Community Recognition Fund 2024

Applications are now invited from community and voluntary groups in County Longford for funding from the Community Recognition Fund 2024.

The fund aims to support the development of community infrastructure and facilities to recognise 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 targeted at capital-type projects located in communities, towns and villages hosting the beneficiaries of temporary protection and/or international protection applicants.

The Community Recognition Fund 2024 is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development. Please see the following link for a press release on the launch of the Community Recognition Fund at national level by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and the Minister of State Joe O’Brien TD: Our Rural Future: Minister Humpreys and Minister Joe O'Brien launch 2024 Community Recognition Fund.

Criteria for the programme

Projects to be funded will be capital in nature, deliver medium-long-term benefits for the communities in which they are located, and be capable of being delivered over the course of 2025 and 2026. A minimum spend of 50% of the allocation must be incurred in 2025. Eligible projects will receive funding for capital costs, but not for any ongoing operational or running costs.

The minimum level of funding for an individual project is €50,000 with a maximum of €500,000 applying. Smaller projects cannot be artificially combined to meet the minimum threshold of €50,000, while the 2023 scheme provided funding for small-scale investment in clubs and communities (for example, for small-scale equipment), the focus of the 2024 scheme is on projects of greater scale and impact.

Consultation sessions

Consultation sessions relating to the fund will be hosted as follows:

Ballymahon Public Library at 11am-12:00pm on 25 April 2024
Longford Arms Hotel at 09:30am-10:30am on 26 April 2024
Granard Public Library at 11.30am to 12:30pm on 26 April 2024

How to apply

Projects will be selected through a competitive process and local groups are invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI).

Please note applications from areas with relatively high numbers of new arrivals will be prioritised for funding if appropriate projects are put forward.

There are three windows of application

Up to 21 May 2024
1 August to 20 September 2024
1 January 2025 to 21 January 2025

Interested groups should request an EOI form by emailing Longford County Council at mgethins@longfordcoco.ie.