The Community Recognition Fund 2024 (€50m) aims to support the development of community infrastructure and facilities for the entire community in recognition of the contribution being made by communities across the country in welcoming and hosting significant numbers of arrivals from Ukraine and other countries.
The funding is specifically targeted at projects that are located in communities, towns and villages that are hosting Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection and/or International Protection Applicants (‘new arrivals’). The fund aims to support the development of facilities that will be used in the future by all members of the community.
Funding can be allocated to projects that will be delivered directly by the Local Authority. Projects can also be delivered via community organisations in a similar manner to the management of the ORIS and CLÁR programmes.
Locations eligible for funding:
Carlow County Council is seeking Expressions of Interest for project proposals from communities currently hosting the highest levels of Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection or International Protection Applicants. Locations eligible for this funding include:
- Carlow Town
- Tullow Town
- Bagenalstown
- Borris
Note: Only proposals submitted on the Expression of Interest Form will be accepted.
Possible projects eligible for funding are:
- development, enhancement or refurbishment of community or cultural facilities including play areas, walkways, parks, community/sensory gardens, allotments, and recreational areas;
- development, enhancement or refurbishment of local club and sports facilities including facilities such as community swimming pools, changing rooms, toilets, digital aids such as score / information boards etc.;
- enhancement to school/parish facilities which are open to use by all of the community after school hours;
- purchase of equipment for local clubs, festivals, community events and organisations e.g. music, arts or sports equipment;
- transport infrastructure such as the purchase of community vehicles, bus shelters and attendant information boards; (any vehicle funded must be in good condition and not more than 5 years old);
- projects that help address dereliction and/or wider local economic and community development objectives;
- purchase and refurbishment of vacant or derelict buildings for community use where a clear need is identified;
- purchase of land and associated works for the development of community facilities such as play areas/MUGAs or town parks/community gardens, recreational areas etc. (purchases must only be administered by the local authority).
Criteria for funding proposals:
- Projects to be funded need to be capital in nature, deliver medium-long term benefits for the communities in which they are located.
- Eligible projects will receive funding for capital costs, but not for any ongoing operational or running costs.
- Projects must be capable of being delivered during 2025 and 2026.
- The minimum level of funding for an individual project is €50,000.00 with a maximum of €100,000.00 applying.
- Smaller projects cannot be artificially combined to meet the minimum threshold of €50,000.00 – while the 2023 scheme provided funding for small scale investment in clubs and communities (e.g. for small scale equipment) the focus of the 2024 scheme is on projects of greater scale and impact.
- In exceptional circumstances where the allocation of funding permits i.e. Carlow Town up to a maximum of €200,000.00 may be submitted for consideration. Such proposals will need to demonstrate the capacity of the applicant organisation/group to deliver the proposed project in line with the terms and conditions attached to the scheme.
- A minimum of 50% of the allocation must be incurred in 2025.
- All Expressions of Interest should include as much information as possible.
- The funding cannot be used as a co-funding source for any other scheme operated by the Department of Rural and Community Development or any other Government Department.
- The funding cannot be used as a form of matched funding to any project proposal.
- Projects/groups that received funding already under the Community Recognition fund 2023 and 2024 to date, are not eligible to apply.
- No works should commence in advance of receiving formal notification of project approval.
- All permissions, for example, a final grant of planning permission and/or environmental assessments etc., must be in place when submitting the Expression of Interest Form.
- Where properties, are leased, a lease period of a minimum of 5 years must be in place and documentation may be requested in this regard if the project is approved by the Department of Rural and Community Development.
- All applications are subject to the Data Protection Act (as amended) and the General Data protection Regulation (GDPR) (as amended) and the Freedom of Information Act 2014 (as amended).
- While all Expressions of Interest received will be considered, it will not be possible to grant funding for all projects submitted, however, projects may be eligible for funding under another government funding programme.
Expressions of Interest should be submitted to communityrecognitionfund@carlowcoco.ie on or before 4.00 p.m. Friday, 15th November 2024.
Please state in the subject bar of the e-mail – Community Recognition Fund 2024 Proposal.
Queries may be directed to:
Email: communityrecognitionfund@carlowcoco.ie
Telephone: 059 9136249