Minister Ryan launches €27 million fund for Community Climate Action
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- Minister Ryan launches €27 million fund for Community Climate Action while visiting Cavan
- Applications open across the country for one of the largest funds ever allocated to support local projects with climate action
Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, today got 2024 off to a strong start for climate action with the launch of the latest funding pot of €27 million, one of the largest of its kind, earmarked for local organisations working to build low carbon communities.
The Minister launched the mega-fund while visiting County Cavan comprising both the national Climate Action Fund allocation of €24 million and the 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 landmark climate funding programme, which will be administered by local authorities, 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 and so the fund will be flexible enough to provide lesser amounts as needed to smaller and medium sized local action programmes.
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
Applications are now open in Cavan and across many other counties for community and voluntary groups who want to do more in their communities to step up climate action in partnership with their local authorities. The Shared Island dimension of the programme will enable organisations to carry out cross-border and all-island climate action projects in partnership with communities and organisations in Northern Ireland.
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.
Groups who are interested in applying should contact their local authority and request to speak to the Community Climate Action Officer about the programme before applications close in early March.
Read more HERE.
