We acknowledge the efforts of local groups and individuals in their contribution towards the development of sustainable communities. We recognise the need to support them and work in partnership with them to achieve true empowerment and an equitable environment in which to live.

We have long supported the work of groups and individuals by giving them financial assistance. Grant schemes are available for Arts Development, Community Services, Community Relations, Heritage, Play Development and Sports Development. We have approved these schemes and we will regularly review them.

General Conditions for Grant Aid:

1. Projects eligible for grant aid under any of our schemes must reflect the aims of that particular scheme and must be related to a function for which we have a statutory responsibility.
2. Group applications should be from properly constituted organisations with an elected committee. We ask for evidence of a constitution for all group applications. For applications from individuals, we will need a letter of support from an associated governing body or equivalent.
3. Group applicants should give us evidence of the group's financial position with their application.
4. We will not consider retrospective funding. Retrospective projects are those that have taken place before we have considered the application, or those on which money has already been spent before the full council meeting. Where possible we should receive your application two months before the event, to allow us enough time to consider it.
5. If more than one source of financial assistance exists, or is applied for, you (the applicant) must first have approached the other relevant sources. You must tell us the result of such an approach.
6. We will only give grant assistance for a specified activity, event, function or for developmental purposes. We will not provide funding for routine or recurrent expenditure such as general overheads, salaries, rents and rates, except for a Community Services Premises Grant.
7. Any assistance we offer you must only be used for the purpose stated on the application. If not, we have the right to ask you to repay the grant.
8. We can choose to interview a representative of the group, organisation or individual making the funding application, and we can deal directly with the applicant's parent organisation or governing body.
9. Except where a recognised provincial or wider role exists, we will limit grant assistance to groups based in the Newtownabbey Council area, or those that provide a service for our area by promoting and developing the arts, community services, community relations, heritage, play and sports.
10. We will only pay allocated grants if you can produce the following:
    • Original receipts (not applicable to seeding grants).
    • A certified Treasurer's statement of expenditure and income, as referred to in the application form.
    • A written evaluation of the event or project, with participants and audience figures, and evidence of advertising on which our support has been acknowledged (leaflets, press releases, etc).

       

      If you provide evidence that initial outlay costs need to be met, we may award up to 50% of the grant in advance.
11. Projects will only be assessed if there is evidence that they fulfil a clearly defined need, and they show a degree of community support or clear benefit.
12. The only advice service we fund is the Citizens Advice Bureau.
13. We will award grants on the basis of equal opportunities to all the community, regardless of religious belief, political opinion, race, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, able-bodied or disabled status, or presence or absence of dependants.
14. Previous funding does not guarantee further funding.
15. For grant applications of £5,000 and over, the relevant council officer will ensure that a full evaluation has been completed.