Environment, Climate Change and Emergency Planning SPC

Report of the

Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss

out now!

The Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss issued a final report on April 5th with 159 recommendations on how Ireland can improve its response to the biodiversity crisis. The report underscores the serious and chronic failure by the State to adequately fund and enforce existing laws to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

Read the full report here

The final report echoes the overwhelming majority of recommendations championed by the Environmental Pillar, a 32 member coalition of Irish environmental non-governmental organisations working to represent the views of the Irish environmental sector.

Read the Environmental Pillar’s response to the report, including quotes from Pillar members

*Grousemount Wind Farm Community Fund is not included in this call, this fund will open later in the year.

The fund is available to community and voluntary groups, non-profit groups or organisations with a charitable status.  The Wind Farm Community Funds will prioritise projects and initiatives that support and benefit the areas surrounding ESB wholly owned and co-owned wind farms, in the following categories:

• Education and skills.
• Health, safety and wellbeing.
• Environment and habitat conservation.
• Energy efficiency and sustainability.
• Culture and heritage.
• Recreation, sport and social inclusion.
• Tourism (Raheenleagh & Castlepook only)
• Covid-19 related supports

Getting started on your project ideas early will greatly assist with your application, as a well-developed project is key to a successful outcome.

It is essential to note that applications from groups that do not submit required documentation with the application form e.g. planning permission, planning exemption, confirmation that you have liaised with your local authority or owner permission, may not proceed to evaluation.

Applications may made online atwww.communitybenefitfunds.ie, please ensure you take some time to read the Fund Guidelines, prior to submitting you application.  If you are registered a previous call, you can use the same user name and password to apply to the 2023 fund.  If you have lost or forgotten your password, please go to the “Forgot Password” tab, or contact SECAD.

If you do not have a current constitution for your group please click here to download a template constitution, to edit and adapt to suit your group

https://www.adultliteracyforlife.ie/fund/

Applications must be received by 5 pm on 14^th April 2023 to allinnovation@solas.ie.

€20 Million Fund for the construction of new Community Centres 

First ever dedicated fund for shovel-ready community projects in our towns and villages

Investment of at least €1 million per amenity; Focus on areas which currently lack community facilities

Minister Humphreys: This is about delivering ambitious projects that bring communities and families together 

March 31st, 2023 – The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has today launched the 2023 Community Centres Investment Fund, which will see €20 million invested in new and ambitious community projects in our towns and villages.

For the first time, funding of at least €1 million will be invested in projects that are shovel ready and which are in areas that currently lack community facilities.

This builds on the highly successful 2022 initiative, which delivered an investment of over €45 million to renovate and upgrade over 850 projects the length and breadth of the country.

Minister Humphreys made the announcement during a visit to the Oxfield Community Centre in North Sligo, which has just received an investment of €24,000 from her Department.

The 2023 New Builds Measure is for new build community centres on brown/green field sites with grant funding of at least €1 million available per project.

Funding for renovations or refurbishment of existing community centres is not eligible but can still be accessed through the Department’s CLÁR Programme, Town and Village Renewal Scheme or LEADER Programme. 

Details of the Community Centres Investment Fund – New Builds Measure are available on www.gov.ie/drcd with the closing date for applications on 3rd July 2023.

 Contact:

The Department of Rural and Community Development Press Office

01-773 6843 / 087-1734633

Press.office@drcd.gov.ie

 The Community Centres Investment Fund – New Build Measure will invest in new build multi-functional community centres with a minimum grant of €1,000,000 up to a maximum of €6,000,000.

The projects must be ‘shovel-ready’ with all the necessary permissions and consents in place (e.g. planning consent) and be located on a green/brown field site.

The lead party to an application must be a State-funded body (e.g. a local authority).

The fund will provide 90% of the total project value to a maximum of €6,000,000, with at least 10% to be provided in matching contributions.  A minimum of 5% of the matching contributions element must be in cash.