'Small Grants Scheme' offers vital resource for Derry grassroots projects

Northern Ireland’s largest community and civic pride campaign, Live Here Love Here, has announced that its Small Grants Scheme has returned for a tenth year.

The scheme is run in partnership with nine local councils, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.

It is aimed at promoting civic pride within communities and improving the environmental quality of shared green spaces to bring about cleaner, greener and safer places to live.

This year, grants of £500 up to £5000 are available for successful applicants in Northern Ireland Housing executive areas across the Derry City & Strabane Council area with applications accepted from August 27 until September 17.

In 2023, Saint Mary’s Scouts 1st 2nd and 3rd, Creggan, successfully applied for funding to create a sustainable orchard to teach the value of sustainable food practices.

Live Here Love Here will host an online ‘Connecting Communities’ event over Zoom on September 12 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm as a chance for interested parties to learn about the Small Grants Scheme and meet previous recipients, whilst also learning about wider Live Here Love Here initiatives such as carbon literacy training for communities and volunteering opportunities.

Orla McGrady, Grants Officer at Live Here Love Here explains how important the Scheme has become to communities throughout the last decade.

She said, “Live Here Love Here is a people-powered campaign focused on improving our local environment and building a sense of civic pride in our local communities. Our Small Grants Scheme is an excellent example of this in practice. Over the past decade we have seen the lasting impact the scheme has made by helping people come together to work on a common goal.

"Everyone in the community benefits from the environmental and aesthetic improvements yielded as a result, and this is incredibly important to how people feel about and treat where they live.

“Last year alone, along with the support of local councils, and the Housing Executive, we were able to help 89 groups deliver improvements worth £113,760. Whilst we are delighted to provide financial assistance, the groups that carry out these works should be commended for the real difference they make to their communities. Along with our partners, we look forward to this year’s applications.”

Applicants should have a project idea that can benefit the wider community and the environment, whilst also creating a positive legacy.

Lynda Surgenor, Manager at Live Here Love Here said, “The Small Grants Scheme is a wonderful opportunity for communities given how broad it is in terms of what we can support, and the various levels of funding available.

"For instance, one community may apply for funding to develop a neglected green space with planting, whilst another may wish to provide litter picking equipment. Over the last decade we have also supported larger projects such as irrigation systems, polytunnels, community gardens and educational activities.

"It’s been wonderful to see how the Scheme has continued to grow over the last number of years, marked by a whopping 454 applications last year.”

To apply for the Small Grants Scheme, or for more information on the Connecting Communities Events, visit LIVEHERELOVEHERE.