Trading for Impact: Ministers Calleary and Buttimer announce €4 million investment to support social enterprises
-
From: Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
- Published on: 20 May 2025
- Last updated on: 21 May 2025
- 42 social enterprises will receive funding of between €15,000 and €100,000
- 83 social enterprises will receive funding of between €1,500 and €15,000
- Investments made through the Growing Social Enterprise Scheme supported by the Dormant Accounts Fund
The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, and the Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, Jerry Buttimer, today (Tuesday 20 May) jointly announced a €4 million investment to support social enterprises nationwide.
The Ministers made the announcement while visiting FoodCloud in Tallaght, Co. Dublin. FoodCloud, a social enterprise working to reduce food waste, will receive €97,000 to purchase refrigerated vehicles so they can safely deliver food to community and voluntary organisations.
The purpose of the fund is to provide capital grant supports to assist social enterprises across Ireland to achieve their social, environmental or economic objectives. The funding provided will be used for building works, repairs, refurbishments, or for the purchase of new machinery, vehicles or equipment.
Examples of the Social Enterprises to benefit under the scheme include:
- The Linenhall Arts Centre CLG - €96,989: To fund a range of upgrades and improvements including increased accessibility and installing a new box office, projector and screen
- Galway Traveller Group (Trading as Bounceback Recycling) - €90,357: To fund the purchase of high capacity equipment and transport machinery to expand this organisation's production capacity and demand for services
- Creeslough Community Association CLG - €12,471: To fund an access ramp, chairs, folding tables, kitchenette, interactive screen, blinds and CCTV and the development of a website to support growth
- Benchspace Cork CLG - €78,187: To fund digital manufacturing equipment for Benchspace's residential makers and their training offering, which will increase accessibility, numbers of people supported and income
- Carmichael Centre For Voluntary Groups - €11,418: To fund new updated audio equipment, to enable the organisation to branch into new events within the community
- Vantastic CLG - €74,573: To fund the purchase of two wheelchair-accessible cars for rental services, providing accessible transport services to people with mobility difficulties or disabilities
Announcing the allocations, Minister Calleary said:
“I am delighted to confirm today that 125 social enterprises will benefit under the DAF Growing Social Enterprise Fund. This funding will directly enable social enterprises to develop and expand the vital services that they provide in communities all across Ireland.
“I fully appreciate, and have seen first-hand, the invaluable work carried out by social enterprises around the country and I am pleased to be able to support these organisations.
“As indicated in the 2023 Survey of Social Enterprises, the social enterprise sector in Ireland is characterised by great diversity. In recognition of this, the Dormant Accounts Funding available to my department was specifically tailored to meet the varied needs of organisations, with two funding strands: one with grants up to €15,000 and the second, with grants up to €100,000, to meet the needs of those organisations requiring a more substantive investment.
“The key objective of Trading for Impact, the National Social Enterprise Policy launched last July is to help cultivate and sustain strong and impactful social enterprise in Ireland. The funding being announced today is tangible evidence of the government’s continuing support for this important sector."
Also announcing the funding today, Minister Buttimer said:
“It gives me great pleasure to announce this funding which will directly benefit 125 organisations around the country. The social enterprise sector in Ireland continues to grow and is playing an increasingly important role in the social and economic life of this country. By announcing this funding here today, we are continuing to build on and grow this momentum.
“Strong social enterprises are important for our local communities, and play a crucial role in creating jobs, addressing social challenges, and fostering a more inclusive society. This funding will provide practical support to social enterprises to help them to ensure that they can improve and enhance their facilities and equipment which they need to support their communities.
“The response to this Scheme was overwhelming which clearly demonstrates the requirement to continually invest and support our Social Enterprises.”
A list of recommended Social Enterprises under Strand A of the Growing Social Enterprise Fund is set out in Appendix A.
A list of recommended Social Enterprises under Strand B of the Growing Social Enterprise Fund is set out in Appendix B.
Notes
Social Enterprises
Social enterprises are businesses whose core objective is to achieve a social, societal, or environmental impact. Like other businesses, social enterprises pursue their objectives by trading in goods and services on an ongoing basis. However, surpluses generated by social enterprises are fully or primarily re-invested into achieving the core social objectives.
They frequently work to support disadvantaged groups such as the long-term unemployed, people with disabilities, travellers, or to address issues such as food poverty, social housing, or environmental matters.
National Policy
Trading for Impact is Ireland’s second National Social Enterprise Policy. It was launched by DRCD in July 2024.
This new policy aims to build on the work done by the first policy, detailing 57 Policy Actions under these five Key Objectives:
1) Building Awareness of Social Enterprise
2) Growing and Sustaining Social Enterprise
3) Supporting the Green Transition
4) National and International Engagement
5) Impact Measurement
Dormant Accounts Fund
The Dormant Accounts Acts 2001-2012, together with the Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Act 2003, provide a framework for the administration of unclaimed accounts in credit institutions (i.e. banks, building societies and An Post) and unclaimed life assurance policies in insurance undertakings.
The main purpose of the legislation is to reunite account or policy holders with their funds in credit institutions or insurance undertakings and in this regard, these bodies are required to take steps to identify and contact the owners of dormant accounts and unclaimed life assurance policies.
However, in order to utilise the un-used funds in dormant accounts and unclaimed policies to best effect, the legislation also introduced a scheme for the disbursement of funds that are unlikely to be reclaimed from dormant accounts and unclaimed policies for the purposes of measures to assist:
- the personal and social development of persons who are economically or socially disadvantaged;
- the educational development of persons who are educationally disadvantaged; or
- persons with a disability
Social Enterprises work in many ways to assist people in these categories.
APPENDIX A
DAF Growing Social Enterprise Fund 2024/2025
Strand A
|
Social Enterprise Name |
County |
Funding Amount |
Purpose of Funding |
|
Killaloe Sailing Club Company Limited by Guarantee |
Clare |
€11,350.00 |
|
|
East Clare Community Cooperative Society |
Clare |
€3,736.00 |
|
|
Cork New Life Media T/A Life FM |
Cork |
€15,000.00 |
|
|
Mitchelstown Community Centre CLG |
Cork |
€14,200.00 |
|
|
IRD Duhallow CLG |
Cork |
€15,000.00 |
|
|
Churchfield Community Trust Clg |
Cork |
€14,800.00 |
|
|
Goleen & District Community Council |
Cork |
€4,301.00 |
|
|
Cairde Le Cheile Committee Limited |
Donegal |
€5,000.00 |
|
|
Donegal |
€9,968.00 |
||
|
Donegal |
€11,300.00 |
||
|
White Oaks Acorn Project |
Donegal |
€13,221.00 |
|
|
Colgan Community & Resource Centre Limited |
Donegal |
€15,000.00 |
|
|
Fort Dunree Military Museum CLG |
Donegal |
€9,675.00 |
|
|
Donegal |
€15,000.00 |
||
|
Donegal |
€14,600.00 |
||
|
Rossnakill Community Hub CLG |
Donegal |
€6,515.00 |
|
|
Donegal |
€14,664.00 |
||
|
Donegal |
€14,965.00 |
||
|
Creeslough Community Association CLG |
Donegal |
€12,471.00 |
|
|
St Joseph's Boys AFC Company Limited by Guarantee |
Dublin (County) |
€14,959.00 |
|
|
Sunflower Recycling Limited by Guarantee |
Dublin 1 |
€13,950.00 |
|
|
Together FM CLG |
Dublin 10 |
€14,842.00 |
|
|
Dublin South Local Broadcasting Co-Op Society ltd |
Dublin 14 |
€1,936.00 |
|
|
Fettercairn Community Enterprise CLG |
Dublin 24 |
€13,069.00 |
|
|
Dublin 24 |
€14,500.00 |
||
|
PsyCare Ireland: |
Dublin 3 |
€15,000.00 |
|
|
Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Groups |
Dublin 7 |
€11,418.00 |
|
|
Dublin 8 |
€9,000.00 |
||
|
Venture Out Wilderness Project CLG |
Galway |
€15,000.00 |
|
|
Ballyconneely Parish Hall Association Company |
Galway |
€15,000.00 |
|
|
Galway |
€15,000.00 |
||
|
Galway |
€11,385.00 |
||
|
Galway |
€9,000.00 |
||
|
NEWKD |
Kerry |
€12,258.00 |
|
|
The Social Action Group Rathmore CLG |
Kerry |
€15,000.00 |
|
|
Kerry |
€6,296.00 |
||
|
Kerry Respite Care CLG |
Kerry |
€6,287.00 |
|
|
Breaking Through CLG |
Kildare |
€4,975.00 |
|
|
St Canice's Community Action |
Kilkenny |
€3,960.00 |
|
|
Hospital Community Council CLG |
Limerick |
€15,000.00 |
|
|
Ballyhoura Rural Services CLG |
Limerick |
€15,000.00 |
|
|
Knockcarron Community Centre CLG |
Limerick |
€8,901.00 |
|
|
Limerick |
€15,000.00 |
||
|
Knockainey Historical & Conservation Society CLG |
Limerick |
€8,489.00 |
|
|
Narrative 4 Company Limited by Guarantee |
Limerick |
€4,800.00 |
|
|
Dundalk Media Centre Company Limited by Guarantee |
Louth |
€9,750.00 |
|
|
Carlingford Heritage CLG |
Louth |
€14,959.00 |
|
|
Mayo |
€9,478.00 |
||
|
Castlebar Social Services CLG |
Mayo |
€13,248.00 |
|
|
Aghamore Community Development Company Limited |
Mayo |
€14,848.00 |
|
|
Leave No Trace Ireland |
Mayo |
€14,782.00 |
|
|
Mayo |
€6,437.15 |
||
|
Mayo |
€9,296.00 |
||
|
Dolmen Clubhouse CLG |
Mayo |
€13,015.00 |
|
|
Crann Support Group CLG |
Meath |
€7,392.00 |
|
|
Castleblayney Community Enterprise CLG |
Monaghan |
€15,000.00 |
|
|
Monaghan |
€10,462.00 |
||
|
Crinkle Sports & Recreation Centre CLG |
Offaly |
€14,982.00 |
|
|
Offaly |
€13,284.00 |
||
|
Offaly |
€7,500.00 |
||
|
Offaly |
€9,788.00 |
||
|
Elphin Community Centre Ltd |
Roscommon |
€8,898.00 |
|
|
Ballagh Community Hub |
Roscommon |
€15,000.00 |
|
|
Roscommon |
€14,301.00 |
||
|
Roscommon County Development Fund CLG |
Roscommon |
€7,987.00 |
|
|
County Sligo Heritage & Genealogy Society |
Sligo |
€4,853.00 |
|
|
Cherryswan CLG |
Sligo |
€15,000.00 |
|
|
Sligo |
€14,869.00 |
||
|
Ox Mountain Development Co. Ltd. |
Sligo |
€13,775.00 |
|
|
Borrisoleigh Community Centre |
Tipperary |
€15,000.00 |
|
|
Tipperary |
€11,559.00 |
||
|
Cloughjordan Community Farm CLG |
Tipperary |
€15,000.00 |
|
|
Development Assocation Newport CLG |
Tipperary |
€3,885.00 |
|
|
Moyne Community Café and Shop CLG |
Tipperary |
€11,315.00 |
|
|
Treo Port Lairge CLG |
Waterford |
€12,500.00 |
|
|
Cappoquin Community Development CLG |
Waterford |
€7,635.00 |
|
|
Tourin Community Company Ltd |
Waterford |
€12,608.00 |
|
|
The Shona Project |
Waterford |
€4,842.35 |
|
|
Waterford |
€11,907.00 |
||
|
Midland Amenity Park Company Limited By Guarantee |
Westmeath |
€9,519.00 |
|
|
Saint Aidans Day Care Centre Ltd by Guarantee |
Wexford |
€3,536.00 |
|
|
Festina Lente Enterprises CLG |
Wicklow |
€14,495.00 |
|
|
Glencree Visitor Centre |
Wicklow |
€11,164.00 |
APPENDIX B
DAF Growing Social Enterprise Fund 2024/2025
Strand B
|
Social Enterprise Name |
County |
Funding Amount |
Purpose of Funding |
|
The Big Idea House |
Carlow |
€96,670.20 |
|
|
Common Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Living CLG |
Clare |
€93,006.51 |
|
|
Hometree CLG |
Clare |
€91,763.94 |
|
|
Benchspace Cork CLG |
Cork |
€78,187.82 |
|
|
Carrigtwohill Community Council CLG |
Cork |
€36,306.13 |
|
|
Letterkenny Community Centre CLG |
Donegal |
€72,816.93 |
|
|
Darndale-Belcamp Village Centre CLG |
Dublin |
€42,195.00 |
|
|
Vantastic CLG |
Dublin |
€74,573.60 |
|
|
Foodcloud |
Dublin |
€97,000.00 |
|
|
The Community Enterprise Society CLG |
Dublin |
€83,365.68 |
|
|
Action Community & Enterprise CLG |
Dublin |
€89,797.75 |
|
|
Accessible Community Transport Southside CLG |
Dublin |
€97,000.00 |
|
|
Speedpak CLG |
Dublin |
€44,035.09 |
|
|
Galway |
€90,357.44 |
||
|
Brigit's Garden CLG |
Galway |
€59,170.00 |
|
|
Ballybane Community Centre CLG |
Galway |
€19,691.00 |
|
|
Galway Community Circus Limited |
Galway |
€97,000.00 |
|
|
Torc Community and Family Resource Centre CLG |
Kerry |
€57,533.61 |
|
|
Sensational Kids CLG |
Kildare |
€30,025.38 |
|
|
County Kildare Community Network Company CLG |
Kildare |
€60,718.12 |
|
|
Kilkenny |
€48,560.14 |
||
|
Probation and Linkage in Limerick Scheme CLG |
Limerick |
€44,620.00 |
|
|
Our Lady of Lourdes Community Services Group |
Limerick |
€86,085.56 |
|
|
Adare Recreation & Community Complex CLG |
Limerick |
€62,352.57 |
|
|
ACM Community Development Society Ltd. |
Limerick |
€64,999.70 |
|
|
Longford |
€57,178.59 |
||
|
Muirhevnamor Community Council CLG |
Louth |
€36,576.76 |
|
|
The Linenhall Arts Centre CLG |
Mayo |
€96,989.33 |
|
|
St. Colman's Care Centre CLG |
Mayo |
€62,165.36 |
|
|
Mayo |
€82,139.60 |
||
|
South Meath Social Economy CLG |
Meath |
€66,103.56 |
|
|
Mullaghmatt Cortolvin Communty Development Limited |
Monaghan |
€64,338.16 |
|
|
Offaly |
€53,814.63 |
||
|
The Melting Pot Community Society Ltd. |
Roscommon |
€39,668.15 |
|
|
Riverstown Enterprise Development (Sligo) Ltd. |
Sligo |
€95,802.05 |
|
|
Skreen Dromard Development CLG |
Sligo |
€25,421.76 |
|
|
Millennium Family Resource Centre CLG |
Tipperary |
€45,007.03 |
|
|
BRILL Family Resource Centre CLG |
Waterford |
€27,031.96 |
|
|
Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens |
Waterford |
€96,515.00 |
|
|
Waterford & Suir Valley Railway Company CLG |
Waterford |
€97,000.00 |
|
|
Wexford Local Development |
Wexford |
€70,439.46 |
|
|
The National 1798 Historical Centre CLG |
Wexford |
€86,790.75 |