Warm Spaces Grant Scheme

Background

Council has identified a budget to support projects that assist local communities through new, renewed or extended community activities which bring people together in a warm, safe, shared space.

Constituted groups are permitted to apply for 100% funding up to a maximum of £500 to encourage them to host a Warm Space for the local community. 

These grants are designed to support activities, not capital costs. 

Projects must run for a minimum of 3 sessions within the dates 8 December 2025 – 31 March 2026.

The definition of a Warm Space is that they must be a free to use, warm, safe place where residents can expect a friendly and inclusive welcome.

People can attend on their own, or with a friend, and will have an opportunity to talk to others over a hot drink or maybe a hot meal and be encouraged to stay for long as they wish throughout its opening hours. 

You may also wish to make some social activities available. 

Council will provide all successful projects with information packs to give out, which will contain practical advice on keeping safe and warm this winter.

There can be further help to find out about more specialist advice and support for any issues or challenges they are facing.

The grant scheme will open for applications on 17 November 2025 for projects taking place between 8 December 2025 and 31 March 2026.

The scheme will stay open for applications until either:

• The budget has been fully allocated; or
• 1 January 2026, whichever is first; at which point the scheme will close for applications

N.B. Only applications that have been submitted before the closing of the scheme will be considered for funding. No draft applications will be considered.

Applications are restricted to one application per community group only.

Scope

To qualify for a grant under this Scheme, applicants must be formally constituted with a current committee and based in the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council area.

The applicant must also ensure that any benefits from the funding are in the Mid and East Antrim Borough only.

A community organisation is defined as a group constituted to undertake specific duties and responsibilities as confirmed in their constitution for no private or commercial gain.

There are a number of ways in which to constitute a community group and this can include groups that have a memorandum and articles of association as long as any profits are reinvested and not for private gain.

This includes faith-based groups and single identity organisations undertaking community activities.

EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS

• Enabling people to reconnect with their communities by hosting coffee/newspaper mornings or luncheon club in a warm and welcoming building running for six weeks
• Enabling people to access a nutritious meal by hosting an activity such as a weekly beetle drive or cookery demonstration followed by supper
• Extending the opening hours and/or range of activities provided by existing community organisations which bring people together in warm spaces for companionship eg guest speakers, keep fit classes etc
• Hosting a series of information events, along with refreshments, with representatives attending from organisations who may be able to provide support and advice for the community in relation to the cost-of-living crisis.
• Enabling and encouraging vulnerable people to use and access technology to keep them connected to the outside world by hosting an intergenerational club where the young people share computer skills and the older people share baking or sewing skills
• Awareness raising events directly relating to the purpose of the fund, e.g. series of weekly speakers to provide wellbeing information, healthy eating, keep warm projects etc

Please note:

a) We ask that you are able to provide toilets, heating, tables and chairs and tea and coffee-making facilities.

b) The aim of the funding scheme is to facilitate groups to provide a number of repeated sessions over a period of weeks, during the winter months, not a one-off event.

c) Council will also require successful applicants to contact the wellbeing team on wellbeing@midandeastantrim.gov.uk to register the project as a warm space and get a copy of the warm space charter and toolkit.

This will allow the project to be uploaded to Council’s website to attract participants.

Eligible spend

The following are examples of items which can qualify for eligible spend:

• Slow cookers to facilitate provision of meals such as soups and stews
• Tea, coffee, milk, biscuits for coffee mornings
• Newspapers or board games
• Food ingredients for cookery demonstrations
• Materials for a craft class or similar
• Third party Venue hire costs (NB. costs associated with the use of the group’s own venue cannot be considered)

These lists are not exhaustive, and any project ideas should be discussed with your local DEA Council Officer in the first instance to determine suitability.

Any groups who require support for projects are advised to contact their relevant DEA Officer to discuss other sources of guidance and support.

Scoring Criteria

To qualify for a grant under this Scheme, applicants must clearly demonstrate the following in completing the relevant application form:

I. What the project is, including planned dates (events should be well-planned and locally connected)
II. The need for the project (evidence base that the project meets the needs of the local community
III. The benefits of the project (eg strengthens community, addresses loneliness, provides warm spaces)
IV. Specifically targets people that are lonely or socially isolated

Each answer will require a minimum of 60% in scoring for the application to be successful.

Exclusions

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council will not fund the following under this scheme:

a) Commercial ventures and organisations;
b) Organisations which fall under the remit or are primarily funded by Central Government or public sector bodies, such as schools, state funded / private pre-school groups, state funded / private childcare facilities, PTAs.
(N.B. Community and Voluntary operated pre-school and childcare facilities are eligible to apply to this scheme);
c) Large items of equipment which would be deemed capital, i.e. non-portable, permanent fixtures or vehicles etc.
d) Use of commercial/business premises during normal opening hours (hire of a commercial premises outside normal opening hours for an activity which is not for commercial gain may be considered)
e) Single issue organisations whose primary focus is campaigning or lobbying;
f) Parades;
g) Events, parties, shopping trips or other day trips;
h) Umbrella groups not represented in the Mid and East Antrim area by a locally based committee;
i) Projects that have already commenced or expenditure incurred prior to making application to this scheme;
j) Projects outside of the Mid and East Antrim area;
k) Groups currently in arrears or in bad debt to Council;
l) Items of personal team kit, clothing and uniforms;
m) Alcohol;
n) Applications from individuals;
o) Holiday schemes/projects;
p) Party political activity
q) Running costs of an organisation.
This includes salary, electricity, heating, Mobile / telephone, internet, rent costs, subscriptions, bank fees and membership fees, ongoing upkeep of websites.
r) The purchase of equipment relating to the administration of the group, e.g. IT equipment and mobile phones.
s) One off events

Equality of Opportunity

While administering the Grants Support Scheme, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council will ensure the promotion of equality of opportunity between:

a) Persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation;
b) Men and women generally;
c) Persons with a disability and persons without; and
d) Persons with dependants and persons without;

In addition, due regard will be given to the promotion of good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group.

How to Apply

Before completing an application, applicants should make sure that they are eligible to apply and have read these guidance notes in full.

Applications are made online by going to our online Grants portal.

If you have issues in accessing the grants portal, please contact the DEA Council Officer for your local area.

Specific Conditions

A project that has been awarded funding through another Council grant scheme will not be permitted to obtain funding under this scheme (i.e. double funding is not permitted)

All projects awarded funding within the 2025/26 financial year must have their final claims submitted before 30 April 2026.

Proposed activity/project ends by	Final Claims/Paperwork submitted by
31 March 2026	30 April 2026

N.B. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all statutory licences and permits are in place prior to an event taking place.

Typical licences required for a community event may include Entertainments, Street Trading etc. 

For information on licences and fees, please visit our Licencing section.

Full terms and conditions are available on the Council website by going to our Grants section.

Payment of grant

Payment of grant will be made after the project or activity has taken place and upon submission of the Claim Form and the completion of Council’s vouching and monitoring processes.

All successful applicants will have the opportunity to request a 50% advance payment.

This can be done online via the Grants Portal.

No further payments will be made until completion of the project and satisfactory vouching has taken place.

N.B. Council, at its discretion, may contact suppliers directly to verify expenditure has taken place in accordance with the funding awarded.

Cases of suspected fraud involving Mid and East Antrim Borough Council funds will be reported to the police.