Applications sought for €750k support fund

KERRY County Council are now inviting applications from various community and voluntary organisations across the county for a fund of €750,000 that will target local projects and initiatives.

The 2017 Community Support Fund - which was launched on Monday –targets strategic projects in Municipal Districts and will co-fund projects that are in receipt of grants from other sources. In addition, funding may be used by groups to help leverage grants under programmes such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the Rural Economic Development Zone Scheme (REDZ). A portion of the fund has also been retained to provide matching funding for approved LEADER projects that have a broad community gain linked to them.

Head of the Community Department at KCC, Niamh O’Sullivan, said the 2017 Fund has seven categories of support under which groups can make an application.

“The guidelines have been revised this year to provide more clarity to groups and we have also produced a guide to completing the application form. The closing date for receipt of completed applications is Friday, 13 January,” said Niamh.

Now in its third year, the fund has so far supported over 700 projects since 2015 to the value of €1.5million and it recognises the valuable contribution of the community and voluntary sectors in Kerry and the vital and beneficial work these organisations do.

Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Michael O’Shea, said not only does the grant provide valuable support to promote community and economic activities, it also gives Kerry County Council an opportunity to acknowledge the valuable contribution local voluntary groups make to the vitality of communities.

Applications are now invited from community groups, residents’ committees, Tidy Towns groups, Chamber Alliances and other organisations across the four Municipal Districts in Kerry. To assist groups in applying for funding, the Community Department of KCC have announced details of local workshops in each Municipal District in which applicants will receive information and advice on the application process.

Application forms are now available to download from the Council’s website at www.kerrycoco.ie.

Front row (from left): Cllr Aoife Thornton, Moira Murrell (Chief Executive), Cllr Michael O’Shea (Cathaoirleach), Cllr Thomas McEllistrim, Niamh O’Sullivan, Helena Switzer. Back l-r: Cllr Sam Locke, Andrew Smith, Cllr Seamus Cosaí Fitzgerald, Cllr...