Jocelyn Horton
Jocelyn's Latest content
| Title | Type | Summary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meet the Funder Webinar: Rosa Stand With Us Fund 2026 | Resource | The grants team at Rosa, the UK fund for women and girls, joined us recently to tell us more about their Stand With Us fund and how local organisations can apply.Open to women-led organisations working to address male violence against women and girls, for organisational development work, eligible organisations can apply for up to £28,000. | Published |
| Guest Blog: Prizefunder - a Collaborative Approach to Strengthen Grassroots Funding | Article | Lawrence O’Kane, founder and CEO of Prizefunder explains how this Northern Ireland community fundraising platform could help communities to work together, raise funds, strengthen local services and build lasting support for the causes they care about. | Published |
| New £3m Fund to help communities shape the future of AI | Article | The National Lottery Community Fund in partnership with UK Community Foundations and Centre for the Acceleration of Social Technology (CAST) has announced a new £3 million funding programme which will track AI’s real-world impacts at a local community level across the UK, and fund ground-breaking community-led AI tools. | Published |
| Guest Blog: The Spaces, Places & Belonging Community Hub | Article | Sophie Anstee de Mas, Hub Programme Manager lets us know what’s open, what’s next, and how Northern Ireland applicants can get involved. | Published |
| Meet the Funder: Rosa Stand With Us Fund 2026 | Event | Join us to meet some of the grants team at Rosa, the UK fund for women and girls, to learn more about their recently launched Stand With Us fund and how to apply. The funding available is for women-led organisations working to address male violence against women and girls, for organisational development work. This is an opportunity to learn about the programme criteria and to share your questions. | Published |
| Queen Elizabeth Trust launched to strengthen communities across the United Kingdom | Article | A new UK-wide independent charity, the Queen Elizabeth Trust, has been established on the occasion of the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth to honour her lifelong commitment to public service. | Published |
| Guest Blog: Latest news from the Fundraising Regulator | Article | Gráinne Mathews, Stakeholder and Policy Manager – Northern Ireland updates us on the latest news and resources from the Fundraising Regulator. | Published |
| NICVA Member Spotlight: North Down Softball Club | Article | NICVA warmly welcomes North Down Softball Club to our growing membership. Based at Ward Park, Bangor, they are the only softball club in Co. Down and are run entirely by volunteers. | Published |
| 2026 REGIOSTARS Awards | Article | The European Commission has opened the 2026 REGIOSTARS Awards, which celebrate outstanding EU funded projects that demonstrate excellence in regional development and long lasting impact. | Published |
| NICVA Member Spotlight: Portadown Wellness Centre continues to Grow | Article | Funded by the profits of the Empower Garden Centre and the recently added, Community Café, popping in for a potted plant and a cappuccino in Portadown means green fingered residents help lift the cloud of mental illness. | Published |
| The Honourable The Irish Society to Launch New Grant Programmes | Article | The Society is pausing their current grants programme for a short time to allow them to build new programmes which reflect their strategic priorities. | Published |
| #FundingFebruary: Maximising Contactless Donations with Give A Little | Resource | For #FundingFebruary2026, Vicky Hewlett, Head of Marketing Communications at Give A Little explained how you can work towards building a sustainable cashless fundraising strategy with their solutions.Catch up on the recording here. | Published |
| PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme | Article | Applications are open for grants of between €10,000 and €100,000 through the PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme. The programme will distribute €40M of funding up to the end of 2027 to support cross-community/cross border people to people projects. | Published |
| A Full Circle Moment, As Disability Action NI marks 40 Years of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) | Article | Our Guest Blogger, Andrea Brown, Chief Executive, Disability Action NI is a valued member of NICVA's new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Stakeholder Group. Here, Andrea explains why being part of NICVA's EDI Steering Group is a full circle moment. | Published |
| Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Reconciliation Fund opening soon | Article | The Reconciliation Fund awards grants to organisations working to build better relations within and between traditions in Northern Ireland, between North and South, and between Ireland and Britain. The Reconciliation Fund operates one annual funding round for 12-month grants. Their Strategic Partnerships stream for 3-year funding will re-open for applications in early 2026 for eligible organisations. | Draft |
| Funding Fayre 2026 | Article | Thanks to the support of the Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland our Funding Fayre 2026 took place on 27 February 2026. It gave a wide range of funders, support agencies and local community and voluntary sector representatives the chance to connect and learn. Below, we provide a register of the organisation who exhibited. | Published |
| Catch up with Enthuse's Digital Fundraising Labs series | Resource | Your handy resource page to catch up on Enthuse’s Digital Fundraising Labs hosted as part of Funding February 2026. Delivered by Jared Monaghan, Senior Partnerships Manager with Enthuse, this series of three 1-hour webinars over three months focuses on increasing your understanding of online fundraising tactics and how to maximise their value to your organisation. | Published |
| #FundingFebruary Guest blog: How Northern Ireland Charities Can Thrive in a Cashless Society | Article | Ahead of their webinar for NICVA, Vicky Hewlett, Head of Marketing Communications updates us on the what Give A Little has to offer.As cash usage declines, Northern Ireland charities must adapt. Give A Little offers a flexible "Point of Donation" platform, helping over 11,000 charitable organisations collect cashless donations through portable and fixed contactless devices, QR codes, and an innovative Tap to Pay mobile app. | Published |
| #FundingFebruary: Maximising Contactless Donations with Give A Little | Event | As physical cash disappears from donor pockets, charities must look beyond the traditional collection bucket to ensure their long-term survival. This webinar is designed to help Northern Ireland’s charitable organisations navigate the transition from cash to digital giving with confidence and ease.Vicky Hewlett, Head of Marketing Communications at Give A Little explains how you can work towards building a sustainable cashless fundraising strategy with their solutions. | Published |
| #FundingFebruary Guest blog: Growth in contactless donations at the Stroke Association | Article | Paul Montgomery, Operations Lead, gives an overview of the Stroke Association’s cashless donations journey, from early testing in 2024 and use at staffed events in 2025, to getting the technology in the hands of the supporter in 2026. | Published |
| Fully funded training opportunity with the Rainbow Project | Article | Nuala Devenny from The Rainbow Project, and a member of our new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Stakeholder Group, invites interest organisations to take advantage of their funded LGBTQIA+ Awareness Training. | Published |
| Empowering Northern Ireland Charities in a Cashless Society | Article | Draft | |
| #FundingFebruary Guest blog: How Leaders Can Turn AI Disruption into Direction | Article | AI is reshaping work, but people remain the real advantage. This article explores how leaders can guide teams through disruption with clarity, soft skills and purposeful action, turning AI from a challenge into a meaningful opportunity. | Published |
| Guest Blog: Funding Opportunities for Churches and Christian Organisations in Ireland | Article | Heather Pope, the new Grants Officer for Ireland with Benefact Trust, gives an overview of the support available for churches and Christian organisations across the island of Ireland. | Published |
| Foyle Foundation completes spend down in December | Article | The Foundation’s long planned spend down and closure takes place in December 2025 by when it will have distributed over £185M in total to over 7,000 charities and state schools across the UK. | Published |
| Creating a Successful Crowdfunding Campaign | Event | Join Crowdfunder UK and Sport NI for an engaging free webinar designed to help you unlock the power of crowdfunding. Learn practical steps to create campaigns that inspire support and raise funds for your cause. | Published |
| Building your capacity with NICVA | Article | We highlight how NICVA can support your digital capacity and capability and potential funding. | Published |
| Fundraising Lab 3: Making the most of corporate partnerships | Event | This is the third, and final session in a series of three fundraising labs delivered by Enthuse in partnership with NICVA focusing on engaging and strengthening your corporate partnerships. Updated: This event has been amended. Previously advertised as 24 March 2026 from 11am to 12pm. The event now takes place 21 April 2026 at the same time. | Draft |
| Fundraising Lab 2: Fundraising Events - from simple sign-ups to frictionless fundraising | Event | This is the Second session in a series of three fundraising labs delivered by Enthuse in partnership with NICVA and focuses on running smooth, enjoyable fundraising events for supporters AND fundraisers. | Published |
| Fundraising Lab 1: From passion to action - Community Fundraising that empowers | Event | This is the first session in a series of three fundraising labs delivered by Enthuse in partnership with NICVA and focuses on why and how to encourage and empower your supporters to fundraise. | Published |
| Enthuse's Digital Fundraising Labs series | Article | NICVA is delighted to offer this series of free Digital Fundraising Labs in partnership with Enthuse, Europe’s number one charity first fundraising platform. Each session is designed to guide, inspire, energise, and empower your online fundraising approach. | Published |
| Funding February & Funding Fayre return for 2026 | Article | Funding February returns for 2026. A month-long focus on funding and fundraising for voluntary and community organisations across Northern Ireland. This year we shine a light on digital, online and tech-related matters and end the month with our annual Funding Fayre. | Published |
| Funding Fayre 2026 | Event | We have reopened registrations as we have some availability. Please note: registrations will only be open until Wednesday. NICVA’s Funding Fayre returns in 2026, and we invite voluntary and community organisations across Northern Ireland to register. Kindly supported by the Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland, this event is an ideal opportunity for anyone connected with raising funds for your cause. | Draft |
| Fundraising news and opportunities | Article | Jocelyn Horton, Fundraising Advice Officer, rounds up some of the key news you may have missed in October. | Published |
| Paul Hamlyn Foundation announce Arts Fund not accepting new applications | Article | Instead of opening for new applications, the Foundation will give out the same amount of funding through renewing existing grants and reconsidering applications received over the past year. | Published |
| Member Spotlight Community Restorative Justice Ireland (CRJI) Newry/Armagh | Article | For over 25 years Community Restorative Justice Ireland Newry/Armagh has built a track record in community-based interventions, drawing from real-life experiences of positive transformation. They recently launched their Breaking the Cycle: Restorative Pathways for Women which received backing from Community Foundation Northern Ireland through their Thriving Futures Fund, enabling the three-year programme to move forward.Pictured: Mercedes Hunt, Project Coordinator for CRJI Newry/Armagh with Ewan Morgan, CRJI Newry/Armagh | Published |
| Rosa, the UK Fund for Women and Girls, launches new strategy | Article | Rosa’s bold new three-year strategy, Creating lasting change for women and girls, aims to help them continue their mission to fund and champion the UK’s women and girls sector. | Published |
| BBC Children in Need launch Communities for Children | Article | BBC Children in Need have announced the launch of Communities for Children – the £15 million funding programme dedicated to tackling child poverty in the UK. | Published |
| Communities Minister launches Northern Ireland’s first Olympic Legacy Fund | Article | The £1million capital investment will modernise facilities at local clubs and community groups as part of a lasting legacy in honour of our athletes at the Paris Olympics. | Published |
| £1.8million Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme 2025/2026 opens for applications | Article | DAERA Minister Andrew Muir MLA has announced that a new £1.8million Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme (RMCGS) will open for applications on Monday 15 September 2025. | Published |
| Add an extra £500 in unrestricted funding this autumn | Article | eBay and easyfundraising have teamed up to help you make an even bigger difference in your community this autumn, with the £5,000 Big Give. Together, they’re donating £500 to ten community organisations this month. | Published |
| Virgin Media O2 creates new £1 million apprenticeship talent fund | Article | Virgin Media O2 is unlocking up to £1 million in funding to help small businesses, charities, social enterprises, and local authorities recruit and train the next wave of apprentices — creating real career opportunities that power long-term growth. | Published |
| **FULLY BOOKED** Summer Support – Free Fundraising Clinics for NICVA members | Article | We’re hosting FREE one-hour fundraising advice clinics for NICVA members to discuss their fundraising needs this August. | Published |
| The Fore Increases Maximum Unrestricted Grant to £45k from Autumn 2025 Round | Article | To reflect the rising costs of living and the changing funding landscape, The Fore have announced that they will increase their maximum grant size from £30,000 to £45,000 with effect from the Autumn 2025 funding round. | Published |
| **NEW** Fundraising Workshop Series | Article | Starting in September, our new Fundraising Workshop Series aims to support you and your fundraising knowledge, capability, and capacity to successfully navigate the competitive fundraising landscape. | Published |
| New fund for refurbishment of community facilities launches | Article | The Northern Ireland Community Infrastructure Fund is a small capital grant scheme for voluntary and community organisations. The Fund is a £4.32 million grant scheme to support voluntary and community sector organisations to improve the internal or external fabric of their existing community buildings. The fund is being delivered by the Department for Communities in partnership with Co-operation Ireland. | Published |
| Henry Smith Foundation Announces New 5-Year Strategy | Article | The Henry Smith Foundation, formerly known as the Henry Smith Charity, has published its new strategy, Elevate Your Impact (2025-2030) which ‘reaffirms their commitment to backing people and organisations driving change in communities across the UK.’ The first three new programmes under the new funding priorities have also been announced. | Published |
| John Ellerman Foundation launches new Funding Strategy | Article | The John Ellerman Foundation has launched a new funding strategy for 2025-2030 offering multi-year core costs funding that supports work with a national relevance addressing social justice and the environment. UK charities with an annual income of between £100,000 and £10 million can apply for up to £180,000. | Published |
| Fundraising Workshop Series: Workshop 3 - A Practical Guide to Completing Funding Applications | Event | Securing funds through funding applications can be crucial to an organisation’s ability to deliver. But who are the funders, where can you find them, which ones should you select, and what do you need to consider before submitting your application?Join our final session in a series of three fundraising workshops and learn how to approach fundraising through Trusts and Foundations | Draft |
| Fundraising Workshop Series: Workshop 2 - Building your Case for Support | Event | Fundraising is competitive, so being prepared to communicate your appeal to donors and funders is a must. Underpinning your fundraising activities, a Case for Support is a timing-saving tool summarising who you are, the cause you tackle, and effectively argues why you are a worthy investment for funders and donors. Join the second session in a series of three fundraising workshops and learn how to create your own. | Draft |