Community development

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 different support and development services to assist local community and voluntary groups:

• setting up a new group – support with constitutions, insurance, bank accounts
• projects – assistance 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 via our Contact form.

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

Together we have agreed a Community Development Service Delivery Plan for community support.  You can download the plan below or find out more on the link here - Community Development Delivery Plan.

Community information register

The council keeps a register of groups interested in receiving notice about grants, information events, opportunities and other community-related activities. The council can only send community-related information to groups on the register. We use email to pass on community-related information to registered groups. 

Stay up to date with what's going on across Ards and North Down by registering your details with us if your community organisation, group or partnership would like to receive this information. Fill in the registration form (downloadable from the list below) and return it to:

Ards and North Down Borough Council,
Community & Culture,
2 Church Street,
Newtownards, BT23 4AP

Email: cdadmin@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Registering your group

If your community organisation, group or partnership wants to receive community-related information, you need to register by filling in the registration form and returning to the council.

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 from the list below.