Connect Fund

The Connect Fund awards up to £1m to strengthen civic East-West collaboration on matters of shared interest, including mutual challenges and opportunities across a range of sectors that directly affect communities in Northern Ireland. The Government supports an inclusive United Kingdom and acknowledges the importance of bringing together community groups across the United Kingdom to better improve the lives of all communities in Northern Ireland. The Connect Fund will connect the great ideas, people and solutions in Northern Ireland with those across the United Kingdom to address mutual challenges and grasp shared opportunities. Applications must have a clear East-West lens and deliver on one or more objectives including strengthening East-West connections by developing long lasting civic relationships, proposing an original approach to developing East-West connections, supporting the development of cultural, sports and people-to-people links, building leadership capability opportunities for community leaders on an East-West basis, or facilitating positive and constructive dialogue on shared opportunities and challenges facing communities in the UK. The fund operates on a rolling basis with two rounds of funding available.