Ministers Urge Ethnic Minority Fund Applications

The First Minister and deputy First Minister have called for community and voluntary organisations that work with or represent ethnic minorities in Northern Ireland to apply for a new funding scheme.

The Minority Ethnic Development Fund is a three tier funding system.

Applicants will be able to apply for varying amounts of money dependent on the scope and scale of the intended use.

The First Minister said: "The revised funding scheme will now run for a two year period, until the end of March 2015. This will support work which contributes to the promotion of good relations between people of different ethnic backgrounds, the building of community cohesion and facilitation of integration. This funding will run for a period up to two years and will bring greater stability to the sector and help retain the talent, knowledge and energy of the groups in the sector."

The deputy First Minister added: "The Fund has been very successful since its inception. It provides a practical response to promoting good relations between people of different ethnic origins and assisting members of those communities to integrate into wider society. With three tiers of funding streams being offered, groups will be able to apply for need specific and smarter funding. This will help targets be achieved and allow for a greater dispersal of support to a larger number of groups, including newly established groups."

(IT)