Apply for Monnaboy Community Benefit Fund (United Kingdom)

The Monnaboy Community Benefit Fund supports local community projects in Northern Ireland that address priority needs such as older people, families with young children, young people, and the environment. The fund is set up by Gaelectric (since 2016) and is now managed by CGN Europe, and it is administered by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland (CFNI). Applications close at 1:00pm on Thursday 22 October 2026. Opportunity at a Glance

- Funding opportunity name: Monnaboy Community Benefit Fund

- Administered by: Community Foundation for Northern Ireland (CFNI)

- Who established the fund: Gaelectric (set up in 2016)

- Now managed by: CGN Europe (wind energy and energy storage company)

- Grant size: Up to £2,500

- Eligible location (project area): Within 7km of the Monnaboy Wind Farm site (off Monnaboy Road, Greysteel) using straight-line measurement

- Applicant location requirement: Applicant organisations must be located within the 7km radius

- Deadline: 1:00pm on Thursday 22 October 2026

- Time zone: Not specified in the source

- Application portal: CFNI Fundseeker Portal (new users should read the “How to Apply” guide)

About the Opportunity

The Monnaboy Community Benefit Fund is designed to ensure that the local community benefits from the presence of the Monnaboy Wind Farm. It aims to encourage: - Stronger, more inclusive communities, with local people having ownership and involvement in project design and delivery - Partnership working with community, voluntary, and statutory agencies for a coordinated approach - Sustainable solutions that address local issues The fund supports projects addressing issues within the following theme areas: Funding and Benefits

- Maximum grant amount: Up to £2,500 per project

- Funding priorities (not guaranteed): The fund states that priority will be given to certain types of projects (see “Eligible Activities or Priority Areas”).

Not specified in the source: Whether there is a minimum grant amount, match funding requirements, or specific allowable cost categories beyond the exclusions listed in the “What we can’t fund” section. Who Is Eligible? The fund is for locally based not-for-profit, voluntary or community groups working in Northern Ireland to improve the quality of life for local people. Geographic eligibility - Projects must be within a 7km radius of the Monnaboy Wind Farm site (off Monnaboy Road, Greysteel). - Applicant organisations must be located within the 7km radius using straight-line measurement. - The source provides coordinates for the wind farm entrance: 54.9813, -7.1249. Organisational eligibility requirements (must be met) Applicants should be able to confirm the following: - An active management committee - No two related cheque signatories - A governing document (e.g., a Constitution in the name of the applicant organisation) - A current bank account in the name of the organisation - If submitting a bank statement that is overdrawn, an explanation must be provided (per the source) - Up-to-date annual accounts - Compliance with conditions of previous grants, including submission of monitoring returns Not eligible (explicit exclusions)

The fund will not support:

- Individuals - Applications from statutory organisations - Salaried posts - Funding for retrospective project costs - General appeals, individual/group sponsorship, marketing appeals - Bursaries from individuals, or proposals from individuals for funding study/attainment of qualifications - Services that are the primary and legal responsibility of the state - Input VAT reclaimable from HMRC - Costs reimbursed (or to be reimbursed) by other public/private funding - Contributions in kind (goods/services instead of money) - Depreciation, amortisation, or impairment of fixed assets owned by the group - Interest payments (including service charge payments for finance leases) - Gifts to individuals other than promotional items worth no more than £25 per year to any one individual - Entertaining (as defined by the source) - Statutory/criminal fines or penalties - Liabilities incurred before the issue of an award - Use of funding to top up reserves - Trips abroad - Vehicles - Activities that duplicate existing services Additional restrictions - The Community Foundation will not fund organisations or activities that promote causes contrary to its purposes, including (but not limited to) those linked to promotion of armaments, alcohol, human rights abuses, tobacco, or pornography.

- The fund will not support:

- Advancement of religion (including organisations whose purposes include advancement of religion) - Establishment of endowment of any school or further education institution (as defined in the source) - Assistance to any Housing Association (as defined in the source) - Promotion of religious or political activity (including flags/emblems associated with such) - CIC Companies Limited by Shares, or CICs without an asset lock clause - Eligible CICs must have at least three unrelated committee members, and/or the majority of the committee unrelated - Organisations that adopt a partisan political stance or activities that are party political - Organisations that advocate the use of violence to campaign or influence public opinion Previous grant holders Applicants that currently hold a live grant are not eligible to re-apply in any new round until all outstanding information is provided for the current grant, including details of spend and monitoring. Eligible Activities or Priority Areas The fund supports projects addressing issues within: - Older people - Families with young children - Young people - Environment and living spaces The source states that priority will be given to projects that are: - Aimed at providing skills development for young adults and/or the unemployed - Intergenerational - Collaborative - Tackling rural isolation - Based around community arts - Improving the utilisation of community space Why This Opportunity Matters This is a targeted community gra