DFID Development Awareness Mini Grants Fund 2007

DFID MINI GRANTS 2007
The Centre for Global Education (CGE) is a resource base for global and developing world studies based in Belfast and one of its services is the administration of the Department for International Development’s (DFID) Development Awareness Mini Grant Fund in Northern Ireland. The fund is designed to support projects between 1 and 3 years, which aim to raise awareness of international development issues at a local level. Grants awarded under the fund range from a minimum of £1,000 to a maximum grant of £10,000.

Applications to the mini grant fund for the 2006 round is 5pm on Tuesday, 31 OCTOBER 2006. The Centre will notify applicants of the outcome of the assessment process in December 2006. While projects supported under this funding round can begin on 1 April 2007 grants will not be distributed until April / May 2007.

About the Fund
The DFID Mini Grants Fund is aimed at organisations or networks with an interest in development education work and open only to applicants based in the north of Ireland. The fund is designed to support projects from 1-3 years which seek to raise awareness of:
• International development issues
• Our global interdependence
• The need for international development
• The progress that has been made in international development and that is possible.

Meeting the Aims of the Fund
For your application to be successful, you must demonstrate how your project will raise awareness of international development issues. DFID looks for projects that generate knowledge and understanding of the Millennium Development Goals (UN targets designed to eradicate poverty) and the values that underpin them, among new and wider audiences. Further information on the Millennium Development Goals is available at www.un.org/millenniumgoals. Successful applications are those that are clearly defined as projects, rather than core programme work and have clear and realistic development education objectives.

You will find a short summary of projects supported in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland IN 2006 on the DFID web site, www.dfid.gov.uk, under “Mini Grant Approved Projects: 2006/07”. This link can be found by clicking on “Funding Schemes” then clicking on “Additional Information” and finally scrolling down to the bottom of that page and clinking on the link. Please follow the same steps to find the link to an electronic version of the mini grant guidelines.

Building Support for Development
It is highly recommended that you read DFID's strategy paper on development education, Building Support for Development, before submitting an application to the mini grant scheme. The strategy paper sets out how DFID plans to build greater awareness and understanding of international development issues. A copy of this document is available at the DFID web site by clicking on 'How DFID works in the UK' and then clicking on 'Through the Development Awareness Fund' which can be found among the group of sub-headings near the top of the page.

Briefing Seminars
The Centre for Global Education will be delivering briefing seminars for potential applicants to the fund on the 13th and 27 September 2006 in our premises located at:

9 University Street,
Belfast,
BT7 1FY.

If your organisation is interested in participating in the seminars then please request a registration form from the Centre. You can also receive information on all CGE activities by subscribing to our free E-Bulletin. To do this just send your e-mail address to info@centreforglobaleducation.com.

Further Information
The Centre for Global Education’s Director, Stephen McCloskey, is available to provide advice and guidance to applicants. Contact: director@centreforglobaleducation.com or telephone: 028 9024 1879