The PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme is open for applications. The programme will distribute €40 million up until end of 2027 to support people-to-people projects on a cross-community and/or cross-border basis, delivering awards of up to €100,000 directly into communities.

Funds of up to €20,000 are now available to community and voluntary groups and other organisations to deliver projects with a strong focus on improving cross-community relationships.

To find out more and/or apply, click here.

You can download the presentation slides from these events here.

About the PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme

The PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme is a small grants programme that will distribute €40 million over the next three years to support ‘people to people’ projects on a cross community and/or cross-border basis. This funding is available under Theme 1: Building Peaceful and Thriving Communities and Theme 6: Building and Embedding Partnerships and Collaboration.

The fund will be delivered by Pobal on behalf of the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB)  The SEUPB have appointed a support partner consortium led by Co-operation Ireland and made up of Rural Action, and East Border Region to provide support and advice to project partners from application development to project completion.

An important element of the funding is to allow communities and grassroots organisations to avail of investment in a more simplified form but with a lasting impact. Grants of up to €100,000 will be awarded and distributed in tranches over the next three years (2025 to 2027).

The Change Maker Funding Programme will focus on activities, which enhance community cohesion and bring communities and groups together on a cross community (Investment Area 1.2) or Cross Border (Investment Area 6.2) basis, with the aim of enhancing existing relationships, and forging new connections and networks.

The funding is available to community and voluntary groups and local organisations. The types of projects that will be funded will be flexible in nature, in terms of the types of activity that they deliver, but all projects must have a strong focus on improving cross community and/or cross-border relationships.

The application and implementation process for projects will be delivered in a streamlined manner reflecting the lower amounts of grants when compared to other investment areas of the programme.

About PEACEPLUS

PEACEPLUS is a unique cross-border structural funds programme aimed at reinforcing progress towards a peaceful, stable, and prosperous society in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland. It represents the European Union’s commitment to supporting the peace process across the region, with the first PEACE Programme launched in 1995.

PEACEPLUS will see an overall investment of €1.144bn to support projects that will promote peace and reconciliation and contribute to cross-border economic and territorial development.

PEACEPLUS is supported by the European Union, the UK Government, the Northern Ireland Executive, and the Irish Government and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). PEACEPLUS comprises six themes, which encompass 22 individual investment areas. For further information on all investment areas, please visit the SEUPB website

Overview of the PEACE Programme

The PEACE Programme was first launched in 1995 by the European Economic Community (EEC), later renamed as the European Union (EU), and this was part of efforts to promote peace and reconciliation, and also as a means of supporting economic development and social inclusion, in areas across Northern Ireland and the Border region, who were deeply impacted by the conflict/troubles. While the EU has been the main financial provider to the PEACE programme since its inception, supported through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) substantial financial contributions also come from both the UK and Irish governments.

Key Requirements to avail of this funding

• Partners: All applications must include a minimum of two eligible organisations as named partners in the project.
• Lead Partner: All applications must clearly identify a lead partner
• People to People: Project activity must bring people together for purposeful and impactful interactions.
• Cross community and/or Cross Border:
  • Projects funded under Investment Area 1.2 must be delivered on a Cross Community basis with the option of delivering the project as both a Cross Community and Cross Border initiative, however, please note, the Cross-Border element for 1.2 is not a mandatory requirement.
  • Projects funded under Investment Area 6.2 must be delivered on a Cross Border basis with the option of delivering the project as both a Cross Border and Cross Community initiative, but please note, the Cross-Community element for 6.2 is not a mandatory requirement.

Activity to date

In advance of the formal launch of the PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme, stakeholder events were held for regional bodies, umbrella groups, statutory agencies, elected representatives, and others. The aim of these events was to raise awareness and generate interest in the PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme. The sessions provided information on:

• Programme Aims
• Eligibility criteria
• Partnership requirements
• Application requirements

You can download the presentation slides from these events here.

For Frequently Asked Questions, presentation slides from previous events and other helpful information, visit the SEUPB PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme webpage here.

Sources:

https://www.seupb.eu/peaceplus/change-maker-funding-programme

https://www.pobal.ie/programmes/peaceplus-change-maker-funding-programme