UGV supports a wide range of charities that make a positive difference, working in different sectors benefitting Northern Ireland. Our grants range from £750 to, in exception, £1,000,000, depending on the project, the proposed impact and each charity’s size and scope of work.

We are flexible and also support national charities but when making an approach to UGV, it should be clear how your project will benefit people in Northern Ireland.

In addition to outright grants, assistance may be given by way of loans which may carry certain conditions at the discretion of the Committee.

Our preferred projects will demonstrate active participation and self-help. They should be innovative and developmental with an achievable, practical and sustainable objective.

Applications must demonstrate a clear need and evidence of the impact of their organisation’s work along with their capacity to deliver, govern and sustain the initiative.

Our current priorities are:

• Poverty
• Housing/homelessness
  
  

UGV gives support where it’s clear it will make a difference to the outcome of the project. We also like our grants to stimulate funding from other organisations, thus contributing to income diversification and financial sustainability.

How to apply

You can check your eligibility here. If you are eligible to apply, you will be asked to submit an expression of interest. We understand your time is limited and so in order to avoid applicants undertaking lots of work to complete a full application, we have introduced a first stage Expression of Interest. This will give us an idea of whether your project is likely to receive support from UGV. If successful, we will invite you to proceed to the next and final stage of the application process. If unsuccessful, we will also let you know.

What we don’t fund

• Individuals
• Organisations not registered as a Charity
• Charities without at least one year’s independently examined or audited accounts
• Work not benefitting people in NI
• Work not meeting UGV’s current priorities:
  • Housing/homelessness; or
  • Poverty
• Core/ Running Costs, e.g. core costs/ overhead costs, management costs, administrative costs (unless part of project costs), marketing (unless linked directly to the success of the project delivery)
• Retrospective funding or funding for work already started.
• Activities which are primarily the responsibility of central and/or local government
• Sponsorship, or marketing and general appeals
• Promotion of religion or politics
• Expeditions or overseas travel
• Charities who collect funds for distribution to other charities
• Sport – unless addressing one of our current strategic grant-giving priorities
• Animal welfare – unless addressing one of our current strategic grant-giving priorities
• Counselling – unless addressing one of our current strategic grant-giving priorities
• Early years/preschool
• Organisations who have received a grant payment from UGV within the past 24 months

We wish you all the best with your fundraising.