Ireland and Northern Ireland grants policy

The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust aims to fund work which will contribute to the ongoing development of a just and peaceful society in the island of Ireland.

JRCT takes no position on the constitutional arrangements within the island, but recognises the strong historical, cultural and practical links between Britain, Northern Ireland, and Ireland.

What we will fund

The Trust is interested in funding work which:

• addresses the root causes of violence and injustice, rather than alleviating symptoms;
• cannot be funded from other sources; and
• is likely to make a long-term, strategic difference.

The Trust will consider applications in the following areas:

• Work based on international human rights standards that deals effectively and constructively with past injustice arising out of the Northern Ireland conflict;
• Work that facilitates the demilitarisation of paramilitary groups, and the ending of paramilitary influence in communities;
• Work that enables meaningful dialogue across religious, cultural or political divides in order to address common problems;
• Work that effectively challenges sectarianism, or discrimination arising from racism or xenophobia
• Work which promotes the development of a tolerant, pluralist and multi-ethnic society
• Work that promotes rational and humane migration and integration policies benefiting both migrant and settled communities
• Work that encourages accountability, openness and responsiveness in all levels of government, statutory agencies and the civil service
• Work that protects and enhances civil liberties and human rights;
• Work that promotes nonviolence and creative ways to handle conflict, within specific communities or traditions, or at a national or international level
• Work which strengthens civil society in order to play an appropriate role in addressing the issues listed above

The Trust is interested in supporting work in either jurisdiction, or on a cross-border basis, or at an all-Ireland level.  Local work will be supported only where it is likely to have a wider impact, for example if it is testing a model which can then be replicated, or is addressing a local issue that has wider social or political implications.
 
What we will not fund

In addition to the Trust’s general exclusions, the following types of work will not be funded:

• The delivery of basic services to people in need, including welfare advice, women’s refuges, basic skills training etc. 
• Work with or for children and young people
• Work related to health or disability
• Any form of personal healing or therapeutic work, including counselling;
• Community relations work that does not include a clear strategy for lasting change; 
• Historical research, documentation or archival work;
• The core costs of community centres, local women’s groups, local voluntary sector infrastructure organisations or similar community level groups.

Note

Individuals and groups based in Ireland (the Republic) or Northern Ireland that wish to apply for funding from JRCT should apply under this programme only, rather than any of the Trust’s other grant programmes.