Community Support Plan

Community Support Plan 2025-2029

Belfast City Council’s City & Neighbourhood Services Department has produced a draft Community Support Plan for our Community Services Unit (2025-2029) which sets out the basis for how these Services provide support to local communities and residents.

The Council’s Community Support Plan outlines how we seek to support a better engaged and more resourceful community. We do this through our resources and community facilities and the support we provide to community and voluntary organisations that provide relevant services.

The production of a Community Support Plan

• Provides a clear articulation of our community support priorities and the resources required to deliver on these priorities.
• Details how priorities will be supported through a funding programme.
• Agrees outcomes for Community Support activity that will drive the delivery of activity from 25/29.

The Community Support Plan (CSP) includes

1. Council community service delivery; and
2. Funding made available by Council to community and voluntary sector organisations across the city.

What is included in the Plan

Supports and Services the Council will deliver

• Access to facilities will be supported through increased promotion of council assets and services ensuring that local facilities deliver activity that meets the needs of communities.
• Take a lead role in developing and facilitating collaboration between community organisations and council.
• Deliver appropriate mentoring and training for community organisations.
• Support volunteer recruitment and development.

Supports and Services that will be delivered via community / voluntary organisations through Council funding

• Funding for activity that contributes to the agreed Community Support Plan priorities which are listed below.
• Large, multi-annual grants which will provide support towards core running/staff costs and programme delivery
• Small grants for community activities

Strategic Priorities for Inclusion in the Plan

The following priorities are included in the new Community Support Plan:

1. Creating active, engaged and resilient communities
2. Ensuring access to quality community facilities
3. Joining up community support through partnership development and collaboration

How we will implement our Community Support Plan

Council Service Delivery Priorities

• Developing operational action plans under key priorities
• Refreshing funding programmes to reflect community needs.
• Supporting volunteering by creating new and better opportunities for people to make a difference to their communities.
• Leading networking, co-ordination and partnership development in local communities to create active, engaged and resilient communities.
• Providing access to mentoring and training for community organisations
• Reviewing the current provision of council community facilities across the city.
• Delivery and co-ordination of activity programmes.

Our Funding Plan

From 2026 we will offer funding through the following approach.

How we will continue to include you

Your involvement is important to us, and we will continue to engage with residents and partners in the Voluntary and Community sector to make sure that delivery is addressing key issues and needs impacting local community services.

If you require the full version of the plan, please email community@belfastcity.gov.uk(External link)