247 organisations were approved today to share €1m from the new Social Enterprises Capital Grants Scheme. The funds will be spent on everything from swimming pools to childcare to community centres and foodbank centres.

The grants range from a few hundred euro to €14,500 and are being provided through the new Social Enterprises Capital Grants Scheme.

To take three: Happy Day Child-care Services in Co. Cavan is to receive €3,000 towards a new kitchen, Revive New Ross is getting €7,500 in foodbank equipment and Pallasgreen Templebraden Community Council is getting €940 to repair a floor.

Organisations were not short of ideas, with applications received and approved for alarm installation (Fenagh Development Company in Co. Tipperary), new gates (Listry Community Council in Co. Kerry), therapy room facilities (the Urban Co-op in Limerick) and the refurbishment of playground refurbishment (Killucan Community Centre in Co. Westmeath).

“The grants may be small in nature but I know they will greatly assist Social Enterprises the length and breadth of the country who have continued to serve their communities through the pandemic,” said Heather Humprheys, Minister for Rural and Community Development.

• Minister Heather Humphreys in Templemore Town Park recently.

The scheme she announced today was committed to in the State’s first National Social Enterprise Strategy launched in mid-2019. It also supports the objectives of the Government’s five-year ‘Our Rural Future’ strategy.

The Social Enterprises Capital Grants Scheme is funded through the Dormant Accounts Fund and the grants will be administered on behalf of the Department by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs).

More details available in the Department press statement issued this morning – https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/3e318-minister-humphreys-announces-1-million-in-capital-funding-for-social-enterprises/

 

A list of the benefitting organisations can be downloaded here: https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/56dc6-social-enterprise-small-capital-grants-scheme-2021/

 

Background:

Ireland’s first National Social Enterprise Policy for Ireland 2019-2022 was launched by the Department of Rural and Community Development in July 2019, with the objective of creating an enabling environment for social enterprise to grow and contribute more fully to Ireland’s social and economic progress.

The Policy is focused on three main objectives:

  1. Building Awareness of Social Enterprise
  2. Growing and Strengthening Social Enterprise
  3. Achieving Better Policy Alignment