EANI: Small Grants Programme
Overview
The Small Grants Programme for 2024-2025 is to enable young people to apply for funding to support other young people in their communities to:
- Promote youth participation, leadership and volunteering
- Build and develop life skills
- Explore relevant issues for young people, including at least one of the following topics: mental health awareness, social media & online safety, environment and sustainability, vaping, drugs & alcohol.
Please note: Project which clearly demonstrate partnership working (such as working with a partner group), inclusion and diversity will be awarded additional points during scoring. For example: promoting diverse cultures and ensuring inclusion of young people’s diverse needs and abilities within the project delivered.
Funding
This year, there are two options. Groups can apply for a maximum of £500 for a one-off event or a maximum of £1500 for a group work programme with multiple sessions. All projects must demonstrate young people’s involvement in planning and delivery.
Groups can only apply for one option per round of SGP funding, for either amount. So, you may apply for up to the max grant in each round, or the smaller one-off
event grant for up to £500 if this suits your programme aims.
Projects should be applied for and planned by young people… for young people.
Who can apply?
The Small Grants Programme is open to groups of young people:
- Aged 4 – 25 years
- Who are part of an Education Authority Youth Service (EAYS) registered and verified group
For more information and support on registering with EAYS, please visit the EA website.
Notes
Applications should be made by a group of at least 3 young people
It is best to include some evidence of how young people have been involved in the planning of the application where possible, such as photographs of group planning.
The contact person should be a member of the youth group applying for the grant. This will be the person we contact regarding the application (any contact will be prearranged with the youth leader).
In a small number of cases they acknowledge that this may not be possible and another person, for example, a youth worker or volunteer, is needed to act as the contact person. If this is the case, please explain why in the space provided. All ideas for the projects must come from the children and young people who will have control over any funding award. We encourage groups to include evidence of planning activities e.g. Photos of group work or planning sheets, along with the application form.
Programme funding will cover:
Within the budget section of the application form, please use the categories we have laid out and fill the form in appropriately (the maximum amount of money will be shown within the headings). A group can apply for a grant of between £500 and £1,500.
- Funding per participant - Maximum of £80 per head
- Activities No funding cap. Only activities within Northern Ireland can be funded.
- Materials/Resources - Maximum of £400
- Equipment - Maximum of £400 Groups are encouraged to rent equipment where possible rather than purchase, unless groups can demonstrate the long term, sustainable benefits of the purchase.*
- Specialist facilitators - Maximum of £25 per hour This can be no more than 20% of the total cost of the project unless groups can demonstrate why it is not possible for them to deliver activities without specialists.*
- Catering - £4.00 per person for events/activities under 5 hours. £8 per person for event/activities over 5 hours
- Transport - Only travel/transport costs within Northern Ireland can be funded. Cross border visits may be considered if relevant to the purpose of the programme.*
- Hire of venue - No funding cap