Community Relations Council

The fund is open to community groups and other organisations involved in reconciliation and cultural diversity. It aims to promote good relations between people of different religious and political beliefs and different racial groups with a maximum grant available is £10,000.

The objectives of the Good Relations Fund are to facilitate groups through quality contact to:

• build awareness, dispel myths and stereotypes and address sectarianism/racism
• promote and encourage trust and mutual understanding through dialogue, learning about others and developing meaningful relationships
• provide space to deal with the past and address issues of mutual interest or concern in relation to the Shared Future document and/or the Race Equality Strategy; and
• improve shared civic life by building sustainable networks to transform contested space and identity and implement collaborative actions

What type of activities will this grant support?

The following list shows some examples of projects that are eligible for funding.

• Training events on building skills in mediation, anti-racism or anti-sectarianism.
• Political discussions with speakers to deal with issues of conflict or racism (or both).
• A residential course with a group from another community to examine issues relating to history, shared space or violence between communities.
• Conference on prejudice, discrimination and diversity (people's differences)
• Cultural diversity projects looking at history, symbolism and so on, delivered through the medium of drama, music or the arts.
• Project that will build positive race relations.
• Publications examining community relations or cultural diversity issues in your  community.
• Support programmes for groups addressing the legacies of the conflict.
• Inter-community learning programmes on reducing conflict in 'interface areas' where different communities come into contact.
• Good relations leadership programmes between groups of different faiths.

Who can apply

The Good Relations Fund has been set up to help formally constituted organisations within the Belfast City Council area such as

• community development groups;
• minority ethnic groups;
• projects for young adults;
• faith-based groups; and
• other organisations involved in community relations, reconciliation and cultural diversity. 

How to apply

For more information please contact :

The Good Relations Unit
Chief Executive's Department
Belfast City Council
City Hall
Belfast
BT1 5GS

Tel: 028 9027 0663 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting028 9027 0663
email goodrelations@belfastcity.gov.uk
www.belfastcity.gov.uk/goodrelations/goodrelationsfund.asp

The closing date for applications is 12pm on Friday 4 March at 12 pm.