Community Cohesion Fund 2025/26

Overview

Introduction

The Community Cohesion Fund is a strategic grant scheme designed to support initiatives that foster inclusion, resilience, and community wellbeing in areas of evidenced need.

This fund aims to empower and resource key organisations to respond effectively to emerging local priorities and strengthen their capacity to deliver impactful programmes that leave a lasting legacy.

We welcome applications from organisations committed to building stronger, more connected communities through innovative and inclusive approaches.

Scheme Objectives

The Community Cohesion Fund, delivered by Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council through the District Council’s Good Relations Programme, part-funded by The Executive Office (TEO) seeks to:

promote social inclusion and reduce isolation across diverse communities.
build resilience by supporting communities to respond to local challenges.
enhance community wellbeing through collaborative and preventative initiatives.
strengthen the capacity of local organisations to deliver sustainable, high-impact programmes through the development or enhancement of partnerships.
support projects that leave a legacy of improved cohesion and community infrastructure.

Who is eligible?

The Community Cohesion Fund is open to community/voluntary organisations based in and/or delivering their services in the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area that meet the following criteria:

an open and accountable governing document (Constitution or Articles and Memorandum of Association, or applicable governing document) that has been properly adopted
a bank account in the name of the organisation, which requires at least two (unrelated) signatories
an annual set of independently examined financial accounts, endorsed at an Annual General Meeting
a Management Committee or Governing Board, elected by its membership at an Annual General Meeting, and elected office bearers
a minimum of £5 million Public Liability Insurance, to cover all risk associated with the activities of the organisation
have been in operation more than 12 months

We do not fund organisations:

not operating on a not-for-profit basis (taken from the governing document) as we cannot support commercial projects or projects that could be carried out commercially. If, in the reasonable opinion of the council, the organisation applying for funding is a de facto commercial organisation, whatever the legal make-up of the organisation, then the council shall not fund that organisation. The decision of the council shall be final in this regard.
able to share out profits (taken from the constitution or memorandum and articles of association).
not prepared to share learning from their project with us and other relevant groups.
such as local authorities, public-sector organisations or regional voluntary organisations with a focus wider than LCCC area.
that provide no potential benefit to the public, either in the short or long term.
that are party political in intention, use, or presentation.
promoting a particular religion

Examples of what we will fund (not exhaustive):

We will consider funding for projects that:

deliver inclusive activities that bring people together across different backgrounds
address specific local needs identified through community engagement
build organisational capacity to appropriately address local challenges such as social and/or racial tensions
support wellbeing through community-led interventions
develop or enhance partnerships and networks that enhance local collaboration.
pilot innovative approaches to community engagement and resilience
provide accessible services or spaces that foster belonging and participation

Funding can cover:

costs directly related to project delivery such as facilitation or materials.
volunteer expenses and travel
venue hire, hospitality, and equipment directly related to project delivery
marketing and outreach materials
training and capacity building
translation and interpretation
education workshops
monitoring and evaluation

Examples of what we will not fund (not exhaustive):

costs which are not clearly linked to the project
costs that are poor value for money, or procured outside of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s procurement guidelines
contribution towards salary costs
building/capital costs
costs that are already covered by other funding or income sources
costs related to private or unfunded pensions
amounts for gifts and donations
reclaimable VAT
alcohol
prizes and trophies
contributions towards general appeals
funding towards campaigning around a single issue
activities related to the promotion of religion or political parties
areas of statutory responsibility or where such funding has been withdrawn
retrospective payments or the repayment of loans
organisations that are in poor financial health or cannot show effective financial control
primarily fundraising events, for charitable purposes, or deploy potential sources of income to a charity
are contrary to any Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council policies

How much is available?

The Community Cohesion Fund has £47,000 available. Organisations can apply for a minimum of £7,000 and a maximum of £10,000.

All funding awarded should be incurred from the date of the Letter of Offer to 31st March 2026.

Application Process

The required supporting documentation must be sent with the application unless we have received it in the last 12 months and no changes have been made to it.
Before applying, please check that:

your organisation is eligible to apply;
your application meets the priorities of this fund;
you have completed every question on your application form;
you can provide all the information.

Once your application is received, we will:

perform an eligibility check on your application and then assess it against the Programme Criteria
contact you with questions should we need to, so please keep a copy of your Application Form for reference
not assess your application if it is incomplete.

If your project is successful, we will:

send you a Conditional Offer and our Terms & Conditions of Grant by email for your organisation to sign and return to the council
clearly indicate the eligible expenditure for the funding offered
request the grant to be acknowledged through the inclusion of the official Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s logo on all related promotional material associated with the project and that an Elected Member or Council Officer from Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, is invited to the event/activity to which the grant is awarded.

If your application is unsuccessful, we will:

contact you by email informing you of the reasons why your application has not been successful, for which there is no right of appeal

The assessment process

Projects will be assessed against four criteria – eligibility, feasibility, deliverability and affordability. Eligible projects will be assessed against a prioritisation matrix based on the above criteria.

Scoring system overview

Section 3, 4 & 5	Max weighted score	Pass mark to move to next section
Sections 1 & 2: About your organisation
All sections must pass to move to Section 3	Pass/Fail
Feasibility	35	25
Deliverability	45	32
Funding request	20	14
Total score	100
Section 6: Details and declaration	Pass/Fail

Sections 3,4 and 5 will be assessed drawing on the evidence you provide in relation to each of the questions asked. Each question will be given a score out of 5 as follows:

0	No evidence presented
1	Very little, weak or irrelevant evidence presented
2	Some evidence presented but lacks in either conviction or relevance
3	Clear, relevant answers with limited evidence
4	Clear, convincing answers with strong evidence
5	Strong, clear and relevant convincing evidence from a variety of sources (Proportionate to scale)

Each question will be weighted to reflect its importance. This means the score is multiplied by the weighting number to give a weighted score.

Projects must achieve a minimum threshold score of 70 in order to be successful and will be ranked according to individual scores.

Successful projects must provide feedback to monitor progress, evaluate results and capture learning and good practice. This may include attendance at council facilitated workshops and/or meetings.

The Scoring Matrix

Section 1 & 2: About your organisation

	Pass/Fail
Legal name of organisation	Name reflects governing document
Contact for the organisation	Contact for the organisation
Location for delivery	Confirmation that funded service will be fully delivered within the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area.
Date formed	Date of constitution or incorporation on governing document is more than 12 months ago.
Main purpose of group	The description reflects the purposes set out in the governing documents.
Bank Account / Signatories	At least two unrelated people to authorise any payment or withdrawal.
Policies	All appropriate policies provided e.g. H&S, Safeguarding etc. as evidenced through supporting documentation.

If all passed, applications can move to section 3.

Section 3: Feasibility

	Evidence	Weighting
Programme	Clear outline of the programme/project with strong linkages to scheme objectives. Response clearly indicates anticipated outcomes and long-term legacy.	3
Need and response	Evidence of proportionate efforts to demonstrate local needs. Clear explanation of how the programme will address these needs effectively.	2
Beneficiaries	Detailed description of intended beneficiaries, including estimated numbers, demographics, and how they will benefit from the project.	2

Requires a minimum score of 25 to pass and move to the next section.

Section 4: Deliverability

	Evidence	Weighting
Partnership and collaboration	Evidence of partnership working, clear details of identified partners, and explanation of their roles.	3
Barriers	There is evidence the group has thought about what may stop people taking part and has made reasonable plans to address them e.g. timing, cost, physical, sensory or intellectual access, transport, culture.	2
Risk management Contingency plans	There is evidence that the group has considered and identified those risks most likely to occur and have the greatest impact and has taken reasonable and proportionate steps to manage them.	2
Monitoring and evaluation	Clear plan for tracking progress, evaluating impact, and capturing learning. Includes indicators of success and commitment to reporting and adaptation.	2

Requires a minimum score of 32 to pass and move to the next section.

Section 5: Affordability

	Evidence	Weighting
Funding needed	The funding requested falls within the rules and parameters of the scheme. The budget adds up, appears to cover key elements and is proportionate to the scale of work and the nature of the needs of users or participants.	2
Other sources	There is evidence that the group has made efforts to raise funds from elsewhere to ensure sustainability.	1
Value for money	The funding requested offers value for money given the number of people engaged and the nature of the needs being met.	1

Requires a minimum score of 14 to pass and move to the next section.

Section 6: Declaration

Pass/Fail

Acknowledgment agreement

Accepted with signatures, below

Declaration

Signed by contact

Signed by a member

Application will proceed to allocation if Section 6 is completed in full.

Apply now

To receive support regarding the application process, please contact Community Services on:
T: 028 9244 7713
E: community.services@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk

If you require this guidance or any related materials in an alternative format — such as large print, Braille, audio, or a different language — please contact us and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Please note the closing date for completed applications is Friday 28th November at 5pm.

Click here to apply