,000

John Moores Foundation

Open

The John Moores Foundation, established in Liverpool in 1964 by philanthropist Sir John Moores, is a family-founded independent grant-maker dedicated ...

Grant Range
£2,000 - £10,000

Leukaemia & Lymphoma Ni

Open

Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI is Northern Ireland's sole charity dedicated to funding research into blood cancers including leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, an...

Grant Range
Contact funder

LFT Charitable Trust

Open

LFT Charitable Trust is a Belfast-based family foundation funded primarily by Alterity Investments, dedicated exclusively to grant-making for high-imp...

Grant Range
£500 - £7,000

Mary Peters Trust

Open

The Mary Peters Trust champions a sporting legacy by empowering talented young athletes in Northern Ireland to overcome financial barriers and realize...

Grant Range
£200 - £3,000

Motor Neurone Disease Association

Open

The Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND Association), founded in 1979 by people affected by MND, is the UK's only national charity dedicated exclus...

Grant Range
Up to £255,000

Northern Ireland Community Development Health Network Ltd

Open

Community Development and Health Network (CDHN) champions community development to eradicate health inequalities in Northern Ireland, recognizing heal...

Grant Range
£2,500 - £5,000

Northern Ireland Kidney Research Fund

Open

The Northern Ireland Kidney Research Fund (NIKRF), founded in 1971 by Mrs Josie Kerr MBE, is the leading independent charity dedicated exclusively to ...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £50,000

Northern Ireland Screen Commission

Open

Northern Ireland Screen Commission, established in 1989 as the Northern Ireland Film Council and reconstituted in 1997, serves as the national screen ...

Grant Range
£9,000 - £22,500

Ovo Charitable Foundation

Open

The OVO Charitable Foundation, established in 2014 by OVO Energy, drives a greener, brighter future for young people by tackling climate change and en...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £20,000

Presbyterian Children's Society

Open

The Presbyterian Children's Society, established in 1866 in Belfast as the Presbyterian Orphan Society, is a Christian charity rooted in Presbyterian ...

Grant Range
£132 - £2,000

Queen's Nursing Institute

Open

The Queen's Nursing Institute (QNI), now Queen's Institute of Community Nursing, is a UK charity founded in 1887 by William Rathbone VI to enhance nur...

Grant Range
Up to £5,000

Royal Academy of Engineering

Open

The Royal Academy of Engineering, the UK’s national academy for engineering established in 1976 and granted a royal charter in 1983, harnesses the exp...

Grant Range
£3,000 - £625,000

Swan Mountain Trust

Open

The Swan Mountain Trust, an independent UK grant-making charity established in 1978, is dedicated to addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, w...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £4,000

Ulster Garden Villages Limited

Open

Ulster Garden Villages Limited (UGV), a Belfast-based charitable foundation established in 1946, originally tackled post-war housing shortages in Nort...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £100,000

Frequently Asked Questions about Northern Ireland Grants

What grants are available for charities in Northern Ireland?

There are 36+ funders supporting charities in Northern Ireland. These include national trusts and foundations as well as regional funders specifically focused on Northern Ireland. Grant sizes range from under £1,000 to over £100,000.

How many funders support charities in Northern Ireland?

Fundermatcher lists 36+ funders that provide grants to charities operating in Northern Ireland. This includes both funders based in the region and national funders that accept applications from Northern Ireland organisations.

How do I find funding for my charity in Northern Ireland?

Use Fundermatcher to match your Northern Ireland charity with suitable funders. Create a free profile describing your work, and our AI will match you with the most relevant funders from our database of 3,500+ UK grant-makers.

How to Find Funding for Your Northern Ireland Charity

1

Describe Your Charity

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2

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3

Write Winning Applications

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Which Northern Ireland Funders Are Right for You?

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