Groundwork opens funding programme

Grants of between £10k and £50k are available two categories:

• Community: For projects to provide and improve facilities. Under this scheme, grants are awarded to projects that provide or community spaces, cultural and places for outdoor recreation. This could include a building that needs improvement in order to increase the range of services on offer to the local community. Or maybe an open space such as a park, play area, seating or woodland that needs transforming to benefit local people of all ages.
• Biodiversity: For projects to conserve and promote wildlife species and habitats. Biodiversity is the variety of life that is all around us – people, plants and animals. Biodiversity enhances our quality of life.

The Alpha Programme would like to support site-based projects that protect and enhance biodiversity, particularly those concentrating on species and habitats that have been identified as a priority in national and local Biodiversity Action Plans.

All applications have to meet certain criteria with regard to public access, distance of project from Mullaghglass landfill site and types of work. A full list of criteria is supplied with the application form.

Applications will be assessed quarterly by a Steering Group and the first round of applications need to be submitted before 5:00pm end of March 2008 to be considered at the next meeting.

For further information and an application pack please contact Melvyn Waddell, Senior Project Development Officer at Groundwork NI on 028 9074 9494, via email on melvynwaddell@groundworkni.co.uk or in writing to:

Groundwork NI, 63-75 Duncairn Gardens, Belfast BT15 2GB.

All the information can also be accessed on line at www.groundworkni.org.uk.