COLLABORATE
BECAUSE WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER
- Waiting List for Applications
- 12 month Grant
- Maximum Award - £20,000
- Collaboration training available
The COLLABORATE programme is open to 2 or more charities coming together to tackle a social issue at a local level.
All collaborating charities must have individual income levels of £500,000 or less.
In line with the priorities of The Halifax Foundation, your charity must support people in greatest need. For example, supporting people living in poverty; those who are unemployed; those with disabilities or mental ill health. (This is not an exhaustive list – other areas of need will be considered.)
COLLABORATE is a rolling programme and will close when the budget is reached. This is a pilot programme with the potential to support approximately 5 – 10 collaborating grants.
Our funding for this Programme has now been allocated for 2024. Reopening mid January 2025.
We are delighted to collaborate with NICVA who will deliver group and one to one training for those who wish to avail of this funding. Their next session takes place on Thursday 20th February 2025. To book your place, follow this link – Masterclass in collaboration: Elevate your impact | NICVA
Applicants must have a pre-application call with a member of the Grants Team prior to submitting an application. To book a call, please contact grants@halifaxfoundationni.org and you can join our waiting list for consideration in 2025.
FLEXIBILITY COMMITTMENT – We recognise that costs you need supported at the time of application may not be what you need throughout the lifetime of your grant. We encourage you to speak to your grants officer should things change and we will endeavour to be as flexible as possible. (Please note – you must receive confirmation of approval before changes are made.)
TYPES OF CHARITIES WE FUND
Social and Community Welfare
Community Services: Family centres, youth clubs, older peoples clubs, afterschool clubs, self-help groups, childcare provision, preschools and playgroups.
Advice Services: Homelessness, addictions, bereavement, family guidance, money advice, helplines, suicide awareness.
People with disabilities: Residences, day centres, transport, carers, information, advice and advocacy.
Promotion of health: Information and advice, mental health support, independent living, day care.
Civic Responsibility: Young people at risk, crime prevention, promotion of volunteering, victim support, mediation, rehabilitation of offenders.
Cultural Enrichment: Improving access to the arts and heritage for those in greatest need.
Education and Training
Employment: Employability skills, personal development support, interview and job coaching.
Training and Education: accredited, vocational, personal development training, life skills.
*We have developed additional guidance for PTAs. Click here for further information.
TYPES OF COSTS CONSIDERED
- Materials & Equipment
- Salary Contributions
- Overheads / Core costs
- Transport costs
- Volunteer expenses
- Training / Tutor costs
- Activity costs
- Research Costs
- Minor refurbishment
COLLABORATE - ELIGIBILITY CHECK
All groups involved in the collaboration need to be registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland or other charity regulator within the UK or Ireland. This application must support people residing in Northern Ireland.
We will not ask you to provide your accounts, as we can view them on the charity regulator website. Accounts must be uploaded within 10 months of your financial year end, as per charity commission guidelines. If you have not uploaded your accounts within this timeframe, your application cannot be considered.
All collaborating charities must have individual incomes of £500,000 or less as shown on their most recent set of signed and published accounts.
In addition, you must follow the rules around the minimum number of Trustees/Board Members as set out in your governing document.
If you work with children, young people or vulnerable adults, you must have a safeguarding policy in place. For further information published by NSPCC, click here
You will not be able to submit an application if you do not have adequate insurance to cover activities contained in your application.
For guidance published by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, click here
To book the pre-application discussion, please email grants@halifaxfoundationni.org
We do not accept applications completed by a professional fundraising consultant. If you need support to complete this application, please discuss this with your Grants Officer at the pre-application call.
WHAT WE DON'T FUND
- Non registered charities or groups using the charitable status of a parent, umbrella or third-party
- Travel or activities outside of Northern Ireland
- Grant Making charities
- Individuals, including students
- Hospitals or medical centres
- Promotion of religion
- The environment
- Animal welfare
- Fundraising – sponsorship, events or staff
- Lost opportunity costs
- Capital and associated costs (e.g. Architecture fees)
- Bursaries, loans or business finance
- Endowment funds
- Charities in deficit (whether through authorised or unauthorised overdraft)
- Charities with over 12 month running costs in reserve (unless earmarked for a specific purpose)
BEFORE YOU START
You will need an electronic copy of the following documents to attach with your application:
- The governing documents of the collaborators involved (signed by an office bearer)
- A recent bank statement (within last 3 months) unredacted
- We will check the Charity Commission website for accounts of all collaborators, so make sure they are up to date.
In the application form, we will be asking you questions about:
- Contact details of a main contact for the collaboration and chairpersons of all charities involved
- The activities of all charities involved
- The funding you need, including details of who will benefit
- The budget
- Most recent financial information, including income, expenditure and reserves of the lead collaborator
JOURNEY OF AN APPLICATION
Scroll to the right to view the time line.
If you are sure the COLLABORATE Programme is suitable for your organisation
If you are sure the COLLABORATE Programme is suitable
Other Grant Programmes
Open to groups who are recently set up (within last 2 years). Groups must be registered with Charity Commission NI. It provides funding to support a charity to get started
This programme is open to registered charities with an income of under £500,000, supporting people in greatest need.
Open to infrastructure charities, both regional and sub-regional who provide advice and support to voluntary and community organisations.
Open to registered charities with an income of £250,000 and under, supporting those in greatest need.
In addition to our range of funding opportunities, we are proud to offer our grantees a range of additional support programmes in partnership with our funder Lloyds Banking Group.
