Funding
The Local Authority Waters Programme welcomes the launch of the Community Water Development Fund for 2025
Thursday, 5th of September 2024: The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) has launched the Water Action Plan 2024 today in Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. The Water Action Plan (WAP) sets out the measures that are necessary to protect and restore water quality in Ireland under the EU Water Framework Directive up to 2027.
Supporting the launch of the WAP, LAWPRO also launched the 2025 Community Water Development Fund Open Call (CWDF). The fund supports communities to deliver positive actions for water quality, protection and awareness through community grants. In the 2024 funding call, over €700,000 grant aid was awarded to 155 water quality projects. The fund is open to all community and voluntary groups to help in the protection and management of water quality, both locally and in the wider catchment. Interested community and voluntary groups can download the guidelines and complete the grant application form online at lawaters.ie from 18th September with a deadline of 20th November 2024.
Speaking about the publication of the WAP and the launch of the 2025 CWDF, Anthony Coleman Director of Services at LAWPRO said: “The Water Action Plan is a further significant step towards protecting water quality across our island. It is LAWPRO’s role to support regional implementation of the ‘right measure in the right place’ on a catchment level. We ensure a consistency in approach to water quality measures across all local authorities in Ireland”.
Under the Water Action Plan, the Community Water Development Fund was reviewed and recommendations will be implemented in 2025. The small-scale projects application process has been streamlined and we will welcome applications for grant aid of up to €5,000 throughout the year. Medium to large scale water quality projects will be targeted where they are needed the most and we invite applications under the current Open Call.”
Speaking at the launch the Minister of State for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Malcolm Noonan, TD said: “We are delighted to give local communities and groups throughout Ireland the opportunity to make a positive impact on the streams, rivers and lakes in their local areas. The Fund will support the implementation of the Water Action Plan 2024 by raising awareness and improving waterbodies nationwide. Community engagement is an important element in the success of the Plan, with the benefits of increased public participation being recognised through the strengthening of the Community Water Development Fund up to 2027.”
Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning, Alan Dillon TD said: “We are delighted to introduce the Community Water Development Fund for 2025, which funds local community projects to enhance their local streams, rivers and lakes. This work will play an important role in the Water Action Plan, focusing on the participation of the public in water quality and biodiversity.”
Community Water Development Funding Clinic- 27th September 2024
How to use the grants portal?
LAWPRO Catchment Support Fund 2024
The Catchment Capacity Fund is a new funding stream that was rolled out by LAWPRO for 2024 on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The purpose of the fund is to build the capacity of catchment partnerships in support of the delivery of the third cycle River Basin Management Plan by providing grants for their core costs.
LAWPRO awarded €501,427 of grant aid to 37 organisations under the new ‘LAWPRO Catchment Support Fund’. This funding call will build the capacity of non-governmental organisations working in the area of water quality in Ireland by providing funding toward organisational running costs and core costs.
LAWPRO has always been supportive of Community Groups and a key element of LAWPRO’s Catchment Support Fund is to foster stronger local partnerships through the continued support and development of bodies who can provide additional vital water quality services to communities and support the objectives of the River Basin Management Plan.
Under the fund, organisations were invited to apply for financial assistance to support Strand 1 organisational costs such as statutory and/or legal fees, insurance costs associated with catchment management, accountancy fees, website annual support costs, organisation promotional materials and group development activities. In cases where an organisation has Company limited by guarantee status and a proven track record with LAWPRO, organisations were also invited to apply for Strand 2 capacity costs included funding towards staff costs, rent and rates.
Download grants awarded by LAWPRO under the Catchment Support Fund 2024
Community Water Development Fund
The Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage funds LAWPRO to provide the Community Water Development Fund. This fund supports community groups to enhance the quality of local streams, rivers, lakes, and coastal areas. The fund has been in place since 2017, with growing interest year on year.
The standard of applications for funding is high, making the assessment process more difficult. The fund delivers a broad range of water projects that benefit the amenity of local areas. Types of projects approved for funding include:
- Awareness raising initiatives such as river clean ups, biodiversity information boards, citizen science workshops, outdoor classrooms, rainwater harvesting, and enhancement of wetlands.
- Preparation of local plans such as feasibility studies, habitat management plans, ecological surveys, and biodiversity action plans.
- River and habitat enhancement works such as planting of native species and hedgerow, pollinator friendly planting, river-bank stabilisation, fencing and riparian buffer zones.
Download Grants Awarded by the Local Authority Waters Programme 2024
Read more about the Community Water Development Fund Communications Guide and Support for Grantees