Fund total 2026: £20,000, including a £10,000 Impact Grant. Applications for the Impact Grant are open and will close on 22nd March 2026

What is the Community Impact Grant?

The £10,000 Community Impact Grant is an award supporting one community project that will deliver lasting impact over a minimum of 12 months. It is designed for organisations ready to develop or expand a project responding to a clear local need.

Who is the grant for?

This grant is aimed at locally led charities and community organisations based and operating in Northern Ireland. Priority will be given to organisations that are locally governed, community-embedded, and delivering services directly to people in Belfast and the surrounding areas.

What kind of projects will be supported?

Projects must run for at least 12 months and demonstrate clear benefit to the local community. This includes work focused on wellbeing, reducing isolation, supporting families or young people, tackling poverty, or building community resilience.

What the grant is not for

The grant cannot support one-off events, short-term activities, general running costs, capital works, or retrospective funding. Smaller or short-term projects may be better suited to the £1,250 Spark Grants, which open later in the year.

Grant value and timeline

The total grant value is £10,000, awarded to one organisation. Applications open: 24th February 2026 | Applications close: 22nd March 2026

How to apply

Full eligibility details, guidance, and the application form are available below. Organisations are encouraged to review the guidance carefully before applying.

Application form and guidance can be found below.

£10,000 Community Impact Grant: Applications open 24^th February 2026 – close 22^nd March 2026

• £1,250 Spark Grants: Applications open 27^th April 2026 – close 24^th May 2026 and 29^th June 2026 – close 30^th August 2026

James Brown & Sons has been committed to serving the people of greater Belfast since 1904. With support from parent company, Funeral Partners, we launched the James Brown & Sons Community Fund in 2022. We have been running the Community Fund ever since, to benefit the local communities in the heart of Belfast and the surrounding areas. So far, more than £80,000 has been given to various community-focused groups.

A New Approach to Community Funding in 2026
In 2026, the James Brown & Sons Community Fund is introducing a new funding model designed to create deeper, longer-term impact in the communities we serve.
In previous years, the fund operated across three funding cycles, offering multiple smaller grants of up to £2,000 throughout the year. From 2026, we are taking a more focused approach, with two distinct funding opportunities launched at different points in the year.
This new approach was officially launched at Parliament Buildings on 24 February 2026, at a special event hosted by Minister Gordon Lyons, Minister for Communities.

What Funding Is Available Now?
From February 2026, applications are open for the £10,000 Community Impact Grant.
This annual grant is designed to support one strategic project delivering sustained, measurable benefit over a minimum 12-month period. It is intended for organisations with a clear understanding of local need and the capacity to deliver long-term community impact.

Only the £10,000 Community Impact Grant is available to apply for at this stage. Please scroll down to find full eligibility criteria, guidance and application details for the £10,000 Community Impact Grant.

What’s Coming Next?
In April we will open applications for our £1,250 Spark Awards, which support smaller, grassroots projects and shorter-term initiatives.
To keep things clear and avoid confusion, details of the Spark Awards will be added to the website after the £10,000 Community Impact Grant application window closes on 27 April 2026.

Julian Hodgkinson, Beverley Brown, James Brown, Emma Moore, Andrew Neale