Workshops to help groups access funds

FUNDING workshops will be run by Wicklow County Council in the next few weeks to raise awareness about funding schemes that are aimed at the revitalisation of rural areas.

Schemes such as the Town and Village Scheme, the Outdoor Recreation Scheme, CLAR and the Community Facilities Scheme are a package of funding opportunities that communities can access to fund projects in their areas.

These schemes are an initiative under the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development and are part of national and local support measures to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland.

Frank Curran, Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, said: ‘Often the funding schemes have very tight deadlines which can be onerous on volunteers. It is the communities that are prepared, have got buy-in from the wider community and have started any planning or procurement requirements that will be successful in accessing this funding for their area.’

The types of projects which can be funded include: projects that support entrepreneurship (for example, the development of enterprise hubs, hot desk facilities, digital hubs, creative hubs, training facilities). Projects with integrated approaches to developing individual sectors within the town and/or its environs (such as artisan food hubs, craft hubs) will also be considered.

Projects which demonstrate collaboration between town centre businesses and the surrounding area to produce economic benefit are viable, as are tourism initiatives.

Other projects which can be funded include the enhancement of heritage and/or other community assets; town safety and accessibility enhancements; provision/ enhancement of leisure facilities (e.g. town parks, walking trails); social and community enterprises and, finally, the development of quality marks, such as Purple Flag, Heritage Town, etc.

This is the third year that these grants have been available.

Town and Village funding is aimed at those towns and villages with a population under 10,000. CLAR is targeted at very specific areas that are suffering from depopulation.

Full details of the schemes will not be made available until March or April. However, it is important that communities are ready to apply when the schemes are announced.

The information sessions take place in Lawless’s Hotel, Aughrim on Wednesday, January 31, Hollywood Community Centre on Tuesday, February 6, and the Glenview Hotel on Thursday, February 8.