Council launch Community Initiative Fund applications

02/06/2015

Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.

South Dublin County Council is delighted to be able to confirm the launch of applications for the Community Initiative Fund, which is a new initiative for 2015.

The Council provided a fund of €170,000.00 in its budget which will allow Community Groups to bid for funding support for projects which is not available from other sources. It is designed to fund or provide an opportunity for access by communities/groups to funds for significant community and cultural / heritage enhancement or neighbourhood projects which they could not start or complete on their own.

The Community Initiative Fund has been designed to be as flexible and responsive as possible to the needs of the community and in formally launching the application process, the Mayor of South Dublin, Councillor Fintan Warfield, stated that:

“It was very important that applicants give as much information as possible on their application as applications will be judged on their merits and on the evidence of strong community support. Grants from €1,000 to €50,000 will be available to support projects.

Applicants will be required to show that they will be able to provide some of their own funding and / or volunteerism for a project. Projects which best demonstrate this aspect of the project will be encouraged.”

Speaking at the launch Chief Executive, Daniel McLoughlin confirmed that the Council’s Community Services Team would be available to assist applicants with their applications and that projects which involve the community working together, identifying their own needs and deciding for themselves the actions needed to find answers to such needs, were to be encouraged.

It was confirmed that applications could be made under the following headings:

Improving Services for Children and Young People
Tackling Social and Economic Disadvantage
Promoting Good Health and Wellbeing
Supporting Education / Training and Life Long Learning
Promoting Safe Communities
Supporting a high quality and sustainable environment
Supporting actions to improve accessibility within communities
Promoting inclusion for all
Supporting Arts, Culture and Heritage

The Chair of the Social and Community Strategic Policy Committee, Councillor Dermot Looney highlighted that all projects should have the potential to add value to the other work being undertaken in the locality but applicants must demonstrate that they can meet ongoing revenue costs and that projects are financially viable and can demonstrate value for money.

All applications received would be assessed based on the information submitted and applicants were asked to note that the closing date for the receipt of applications was close of business (5.00pm) on Friday 26th June 2015.

Short listing of applications would take place in early July 2015 in a manner similar to the usual shortlisting processes with a view to final decisions being made by an external adjudication board as soon as possible thereafter.

For further information, please contact the Community Services Department, South Dublin County Council by any of the following methods:

Online Application

Post:
Community Services Department
South Dublin County Council
County Hall
Tallaght
Dublin 24

Telephone: 01 414 9270
Fax: 01 414 9306
Email: comdevof@sdublincoco.ie:
Web www.sdcc.ie

Images

Chief Executive Danny McLoughlin and Mayor Fintan Warfield
Chief Executive Danny McLoughlin Director of Housing Social and Community Development Billy Coman, Mayor Fintan Warfield, Cllr Dermot Looney and Cllr Kenneth Egan