# Northern Ireland's largest trust reduced its total grants in 2011

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2012/05/03/northern-ireland039s-largest-trust-reduced-its-total-grants-2011/
- Published: 2012-05-03T09:31:34+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Ulster Garden Villages, Northern Ireland’s largest independent charitable trust,
distributed just over £1.3 million in donations in 2011, a reduction of £267,000
on the previous year, according to its latest annual report.

This decrease in donations came despite an increase in income but Ulster Garden 
Villages (UGV) said that the reduction was not down to a change in policy but a 
reduction in the number of major projects supported. The annual report showed that
its largest grant (£250,000) went to Townsend Street Presbyterian Church for the
redevelopment of its school house. Other six figure grants were given to Action 
Cancer for medical equipment and to The MAC arts centre for capital work.

Many grants are in the £10,000 to £30,000 bracket and reflect UGV’s interests in
projects supporting disabled people, health, community, research, cultural and heritage
and education and training. The smallest grant given was £2,000.

## Advertisement

As well as giving grants UGV offers loans to charities and in 2011 provided loans
totalling £695,000. Multi year grants are also provided and the charitable trust
has forward commitments of nearly £3.6 million to 2014.

UGV has total funds of just over £30 million, with funds generated almost equally
between rental income and investments. UGV also made a major investment in the local
property market in 2011 when it bought 65 apartments in Victoria Square, Belfast
for £6.8 million.

www.ulstergardenvillages.co.uk

 * **[Foundation criticises standard of Northern Ireland grant applications](https://fundraising.co.uk/2012/05/03/foundation-criticises-standard-northern-ireland-grant-applications/)**(
   3 May 2012)
 * **[Hospice NI appoints new head of fundraising](https://fundraising.co.uk/2012/05/28/hospice-ni-appoints-new-head-fundraising/)**(
   28 May 2012)
 * **[Community Foundation NI to co-ordinate Santander awards](https://fundraising.co.uk/2012/06/19/community-foundation-ni-coordinate-santander-awards/)**(
   19 June 2012)