Allister Urges Uptake of Modernisation Fund Resources
11 July 2007
Jim Allister, Member of the European Parliament has urged voluntary and community groups from within the Unionist community to avail of funding opportunities created by the latest stage of the DSD Modernisation Fund. The fund is designed help voluntary and community organisations to increase their capacity and sustainability.
This time around there will be three funding streams:
• Pilot Infrastructure Scheme [allocation £9 million] - supporting applications with a grant value of between £300,000 and £1.5 million per project.
• Community Facilities Improvement Scheme [allocation £3 million] - to improve facilities to allow better service delivery and access to services.
• Small Capital Grants Scheme [allocation £3 million] - to undertake minor works and / or purchase assets in order to improve their ability to deliver a better service to the community. Individual project value between £20,000 and £100,000.
Jim Allister said:
“This fund as far as I can see is ideally suited to groups operating within the Unionist community. It is a fact acknowledged by all impartial observers that our community is significantly behind other communities in terms of community capacity and development. Other funding programmes have been tailored to address this problem and I feel that this programme can have a significant impact in starting to put things right.
This can only happen if Unionists apply for funding. How many times in the past have we heard the tired old excuse that the reasons Unionist groups don’t get funded is because they don’t apply? I would urge as many groups as possible to contact the DSD and get an application form submitted. My office will be willing to help any groups interested in applying for these funds”, said the MEP.
