The Department’s current Core Grant Funding Scheme provides financial support for community and voluntary organisations which either deliver front-line services based on identified need or provide central support services, which are in line with DoH strategic and policy objectives, and in particular the vision for Health and Social Care services articulated in Health and Wellbeing 2026 Delivering Together.
The core grant scheme has long been recognised as requiring improvement, not least because it has operated on a closed basis for more than 2 decades, and much has changed since it was introduced, particularly in relation to the challenges facing health and social care provision. The voluntary and community sector has consistently championed the need for a voluntary and community funding scheme from the Department of Health. While there have been a number of unsuccessful attempts to reform the scheme in the past, the Health Minister has outlined his commitment to working with the sector to deliver changes in the scheme to reflect the evolving nature of community and voluntary groups and the services they offer and the changed landscape within which all NI Departments are now operating.
What has happened to date
NICVA held an engagement session on 21 August with the Department of Health focused on how the Department might best engage with our sector, on the development of a new funding scheme. With over 70 voluntary and community sector representatives in attendance, the discussion included: what good engagement looks like, key questions to be considered, how engagement events should be delivered most practically within the timeframe available and what key areas they should cover.
On Friday 20 September, we had over 35 people from our sector in attendance at NICVA to give feedback on the Department of Health draft proposals for a new core grant scheme. Thank you to all who attended and gave valuable feedback to DOH.
We have planned two more opportunities – two further workshops - for sector organisations to provide feedback on the draft proposals - one online and one in person
Workshops
You can register for one of the workshops by clicking the link below. They will have the same content so you only need to attend one.
Please join us to have your say on how the Department of Health Future Core Grant Scheme can be designed and delivered.
