Coastal communities can apply for climate action grants from a €27 million “funding pot” announced by Minister for Environment and Climate Eamon Ryan.
Speaking in Co Cavan, Ryan said it was one of the largest of its kind, earmarked for local organisations working to build low-carbon communities.
It comprises a national Climate Action Fund allocation of €24 million and an allocation of €3 million, which is being provided by the Government’s Shared Island Fund to support cross-border and all-island community climate action initiatives.
The programme, which local authorities will administer, can provide amounts of up to €100,000 to larger local projects over an 18-month period.
However, there is no one-size-fits-all for local projects so the fund will be flexible enough to provide lesser amounts as needed to smaller and medium-sized local action programmes, Ryan said.
“With climate action, place is everything. What works and what’s needed for a coastal community will be different to what works and what’s needed for a midlands community, for example," he said.
Projects selected for funding under the programmes will have to contribute to national climate and energy targets across the following five themes:
- community energy;
- travel;
- food and waste;
- shopping and recycling; and
- local climate and environmental action.
All local authorities now have a dedicated community climate action officer (CCAO) who will assist interested groups with their applications and provide guidance on the programme, helping to match local action with suitable funding, Ryan said.
Groups interested in applying should contact their local authority and ask to speak to the CCAO about the programme before applications close in early March.
