The Community Recognition Fund 2024 will be allocated based on the numbers of people who have arrived from Ukraine and other countries in each local authority area. Offaly is to receive just over €1Million.
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 (e.g. for small scale equipment), the focus of the 2024 scheme is on projects of greater scale and impact.
Local authorities have scope to invest the funding based on their own distinct local needs as identified through a “bottom-up” approach and based on the community engagement referenced above.
However, the type of projects eligible for funding are:
development, enhancement or refurbishment of community or cultural facilities including play areas, walkways, parks, community/sensory gardens, allotments, and recreational areas;
development, enhancement or refurbishment of local club and sports facilities including facilities such as community swimming pools, changing rooms, toilets, digital aids such as score / information boards etc.;
enhancement to school/parish facilities which are open to use by all of the community after school hours;
purchase of equipment for local clubs, festivals, community events and organisations e.g. music, arts or sports equipment;
transport infrastructure such as the purchase of community vehicles, bus shelters and attendant information boards; (any vehicle funded must be in good condition and not more than 5 years old)
projects that help address dereliction and/or wider local economic and community development objectives;
purchase and refurbishment of vacant or derelict buildings for community use where a clear need is identified.
Purchase of land and associated works for the development of community facilities such as play areas/ MUGAs or town parks/ community gardens, recreational areas etc. (purchases must only be administered by the local authority).
Timeline for Delivery
An important difference in this 2024 Community Recognition Fund is a move away from the original approach where local authorities sent in a single list of projects for approval. In order to address changes in the numbers and locations of new arrivals during 2024, each local authority must reserve at least 20% of their allocation for the submission of a proposal under the third application window. The application windows are as follows:
Application window 1 | Up to 31st May 2024 |
Application window 2 | 1st August to 30th September 2024 |
Application window 3 (minimum 20% of allocation ring-fenced) | 1st January 2025 to 31st January 2025 |
I expect that Offaly County Council will release further details on application details in the near future. You can read the official Press Release on gov.ie