CFAs: Carn Hill Community Benefit Fund (United Kingdom)

The Carn Hill Community Benefit Fund is a local grants programme administered by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland (CFNI). It supports community projects that address priority needs—such as older people, families with young children, young people, and the environment—within a 6km radius of the Carn Hill windfarm in Northern Ireland. The fund closes at 1:00pm on Thursday 22 October 2026. Opportunity at a Glance

- Programme name: Carn Hill Community Benefit Fund

- Administered by: Community Foundation Northern Ireland (CFNI)

- Funding available: Up to £3,000 per grant (grant size)

- Eligible geography: Projects within a 6km radius of the windfarm site entrance (straight-line measurement)

- Includes: Monkstown, Grange, Woodburn, Greenisland, Ballynure, and Carnmoney

- Deadline: 1:00pm, Thursday 22 October 2026 (time zone not specified in the source)

- Applicant type (core requirement): Locally based not-for-profit, voluntary, or community groups in Northern Ireland

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

About the Opportunity

The Carn Hill Community Benefit Fund was set up by Gaelectric in 2016 and is now managed by CGN Europe, a wind energy and energy storage company. The fund is administered by CFNI to ensure that wind farms also deliver economic benefits to local communities.

The fund 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 Funding and Benefits

- Grant size: Up to £3,000 per project

- Priority focus: The fund prioritises certain types of projects (see “Eligible Activities or Priority Areas” below).

Not specified in the source: the total fund size, whether match funding is required, and any additional non-financial benefits.

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. Applicants must meet all of the following requirements (as stated in the source): - Be located within the 6km radius of the windfarm (straight-line measurement from the site entrance; coordinates provided as 54.7237, -5.9057) - Have an active management committee, with no two related cheque signatories - Have a governing document (e.g., a Constitution) in the name of the applicant organisation - Have a current bank account in the name of the organisation - If submitting a bank statement that is overdrawn, provide an explanation - Have up to date annual accounts - Have complied with conditions of previous grants, including submission of monitoring returns - If the applicant currently holds a live grant, they are not eligible to re-apply in any new round until all outstanding information is provided for the current grant (including spend and monitoring details) Not eligible (as stated in the source): - Individuals - Statutory organisations - Salaried posts - Trips abroad - Vehicles - Activities that duplicate existing services - Retrospective funding - Substitution for statutory funding - Advancement of religion (including organisations whose purposes include the advancement of religion) - Establishment of endowment of any school or institution providing further education under the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 - Provision of assistance to any Housing Association under the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 - Promotion of religious or political activity, including flags and 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

Not specified in the source: whether informal groups without formal constitutions can apply, and whether partnerships/consortia are allowed.

Eligible Activities or Priority Areas The fund supports projects addressing issues within these theme areas: Priority will be given to projects that: - Provide skills development for young adults - Deliver intergenerational projects - Tackle rural isolation - Are based around community arts - Improve the utilisation of community space Why This Opportunity Matters This is a targeted community grants programme designed to channel windfarm community benefit funding into local, need-led projects. By focusing on a defined 6km radius and prioritising areas such as young adults’ skills, intergenerational work, rural isolation, community arts, and community space, the fund supports organisations that can demonstrate local involvement and coordinated community outcomes. How to Apply - Read the fund guidance before starting your application (the source states: “Please read the following text before beginning your application.”). - Use the CFNI Fundseeker Portal to apply and manage monitoring. - The source notes that CFNI uses a new Fundseeker Portal for all applications and monitoring, and recommends reading the “How to Apply” guide if it is your first time applying or accessing the portal. - Submit your application through the portal before the deadline.

Official application link: Not specified in the source. Deadline: 1:00pm on Thursday 22 October 2026.

If you have questions, contact the Grants Team:

- Email: [contact details removed]

- Phone: [contact details removed]

Application Tips or Common Mistakes

- Check your location eligibility first: your organisation must be within the 6km radius (straight-line measurement) from the windfarm site entrance.

- Confirm you are not currently holding a live grant that would prevent re-application until outstanding information is submitted.

- Avoid ineligible costs and activities: the fund does not support salaried posts, trips abroad, vehicles, retrospective funding, or activities that duplicate existing servic