From Department of Rural and Community Development
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Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and Minister of State Joe O’Brien TD, have today (Wednesday, December 22nd) announced over €700,000 in funding for 23 community and voluntary organisations to assist them with the impact of COVID-19.
This latest tranche of COVID Stability Funding arises from the completion of an appeals process and will see cash injections of between €2,000 and just over €90,000 being awarded to organisations that provide critical services to those most vulnerable in society.
Among the groups approved for funding are:
Announcing the funding today, Minister Humphreys said:
“As we continue to navigate the many challenges brought about by this pandemic, community groups and charities across the state have never stopped working. They have adapted where necessary so they could continue to provide critical services to vulnerable people and communities. This funding being announced today will help these organisations to face into 2022. We must not forget that community and voluntary organisations, and most importantly their volunteers, work harder than ever during the Christmas and New Year Period. I’d like to sincerely thank the volunteers for all the work they do. Supporting our community organisations has, and will continue to be an essential part of ‘Our Rural Future’. I look forward, along with Minister O’Brien, to announcing more funding for our community groups in 2022.”
Minister O Brien added:
“Community and Voluntary organisations are a cornerstone of every community in Ireland. Normal people step up and do extraordinary things. Never has this been more evident than in how they have persevered in serving vulnerable people throughout the uncertainty and difficulties brought by COVID-19. I know how important this funding is to these organisations, and I know it will go some way to helping them meet the needs of their communities at this difficult time.”
This third and final tranche, which concludes the appeals process, brings the total number of organisations supported with COVID 19 stability funding in 2021 to 267, with an investment of €7,190,501.
The funding has been provided by the Department of Rural and Community Development and administered through Pobal.
While this fund has now closed, other funding streams, such as the Community Activities Fund recently announced by the Department of Rural and Community Development, and administered through Local Community Development Committees, continue to provide support to community and voluntary organisations.
A full list of community and voluntary organisations awarded COVID Stability Funding is available here
COVID-19 Stability Fund
The COVID-19 Stability Fund for Community and Voluntary Organisations, Charities and Social Enterprises was developed to provide support to qualifying organisations who find themselves in particular difficulty and have seen their trading and/or fundraising income drop significantly during the crisis. The fund was open for application in May 2021, and is now closed.
The 2021 iteration of the Stability Fund builds on the 2020 scheme, which saw €42m of Dormant Accounts Funding provided to qualifying organisations to support them in dealing with the challenges in income generation brought about by social restrictions to counter the spread of COVID-19.
Organisations were required to demonstrate the impact that the crisis has had on their services, significant financial losses and delivery of vital supports to vulnerable communities. Applications were assessed and announced in tranches to facilitate timely drawdowns by successful groups and to allow for engagement with any organisations where further information may have been required.
Pobal , which works on behalf of Government to support communities and local agencies toward achieving social inclusion and development, administer the Stability Fund on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development. This funding is being provided through €10m in Exchequer funding, and €3m Dormant Accounts Funding from a small underspend of the €45m available under the 2020 scheme.
Community Activities Fund
Announced by Minister Humphreys and O Brien on 11th November 2021, the €9m Community Activities Fund will provide grants for community groups impacted by the Pandemic.
The Community Activities Fund will support groups, particularly in disadvantaged areas, with their running costs such as utility or insurance bills, as well as with improvements to their facilities.
Groups will also be able to use the funding to carry out necessary repairs and to purchase equipment such as tables and chairs, tools and signage, laptops and printers, lawnmowers, canopies and training equipment.
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). Interested community groups should contact their LCDC to find out application details and closing dates in their area.
Pobal
Pobal operates under the aegis of the Department of Rural and Community Development.
Pobal is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors. Members of the Board are appointed by Government, on the nomination of the Minister for Rural and Community Development, in line with the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards. The company operates on the basis of a framework agreement with the Department of Rural and Community Development and programme-specific service level agreements with individual Departments.
Pobal administers related programmes on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Department of Justice and the Department of Social Protection (DSP), as well as the Department of Health (DoH) /HSE and a number of EU bodies.
Pobal works in the areas of social inclusion, early childhood care and education, local and community development, peace and reconciliation, equality, labour market supports, and education and training.
A full list of community and voluntary organisations awarded COVID Stability Funding is available here