An organisation using sport to bring people together and a rural mental health support group are among 15 projects receiving grants totalling 1,303,790 to secure their long-term future.
The Dormant Accounts Fund NI, delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund in conjunction with the Department of Finance, is supporting the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector to be more resilient and prepared for the future.
PeacePlayers International NI has been awarded 99,941 to build capacity by restructuring the organisation and developing a long-term income strategy.
Over three years the project will develop a central hub in Belfast with regional hubs in each council area. Staff will be able to work more strategically including financial planning, training and development, programme planning, data collection and evaluation, policy reviews, and income generation.
Young people from a PeacePlayers summer programme
Gareth Harper, Managing Director of PeacePlayers International NI said:
Thanks to this funding we will be able to future proof PeacePlayers to make it fit for purpose and able to continue to run community relations through sport programmes in an efficient and effective way.
As an organisation we want to develop our capacity and give staff the opportunity to develop their skills and experiences to help take the organisation forward and provide the best service we can.
Northern Ireland has continuing issues and organisations like PeacePlayers - who are using sport as a tool for peacebuilding - are still needed, now and in the future. We want to ensure that we have the skills and structure to ensure our programmes are reaching their full potential and can contribute to making Northern Ireland more peaceful.
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