APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR ROUND 1 OF BELFAST HARBOUR’S 2026 COMMUNITY AWARDS PROGRAMME
Belfast Harbour has launched its 2026 Community Awards programme, offering a total of £110,000 to grassroots organisations across Belfast and beyond, through individual grants of up to £5,000 each. The Community Awards are a key part of the Trust Port’s overall Community Fund Programme which will see a record investment of £350,000 donated by Belfast Harbour to community and charity-based initiatives over the year.
The Belfast Harbour Community Awards scheme was launched in 2021 and since then it has supported more than 150 projects which strengthen communities, champion the environment, develop employability and skills, and create opportunities for local people to thrive. Recipients have included sporting clubs and community gardens, as well as projects supporting people with disabilities, and arts and theatre programmes for young people.
Joe O’Neill, CEO of Belfast Harbour, said: “We are proud to open our 2026 Community Awards with £110k being made available across the year to grassroots organisations through grants of up to £5,000. This means, since the programme began, we have invested half a million pounds, a milestone worth celebrating. This is testimony to the commitment Belfast Harbour has made to being an organisation which supports the communities, the city and the region it serves.
“Behind every award is a story of people coming together to strengthen their communities. Over the past five years, we have supported dozens of groups, ranging from Brothers Autism Social Enterprise, which supports autistic adults in making connections within their community, to Belfast Lough Sailability which has used the funding to enable people with disabilities to experience the joys of sailing.
“Through programmes such as the Community Awards we are proud to invest in organisations that are making a meaningful difference to their communities – turning ideas into action, and fostering resilience, inclusion and opportunity. We encourage groups of all sizes to apply and bring forward their ideas for this latest round of funding.”
David McLaughlin, Founder Director of Brothers Autism Social Enterprise, said:
“Belfast Harbour’s support enabled Brothers Autism Social Enterprise (BASE) to deliver two social-arts intervention programmes for autistic adults, supporting 15 members on each programme. The Community Awards funding directly contributed to art materials and essential overheads, including room rental, ensuring continuity of provision for participants.
“As a result, autistic adults were able to maintain regular attendance, reduce social isolation and loneliness, and develop meaningful peer friendships within a structured, supportive environment. The programmes proactively addressed mental health challenges by fostering belonging, confidence and community connection.
“A huge thank you to Belfast Harbour for their valued Community Awards support!”
In keeping with its status as a Trust Port, Belfast Harbour reinvests 1% of its annual operating profits into community giving, ensuring that local people and groups can benefit from its economic success. The Community Awards form a key part of this commitment, supporting initiatives that enhance community life, develop skills, protect the environment, and foster cross-community collaboration.
This year will see a total of £110,000 being offered through the Community Awards:
- two funding rounds, one opening in March and one in September, will offer eligible groups and organisations individual grants of up to £5,000.
- The Harbouring Connections Award, which will launch in early summer, will offer two grants of £5,000 to two or more eligible groups or organisations who collaborate to deliver a single project that has a positive community impact.
Details on how to apply are available at: www.belfast-harbour.co.uk/community/community-awards or by emailing communityawards@belfast-harbour.co.uk
Applications close on Friday, April 3rd.
