Grants of up to £50,000 available for community and voluntary organisations to build East-West partnerships.
The Connect Fund will reopen for its Round 3 applications from Monday 2 November 2026.
The fund supports partnerships between organisations in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, helping communities work together to address shared challenges and create new opportunities. Applicants can apply for grants of between £300 and £50,000.
Projects must focus on East-West collaboration and support at least one of the following objectives:
- build lasting relationships between groups in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK
- develop new approaches to strengthening East-West connections
- support cultural, sporting and people-to-people links
- develop leadership skills among community leaders
- encourage positive and constructive dialogue on opportunities and challenges facing communities across the UK
Who can apply?
Applications are open to:
- not-for-profit companies
- Community Interest Companies (CICs)
- registered charities
- statutory bodies
- voluntary and community groups
- constituted clubs and organisations
How to apply
Projects funded through Round 3 will run from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2028. Organisations that have previously received Connect Fund support can apply again.
Round 3 opens on Monday 2 November 2026 and closes at 5pm on Friday 18 December 2026.
Find out more and apply through the Find Government Grants service.
Source: nibusinessinfo
