Carlow County Council endeavour to work alongside our communities to empower and support their transition to a climate-resilient county. Through partnership, innovation, and local climate action, we aim to reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency, and strengthen our county's ability to adapt to the challenges of climate change.
IPB LEAF Fund 2026
Carlow County Council, in partnership with IPB Insurance, launched the IPB LEAF Fund in July 2026, with €50,000 in funding available to support community-led projects that enhance the environment, promote biodiversity, support the circular economy and drive local climate action across Carlow.
The fund, operating under the theme “Communities Working Together for Climate,” is now open for applications from Tidy Towns committees, Residents’ Associations, and community groups registered with Carlow Public Participation Network (PPN). Collaboration with schools, sports clubs, Sustainable Energy Communities, and other local organisations is strongly encouraged to maximise community impact.
Grants were awarded to community groups to deliver practical environmental and climate benefits within their local communities.
Carlow County Council want to thank IPB Insurance for the sponsorship of the LEAF Fund 2026, without this contribution these fantastic projects might not have come to fruition.
Successful Applicants for IPB LEAF 2026:
| Group/Organisation Name: | Summary of Approved Project: | Amount Approved: |
|---|---|---|
| Ardattin Community Group | Energy audit of the community hall to guide future decarbonisation and retrofit investments. | €1,230.00 |
| Bagenalstown Area Community Development Group & PDLS Bagenalstown | Purchase of bikes for community use in partnership with PDLS, to encourage active travel within the community. | €4,735.50 |
| Bagenalstown Improvement Group & Bagenalstown FC | Installation of rainwater harvesting system to support sustainable water management in the Bagenalstown FC facilities. | €5,749.65 |
| Ballinkillen Lorum Community Centre Club | Upgrading community hall windows to improve thermal efficiency of the hall. | €6,741.58 |
| Ballymurphy Hall Committee | Replacement of internal lights with LED lights to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. | €3,400.00 |
| Carlow Beekeepers Association | Upgrade of CBA’s facilities to improve pollinator habitat and to create a space for hosting volunteers & workshops. | €3,005.00 |
| Carlow Town Sustainable Energy Community | Provision of energy audits for community facilities throughout Carlow Town to inform future decarbonisation measures and retrofit investments. | €6,150.00 |
| County Carlow Environmental Network | Public workshops on how to create food forests. | €7,500.00 |
| DTA Tullow Tidy Towns and Climate Action Committee | Biodiversity and environmental measures, including swift conservation, rainwater harvesting, and traffic monitoring to inform future sustainable travel activities. | €5,986.76 |
| St. Fiacc's Swimming Pool and Community Hall CLG | Purchase of smart meters to monitor and reduce energy consumption. | €1,762.12 |
| Tinryland Community Hub CLG | Delivery of sustainable food growing workshops for the community. | €3,739.39 |
Guidelines for the fund are available below
For further information please email climate@carlowcoco.ie