Ending Violence Against Women and Girls funding for Derry and Strabane community groups

Councillors have approved the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) Momentum Fund action plans received from Derry City and Strabane District Council’s eight Local Growth Partnership Boards (LGPB) and Foyle Women’s Aid.
Momentum funding is aimed at enabling the “implementation of emergency responses, raising awareness and building on-the-ground momentum” regarding EVAWG.

The issue was discussed at last week’s Health and Community committee meeting, after which members also approved funding letters of offer to Foyle Women’s Aid and a lead partner organisation in each of Council’s seven District Electoral Areas (DEA) and Strabane Town.

The successful groups, each of which received £5,000, were: Galliagh Community Centre, Ballyarnett; Derg Valley Care, Derg; Strathfoyle Women’s Activity Group, Faughan; Dunluce Family Centre, Foyleside; Dove House Community Trust, The Moor; Learmount Community Development Group, Sperrin; Fountain Street Community Development Association, Strabane; and Waterside Neighbourhood Partnership.

£5,000 was also allocated to Foyle Women’s Aid to provide specialist direct support for on-the-ground prevention for those at risk of violence and abuse.

All of the funding is contingent on the initiatives being delivered by March 31, 2025.

The initiatives were co-designed with the Women’s sector. Council officers engaged in a process with the LCGPBs to develop an EVAWG action plan, via the Consensual Grant Model, to support the delivery of the Momentum Fund.

This involved consultation with the chairs of the eight LCGPBs, Neighbourhood Renewal strategy managers within the five urban DEAs and RAPID, which has helped shape the recommendations included within the EVAWG Consensual Action Plan received from the eight Local Community Growth Partnership Boards.

To ensure continued, joined-up working and collaboration on EVAWG, round table discussions will take place involving representatives from the Women’s sector, neighbourhood renewal strategy managers, chairs of Local Growth Partnership Boards, and key statutory organisations.

The report presented to councillors on the EVAWG initiatives said: “As raising awareness of EVAWG is of paramount importance, the remaining £5,000 will be allocated to support public media campaigns to raise awareness and cover facilitation costs for events such as the Town Hall Public Meeting held in the Guildhall on January 20, 2025; International Women’s Day; and support for training initiatives.”

The Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategic Framework 2024-2031 and the associated first Delivery Plan was launched by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister on September 16, 2024.

The primary aim of the Momentum funding, received from The Executive Office (TEO), is to contribute to the prevention of violence against women and girls.

The programmes and activities must align with the Prevention Outcomes within the EVAWG Strategic Framework.
These include: Challenging attitudes, behaviours and culture; Education on healthy, respectful relationships; and Ensuring Women and girls feel safe and are safe everywhere.

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Derry City and Strabane District Council received a Letter of Offer from TEO on January 16, 2025, confirming a total budget allocation of £165,000. This comprised £50,000 Momentum Funding and £115,000 for the Local Change Fund, which must be spent by March 31, 2026.

The consensual approach model has been agreed by TEO for Tier One and Tier Two of the Change Fund. Both Tiers of support have been joined together giving a total budget allocation of £64,000. Each of the seven DEAs and Strabane Town will be allocated £8,000 to support programming at a community level to EVAWG.

The consensual approach will support collaboration in each of the DEAs.

By empowering communities and fostering collaboration, it is hoped this initiative will help the Council area to become “a safer and more equitable society”.

The Local Change Fund Tier Three level of funding for 2025-2026 financial year will go live via an Open Call process on February 3, 2025 for a three-week period. The funding for Tier Three will be for grants between £15,001 and up to £25,000. These funding awards will be for significant specialised programmes of activity which include collaboration with and/or mentoring/support to other community-based organisations.

The funding allocation for Tier Three of the Change Fund is £51,000, which includes £1,000 contribution for associated IT costs and is required to be spent by March 31, 2026.

The co-design process will prioritise inclusivity, equity and transparency and the Local Change Fund will represent a significant step in addressing EVAWG across all eight LCGPB areas.

It is envisaged a further report will be brought to the Health and Community committee updating members on the Local Change Fund EVAWG Consensual Action Plans for the seven DEAs and Strabane Town.

Council officers will work closely with each of the eight LCGPBs in the development of the action plans and ensure close alignment with the work of the Women’s sector to ensure collaboration.