Engagement for Change Fund Launches: £100k Over Three Years for NI Voluntary Sector
Summary
The Northern Ireland Office has launched the Engagement for Change Fund, a three-year £100,000 initiative to build capacity in the community and voluntary sector across Northern Ireland. The fund will support leadership and advocacy development, strategic communication training, and media engagement skills, with a dedicated pillar focused on increasing women's representation in public policy-making. Applications must be submitted to community.projects@nio.gov.uk by 5pm Friday 22 May 2026; late submissions will not be accepted.
“The total £100,000 funding will be allocated to a single delivery organisation over the three-year period.”
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What changed
The Northern Ireland Office launched the Engagement for Change Fund, a new three-year £100,000 grant programme to support the community and voluntary sector in Northern Ireland. The fund will be awarded to a single delivery organisation and structured around six core areas of support including strategic communication, advocacy training, and digital engagement skills, with a specific focus on increasing women's participation in public policy-making.
Affected parties include community and voluntary organisations in Northern Ireland seeking to enhance their policy influence and advocacy capacity. Eligible applicants must prepare a comprehensive application including budget and delivery plan templates, with submissions due by 5pm on 22 May 2026. Organisations prioritising civic engagement, democratic participation, or women's leadership in civil society may find this funding particularly relevant.
What to do next
- Submit application form, budget/delivery plan template, and organisation accounts to community.projects@nio.gov.uk by 5pm Friday 22 May 2026
Archived snapshot
Apr 25, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
News story
NIO Launches Engagement for Change Fund to Empower Community and Voluntary Sector
The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has today, Friday 24 April, launched the Engagement for Change Fund
From: Northern Ireland Office Published 24 April 2026
The Northern Ireland Office has today, Friday 24 April, launched the Engagement for Change Fund. This is a three-year, £100,000 initiative designed to significantly bolster the capacity of the community and voluntary sector across Northern Ireland.
The Fund directly supports the sector’s vital role by providing targeted leadership and advocacy development, enabling organisations to more effectively champion their crucial work and the communities they serve.
It acknowledges the profound and diverse expertise the voluntary sector has cultivated through decades of on-the-ground experience and successful intervention delivery.
Driving Policy Influence and Inclusive Democracy
The primary objective of the Engagement for Change Fund is to foster a more resilient and inclusive democracy. By enhancing the sector’s ability to influence and inform policy-makers, the Fund will secure a stronger voice for civil society at the strategic Governmental level.
A key pillar of this initiative is dedicated to increasing the representation of women in the public forum. The programme will focus on upskilling and empowering women to confidently and effectively engage with strategic Government policy-making processes, with a clear mandate to achieve a demonstrable, measurable increase in their visibility and participation in public debate.
Delivery and Application Details
The total £100,000 funding will be allocated to a single delivery organisation over the three-year period. The successful organisation will be required to execute a comprehensive development programme structured around six core areas of support, including strategic communication and advocacy training, navigating the complex policy landscape, and advanced media and digital engagement skills.
Application guidance, forms, and budget/delivery templates are available below.
To apply, you must submit an application form, budget/delivery plan template (as provided below) and organisation accounts to community.projects@nio.gov.uk by 5pm Friday 22 May 2026.
Applications submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.
Application Guidance: Engagement for Change (PDF, 317 KB, 12 pages)
Engagement for Change Fund Application Form (MS Word Document, 465 KB)
Engagement for Change Fund Budget & Programme Plan Tool (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 186 KB)
EXAMPLE Engagement for Change Fund Budget & Programme Plan Tool (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 192 KB)
Engagement for Change Fund FAQs (PDF, 273 KB, 8 pages)
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Published 24 April 2026
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