Celine McStravick

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#GrantTracker helps streamline your funding search and manage your fundraising more effectively.

📢 Join our free webinar on 9 July, 12–1pm to learn more.

🔗 Register: tinyurl.com/ynzjmvr7

📢 1 week left to apply!

We’re recruiting a Project Administrator to help deliver the Community Empowerment Programme — an exciting role working with communities across Belfast to help deliver real change.

🗓️ Deadline: 6 July

📎Apply: bit.ly/4l3j2T2

#BelfastPEACEPLUS

Seven people standing in front of the Shankill Shared Women's Centre, with some holding a research report titled 'Funding for Equality Groups in NI: The Impact of the Transition from EU Funding to UK Shared Prosperity Fund'

Dr Eve Hepburn speaks at a podium with a microphone, with an Equality Commission for Northern Ireland banner in the background

Attendees sit at a table listening, while one person flips through a research report

Attendees sit at a table listening as a researcher discusses a research report

Highlights from our recent event at Shankill Shared Women's Centre – here's a look back at our launch of new research on the transition from EU funding to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and its impact on equality groups across Northern Ireland.

Read the report 👇
🔗 www.equalityni.org/ECNI/media/E...

We’ve joined partners across civil society urging the NI Executive to withdraw the draft Anti-Poverty Strategy, calling it unfit for purpose.

We remain committed to working with government on a strategy that genuinely tackles poverty and delivers real change.

Read more: bit.ly/3TQpSj8

Organisations and charities sign letter criticising Stormont’s anti-poverty plan

The signatories said they are “dismayed and frustrated”

'We deserve better' – Charities urge Northern Ireland executive to drop 'harmful' anti-poverty strategy - VIEWdigital Almost 50 charities and anti-poverty organisations have called on the Northern Ireland Executive to withdraw its draft strategy to tackle poverty, saying that families “deserve better”. The letter rea...

We're one of 50 charities & orgs who have signed an open letter to say the Executive needs to withdraw its draft anti-poverty strategy. Children/families/ individuals in poverty deserve so much better from our political leaders.
viewdigital.org/we-deserve-b...

We are one of the signatories to this letter sharing
' "dismay and frustration" at the draft strategy.
It adds: "The undersigned agree that the Northern Ireland Executive's draft Anti-Poverty 'Strategy' does not meet the criteria of a reasonable strategy.'
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Stormont: Charities call for executive to drop anti-poverty strategy The letter says families "deserve better" than the strategy proposed by ministers at Stormont.

Charities call for executive to drop 'harmful' anti-poverty strategy - www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

CLC is one of almost 50 charities who have signed a letter to the Executive criticising the draft Anti-Poverty Strategy in its current form.

Today our CEO @cmcstravick.bsky.social spoke at @equalitycommni.bsky.social’s event on the impact of the loss of EU Funding on equality groups in NI.

With funding ending in March 2026, we’re calling for action.

🔗 Read our 5 key asks 👉 bit.ly/3T8i6B1

#UKSPF #EconomicInclusion #LossOfEUfunding

Pic of bowl of porridge

Inside new loaf cafe

Poster in loaf cafe

Starting strong with Friday porridge at new loaf cafe Bedford st - delicious . Shop Social Now Group #socialenterprise #outcomes

Maeve Monaghan from NOW Group, Gina McIntyre from SEUPB and Graeme Wilkinson (Department for the Economy) at the Skills Connect PEACEPLUS project launch in Co Louth

We were delighted to attend the launch of the Skills Connect PEACEPLUS project this week, with €7,090,946 in funding secured to support 2,000 learners over the next four years. Read more: www.seupb.eu/latest/news/launch-skills-connect-peaceplus-skills-strategy-project-empower-people-disabilities

So exciting to be at launch of Community Empowerment programme @nicva.org , great example of partnership working. #peaceplus #leadership

✨ Member spotlight ✨

Shining a light on @clanryegroup.bsky.social - empowering people across Northern Ireland to break barriers and build brighter futures. From their Social Supermarket to employability programmes, they’re making a real difference!

Learn more: bit.ly/4nbVFIR

#ValueOfTheSector

🌍 New funding alert!

The MACC Hub Flexible Fund supports support academic-community collaborations that learn by doing climate change adaptation where it matters most.

Grants of £50k–£55k for up to 12 months.

Next virtual support session: 8 July at 10am ➡️ shorturl.at/g4Hrh

#GrantTracker

Graphic for Small Charity Week 2025

🌟 It’s #SmallCharityWeek! 🌟

Time to celebrate the small charities making a big impact in our communities.

We’re here to help with:
✅ Free advice & resources
✅ Free networking events
✅ Free membership

Explore our support → nicva.org

🔗Or get involved in the week smallcharityweek.org.uk

🗓️ Weekly funding news - out now:

💡 £20K for resilience + planning
📚 £30K for community-led heritage
❤️ £15K for NI heart health projects
🌱 £55K for climate collabs
💻 €500 for youth coding events
🎖️ £500–£200K for veterans support
+ upcoming deadlines

More here 👉 tinyurl.com/nhdb9j73

#GrantTracker

Big milestone at last week’s Joint Forum: the NI Executive has formally signed off the Partnership Agreement & Fair Funding Principles, a major step forward for gov–VCS relations.

Thanks to Tracy Johnston (DfC) for her invaluable leadership as she chaired her final meeting.

🔗 tinyurl.com/4y65mb6j

This week’s funding news:

🤝 Up to £50k to strengthen NI / GB community links
🎨 £100k arts grants for climate action
🌳 £250–£2.5k for tree planting
📚 Up to £750k for research on education, welfare, justice
🌐 Grants for overseas work & environment

🔗 tinyurl.com/y32mb8bz

#GrantTracker

Immigration in NI: Did a local bus company recently drop off a “bus load” of migrants in Lisburn? No.

Immigration in NI: Did a local bus company recently drop off a “bus load” of migrants in Lisburn? No.

This is a good example of how photos shared on social media can be misinterpreted or misleading.

📢 Fermanagh Trust has launched the Tackling Poverty Fund with Encirc - offering up to £3,000 for local not‑for‑profits helping people build autonomy, self-reliance & resilience in Co. Fermanagh.

Apply by 12 noon, 26 June.

More info ➡️ tinyurl.com/y37zkz36

#GrantTracker #TacklingPoverty

In response to ongoing tensions and attacks on people’s homes and property in some areas of Northern Ireland, senior leaders in the housing and homelessness NGO sector have joined together in their condemnation of the attacks.

Read the statement here: homelessconnect.org/press-releas...

The Children’s Law Centre unequivocally condemns the racist violence that has taken place in recent days in Ballymena and other areas.

Many in our community, especially vulnerable children and young people, will be terrified by these events and deeply concerned by the potential for further harm.

Everyone has a right to live in a society free from fear, intimidation and the threat of violence and we offer our unwavering solidarity to our neighbours and friends from ethnic minority communities.

Our thoughts are with those who have had their lives utterly torn apart in recent days, the impact of which cannot be overstated.

Read our statement on the racist attacks taking place in Ballymena and across other areas this week.

Our Director of Policy and Insight, @scrabopower.bsky.social, provides an overview of the key announcements from yesterday’s Spending Review and what they mean for Northern Ireland.

📖 Read the full briefing: tinyurl.com/4mu4aztw

#SpendingReview

📢 We’ve published a Key Messages Paper on priorities for post-UKSPF funding in NI.

The voluntary & community sector is central to tackling economic inactivity.

We need long-term, strategic investment for an inclusive labour market.

🔗 tinyurl.com/muh92b8w

#UKSPF #NICVA #EconomicInclusion

Graphic with a quote from NICVA's CEO Celine McStravick that reads: “Racism is a scourge that we must confront together and eliminate from our society. Our thoughts are with all those affected by recent racist violence – we stand in solidarity with the families and communities impacted. NICVA will continue to work with our partners across the voluntary and community sector, civil society, and the NI Executive to promote peace, inclusion, and respect for every person. In this moment, we call for calm, compassion, and courageous collective leadership”.

NICVA condemns the recent violence, racism, and intimidation in Ballymena and across Northern Ireland.

We stand in solidarity with those affected and call for calm, compassion, and collective leadership.

Read our full statement: tinyurl.com/4k6xy3ww

Today our CEO @cmcstravick.bsky.social chaired a panel at @eesc.bsky.social‬'s All-Island Stakeholder Forum on post-Brexit mobility. Critical for us to ensure that voluntary & community sector voices are heard

#ValueOfTheSector

@crossborder.bsky.social #S2@25 event showcasing impact of cross border bodies established as part of the Good Friday Agreement #impact #leadership #outcomes

🗓️ Future dates for All-Party Group meetings on the Voluntary & Community Sector are now live on our website – make sure to get them in your diary!

👉 bit.ly/43K7NK3

#APG #VoiceOfTheSector

The APG on the Voluntary & Community Sector met yesterday at Stormont.

MLAs & VCS reps heard from:
🔹 Economy Minister on funding & social value
🔹 Sian Mulholland MLA on the Lotteries for Communities Bill
🔹 NICVA’s Denise Copeland on banking & governance challenges for the VCS.

#VoiceOfTheSector

@crossborder.bsky.social #S2@25 event showcasing impact of cross border bodies established as part of the Good Friday Agreement #impact #leadership #outcomes