Grants available for Derry groups to help them clean up their local community

Live Here Love Here have granted groups a little more time to apply to the Small Grants Scheme, by extending the deadline to Wednesday 28th June.

If you are part of a group or organisation who are committed to improving your local environment and building a sense of community pride, you should apply to the Live Here Love Here Small Grants Scheme.

Live Here Love Here is a partnership with Local Councils, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Choice Housing, Northern Ireland Housing Executive, McDonald’s, Coca Cola and Keep Northern Beautiful, the Small Grants scheme provides support to volunteer projects that:

Use innovative ways to reduce littering and dog fouling where you live.

Improve the way your local environment is looked after, whether urban, rural or coastal.

Contribute to the development of civic pride within a community with a focus on environmental improvement.

To enhance or attract tourism to your community through environmental improvements.

Grants are available from £500 to £5,000 and are open to volunteer and community groups, all school and third level education organisations, youth groups and sports clubs undertaking civic pride projects in supporting Council areas. Last year, £109,000 of funding was made available supporting 78 local community projects.

The Small Grants Scheme is also open to all Housing Association and Housing Executive residents with support from Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Choice Housing and McDonald’s throughout all council areas in Northern Ireland.

The scheme forms part of the wider Live Here Love Here programme, which includes an innovative media campaign and exciting volunteering opportunities to encourage participation all year round. To learn more please visit www.liveherelovehere.org.

Ian Humphreys, Chief Executive at Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, said: “The Small Grants Scheme supports people who want to grow a strong ‘can-do’ community spirit through practical projects where they live. Again this year the grant scheme has grown, now with nine of the eleven councils working alongside DAERA, Choice Housing, Northern Ireland Housing Executive and McDonalds. The small grants can provide a focus for groups and schools helping them bring like-minded people together socially to build a strong sense of community pride through positive environmental action.”

For more information on the Live Here Love Here Small Grants Scheme and to download an application form please visit www.liveherelovehere.org or contact Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful on 028 9073 6920.

Closing date for applications is 12 noon on 28th June 2017.