Community Development

Read the Community Development Annual Report 2023 -2024 (PDF) [1MB](opens new window)

The Council works to support the local community and promote wellbeing. We want to make the Borough the best place to live, work, invest and visit.

Support and development to local groups

We provide a variety of support and development services to assist local community and voluntary groups:

setting up a new group - support with constitutions, insurance, bank accounts
projects - support with funding applications for external funding and signposting to relevant information
training for committee members on community development topics -in partnership with the community networks in the borough
partnerships - developing relationships with other organisations, agencies and statutory bodies
grant aid - including community development grants and community festivals grants from the council and externally from other organisations
communications - keeping groups informed about relevant information

For further information on any of the above support services, or if you have another query, please contact the Community Development Team using the form below or call 0300 013 3333.

You can also download the Community Development Game Plan (PDF) [6MB](opens new window)

Community information register - keep up to date on grants, events, opportunities, and community activities. To stay up to date with what's going on from a community perspective across Ards and North Down please register your details with us, if your community organisation, group or partnership would like to receive the regular emails.

Complete the Community Information Register (Word doc) [45KB](opens new window)

Fill in the registration form and return it by email to cdadmin@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk or call 0300 013 3333 and ask to speak to a member of the Community Development team. Council can only send community related information to groups on the register.

You have a right to withdraw your consent and be removed from the register at any time, please contact cdadmin@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Community Development Grants

All Council Community Development Grants are advertised here: Grants

Please contact communitygrants@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk if you have any grant-related queries.

Community networks

The council also supports and works alongside the following local community networks:

North Down Community Network
Ards Community Development Bureau
County Down Rural Community Network

Advice on How to Hold Your AGM

Supporting Communities have prepared a short video giving advice on how to run an Annual General Meeting. More information can be found at http://supportingcommunities.org/

Community Development Toolkit

In February 2020, we launched the Community Development Toolkit, produced in partnership with the County Down Rural Community Network, North Down Community Network and Ards Development Bureau and Community Network. It is our hope that local communities in Ards and North Down will find the Toolkit helpful and informative.

Download the Toolkit PDF: Community Development Toolkit (PDF) [997KB](opens new window)