Givan announces further £1.91m funding to deliver RAISE locality led projects across Northern Ireland
Date published:
Education Minister Paul Givan has announced a second tranche of locality led projects to tackle educational disadvantage in RAISE localities.
Following an application and assessment process, 42 projects will move forward across localities, in addition to the 65 locality led projects already advancing to delivery.
Paul Givan said:
“This second tranche of projects is a significant investment of £1.91m in supporting children and young people who face additional barriers to education to reach their potential.
“In addition to the funding for locality led projects already announced, this brings a total investment to £5.61m into raising aspirations and providing opportunities for better educational outcomes for children and young people in RAISE localities across Northern Ireland.
Projects have been selected which support RAISE strategic objectives of raising achievement and aspiration through a community-based approach and deliver against priorities identified in RAISE Strategic Area Plans.
The projects include a range of initiatives targeting issues such as attendance, pupil wellbeing and learning support to be provided to communities through local delivery partners.
The Minister continued:
“The RAISE Programme enables communities to identify need in their area and work collectively to overcome them. Working together with community organisations and schools, we can remove barriers to learning and achievement and bring long term benefits to both individuals and wider communities.
“Today’s announcement marks another important step forward in delivering the objectives set out in each of the RAISE Locality Strategic Area Plans. I look forward to seeing the positive difference this investment will make in the lives of children and young people.”
A full list of the projects moving forward to the next stage can be found here: Locality Led Projects selected to advance further in the process | Department of Education
The Department will now move to agree Letters of Offer with relevant organisations in the coming weeks.
Notes to editors:
1. The RAISE Programme is funded through the Shared Island Fund and represents an investment of £20million/€24million over two years from 2024 –2026, with the potential for further funding. Further information on the RAISE Programme is available RAISE programme | Department of Education
2. The Locality Led Projects deliver against a series of objectives set out in the Strategic Area Plans and which formed the basis of a call process which was opened on 19 March 2026.
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