Northern Ireland Office launches Engagement for Change Fund

A new £100,000 fund will build leadership and advocacy capacity across Northern Ireland’s community and voluntary sector

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has launched the Engagement for Change Fund, a three-year initiative worth £100,000. The fund aims to strengthen the capacity of the community and voluntary sector across Northern Ireland.

The fund supports organisations to develop leadership and advocacy skills, helping them represent their work and the communities they serve more effectively. It recognises the sector’s long-standing experience gained through direct service delivery and community engagement.

A key focus of the fund is to increase the representation of women in public and policy-facing roles. The programme will support women to build confidence and skills when engaging with government policy processes, to achieve a measurable increase in participation and visibility in public debate.

How the funding will be used

The total funding will be awarded to a single delivery organisation for the full three-year period. The successful organisation will be responsible for delivering a structured development programme covering six core areas of support.

The programme will include support focused on:

• strategic communication and advocacy skills
• understanding and navigating the policy environment
• media engagement and digital capability development

How to apply

Applications are open to eligible organisations based in Northern Ireland, including those operating within the voluntary, community and civic society sectors.

Eligible applicants include:

• social enterprises
• voluntary and community organisations
• civic society bodies
• national representative bodies operating in Northern Ireland

To apply, organisations should submit the required documentation by emailing community.projects@nio.gov.uk 

Deadline is Friday 22 May 2026 at 5pm.

Find out more about the Engagement for Change Fund.

First published 30 April 2026