Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2025
Community and Voluntary Groups in Fingal are now invited to apply for funding under the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2025. The Programme is designed to provide both capital and current funding support to a wide and diverse range of local groups, including Men’s Sheds and Women’s Sheds. Funding is available to support small capital works/improvements, the purchase of equipment for community use; tables and chairs, tools and signage, laptops and printers, lawnmowers, canopies and training equipment etc., as well as capital costs; electricity costs, refuse charges, heating charges, rental/lease costs, insurance bills.
Fingal County Council has been allocated a total of €268,827 in funding for Groups across the county (€230,423 in Capital Funding, €38,404 in Current Funding).
Who is eligible to apply?
Any not-for-profit community or voluntary group can apply.
Commercial organisations and individuals are not eligible for funding.
What projects are eligible for funding?
Please note that projects up to a maximum of €10,000 can be funded under the Capital Scheme and day-to-day costs of up to €3,500 can be funded under the Current Scheme.
The following provides a non-exhaustive list of projects that could receive funding under the programme:
▪ Development/renovation of community centres
▪ Accessibility improvements
▪ Community amenities
▪ Development of youth clubs or facilities
▪ Development of sports/recreation facilities
▪ Improvements to town parks and common areas and spaces
▪ CCTV equipment
▪ Public realm improvements
▪ Street-scaping
▪ Development of play/recreation spaces
▪ Improving energy efficiency of community facilities to reduce ongoing costs
▪ Purchase of equipment
▪ Purchase of laptops, tablets
▪ Maintenance of premises, including painting and repairs
▪ Capital work to increase biodiversity, or to reduce the carbon footprint of a facility
▪ Cleaning equipment
▪ Energy costs (electricity costs, refuse charges, heating charges) – current funding only
▪ Operating costs (existing rental/lease costs, insurance bills) – current funding only
▪ Website Maintenance – current funding only
▪ Audit & Accountancy fees– current funding only
To ensure appropriate monitoring and governance, the Department is stating that only operating/running costs related to this period are eligible - 1st June 2024 to 30th May 2025.
What is not eligible for funding?
The following expenditure is not eligible for funding:
▪ Any project not in keeping with the ethos of the Programme
▪ Employment costs
▪ Legal fees
▪ Project management fees
▪ Purchase of lands or buildings
▪ Feasibility studies
▪ Private or commercial operations
▪ Costs which are being paid for by another funder or department
Requirements of the Programme
Tax Requirements
The applicant group/organisation does not have to be registered for tax purposes. Any applicant group/organisation that is registered for tax purposes must be tax compliant. In line with revised tax clearance procedures, which came into effect in January 2016, the Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference number must be submitted for verification purposes.
Statutory Consents
Applicants must ensure that all necessary statutory permissions or consents have been obtained before any works commence. This includes but is not confined to planning permission.
Insurance
Written evidence of a valid insurance policy may be requested by the LCDC, where relevant, during the applications review process.
Acknowledgment of funding
Due to the value of some of these grants, it would not be cost-effective to require signage acknowledging the Department, Local Authority or LCDC. Other suitable acknowledgements will suffice e.g. on a group/organisation’s website or social media platforms. Where signage is developed it must acknowledge the contribution of the Department of Rural and Community Development.
Match-funding
This is not a requirement under this programme.
For full details on the scheme, click here to see the guidelines.
Apply below:
Capital Funding Scheme Application Form (up to €10,000): Fingal Coco (submit.com)
Current Funding Scheme Application Form (day-to-day costs up to €3,500): Fingal Coco (submit.com)
Enquiries on the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2025 should be directed to [email protected]
Q&A/Information Session: Fingal County Council will be holding an information webinar on the 10th of December, 18:30 – 19:30. To attend, click the following link 10 minutes before start time: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NmE2OWQxOWQtMzg1Mi00YjljLWE2YjEtNDYxOTA5NmI1Y2Yw%40thread.v2/0?context=%7B%22Tid%22%3A%2272dcfc23-7571-4594-8154-afe2c0bdea98%22%2C%22Oid%22%3A%22e63dfe60-d6bb-4359-8c38-e213f25814fa%22%2C%22IsBroadcastMeeting%22%3Atrue%2C%22role%22%3A%22a%22%7D&btype=a&role=a
The Local Enhancement Programme 2025 is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development.
Please see the following link to the press release announcing the Local Enhancement Programme 2025 at national level, by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and the Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Joe O’Brien TD: [Press Release]
