Waterford City and County Council is calling on members of the public to apply for two new community improvement and enhancement funds.
Applications are now invited from community groups for the Supporting Waterford Communities Fund. The funding is available to residents associations, community groups and sports clubs which are engaged in providing community services or carrying out improvement works to local communities.
The initiative provides funding to support groups, with their running costs such as utility or insurance bills, as well as with improvements of local facilities. Groups can 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.
Closing date for applications to the Supporting Waterford Communities Fund is February 12th, 2024.
One such group to avail of the Supporting Waterford Communities Fund in the past is St. Anne’s Residents Association in Leamybrien, which used the grant for the maintenance and upkeep of the estate’s common area and hosted a fun-filled residents festival in the summer.
Teresa Fennell of St. Annes Residents Association said, "Our residents group is truly grateful to the Council for their generous support. This funding has allowed us to embark on much needed maintenance and improvement projects within our community, creating a more beautiful and inviting environment for all residents to enjoy."
Another group which reaped the benefits of the Supporting Waterford Communities Fund was Carbally Community Development Project. According to Eleanor Halley, Secretary of the Carbally Community Development Project, “One particularly illuminating instance of the Council's dedication was their support in covering the electrical bills last year.
“At a time when many were grappling with the economic fallout of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, the Council's intervention ensured that the Carbally community centre did not find itself plunged into darkness. This gesture exemplifies Waterford City and County Council's commitment to the well-being and sustainability of the community, providing not just financial aid but a lifeline to continued progress.”
Eamonn O’Leary, Estates Manager with Waterford City and County Council said, “It’s fantastic to see the funding going to such great causes. St. Anne’s Residents Association and Carbally Community Development Project are prime examples of dedicated local groups working together to make their neighbourhoods and communities a welcoming, inclusive and vibrant place to be a part of. I would encourage any community group hoping to improve their locality to apply for the Supporting Waterford Communities fund.”
Applications are also invited for the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2024. Funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and administered by Waterford City and County Council, the Local Enhancement Programme is designed to improve and enhance community facilities for all.
The aim of the Local Enhancement Programme is to support community groups and clubs, with minor capital works and improvements to their facilities, and the purchase of equipment for community use. Such capital works may include carrying out necessary repairs and improvements to facilities, improved access for persons with a disability, improving energy efficiency of community facilities, or to purchase equipment for community use.
There is ring fenced capital funding for women’s groups included in the scheme, to help community projects and groups that support the ethos of women’s sheds and other such groups or projects aimed at providing social networks for women.
Dylan White, Community Officer, Waterford City and County Council said “For as long as Waterford City and County Council has administered these community support funds we have seen first-hand how these grants can make a big difference to a community. The process to apply is straight forward and any project that serves to better its local community will be considered.”
Closing date for applications to LEP is February 16th, 2024, and details of both community support grants can be found at www.waterfordcouncil.ie
