Joe O'Brien - Green Party
Additional Energy Grants Scheme for Small Community Groups Announced by Minister O’Brien
18th November, 2022
18th November 2022
- Fund to provide small grants for small unincorporated community groups to deal with rising energy and running costs.
- Funding towards higher energy costs will target those who fall outside the terms of other government energy support schemes such as the recently announced Community and Voluntary Energy Support Scheme CVESS
Minister Joe O’Brien today announced a €10 million fund to support small unincorporated community groups and voluntary organisations that are not registered charities to help them to survive the burden of sharp increase in energy bills. The fund will also support the wider community and voluntary sector, offering support towards other running costs and improvements to their facilities.
This funding will help community groups and committees, allowing them to continue to provide their valuable services to the local population in their area, and in the process strengthen the bonds that tie communities together.
The Community Supports Fund will support these groups at this critical time by providing small grants particularly in disadvantaged areas, with their energy and running costs such as electricity bills, gas/oil bills, as well as with capital improvements to their facilities.
Groups can also use the funding to carry out necessary repairs and to purchase equipment such as tables and chairs, tools and signage, laptops and printers, lawnmowers and training equipment. There is €100k ring-fenced within the fund to support Women’s Sheds across the country.
The once-off fund will be allocated under the Department’s Community Enhancement Programme and will be administered locally by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs).
This funding builds on the Minster’s earlier announcement of the €10million Community and Voluntary Energy Support Scheme (CVESS). The CVESS will provide once-off support to incorporated organisations and registered charities within the Community and Voluntary sector which fall outside the parameters of other energy support schemes being delivered by Government such as the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS). Further details can be found here.
Announcing the funding today, Minister O’Brien said:
“In recognition of rising energy costs the Government announced a package of funding supports to business, cultural, health, sporting and C&V organisatons in September. Last week we confirmed additional supports would be available for energy costs via the CVESS however I was keenly aware from my discussions with the sector that that many small organisations/groups particularly those who serve in disadvantaged areas may not be able to access these funds. With this in mind we have devised this additional €10m fund under the CSF Programme to ensure that small unincorporated organsiations can also avail of support.
“These grants will help thousands of community organisations, clubs, men’s and women’s sheds, youth centres and parish halls, to continue to provide their valuable services to the people in their areas.”
Groups should contact their LCDC for further details of the fund.
This initiative forms part of a range of measures being undertaken by the department to support the community and voluntary sector, and to empower thriving, sustainable communities across Ireland. It also ties into the Reduce Your Use energy efficiency campaign recently approved by the cabinet which is designed to target reductions in energy use within the public service.
ENDS
Notes to editor:
- The Community Support Fund is being administered under the existing Community Enhancement Programme (CEP), which is targeted towards enhancing facilities in disadvantaged communities.
- The Community Enhancement Programme was launched for the first time in 2018. Between 2018 and the end of 2021 the CEP has provided funding to over 10,000 projects across the country. A list of projects is provided on the following link: Community Enhancement Programme reports
- The funding has been allocated by providing a baseline amount to each area and allocating the remainder based on the population and disadvantage level in each local authority area.
- The funding is administered locally by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) across the country, with support from their Local Authority. Applications for funding can be made to the relevant LCDC. Contact details for LCDCs are available here.
- Community and Voluntray Organisations that are incorporated and/or are registered charities should check their eligibility for the alternative Community and Voluntary Energy Support Scheme. Further details are available on the Pobal website.Pobal.ie
Funding for each Local Authority area
| Local Authority area | Amount |
| Carlow | 283,141 |
| Cavan | 285,126 |
| Clare | 301,325 |
| Cork City | 353,332 |
| Cork County | 362,678 |
| Donegal | 374,061 |
| Dublin City | 564,302 |
| Dun Laoghaire | 311,589 |
| Fingal | 341,875 |
| Galway City | 276,838 |
| Galway County | 316,244 |
| Kerry | 312,671 |
| Kildare | 332,848 |
| Kilkenny | 290,749 |
| Laois | 291,487 |
| Leitrim | 265,201 |
| Limerick | 350,592 |
| Longford | 276,585 |
| Louth | 323,952 |
| Mayo | 322,731 |
| Meath | 314,415 |
| Monaghan | 277,255 |
| Offaly | 298,782 |
| Roscommon | 279,884 |
| Sligo | 282,702 |
| South Dublin | 409,835 |
| Tipperary | 338,885 |
| Waterford | 320,195 |
| Westmeath | 291,654 |
| Wexford | 340,233 |
| Wicklow | 308,834 |
ENDS