Just a quick Round Up of Funding Opportunities !
It may be Summer but lots and lots of national funding programmes are looking for applications. Here are a selection of funding opportunities we are highlighting to our clients:-
Dormant Account Funding
Dormant Accounts Funds were originally established in 2001 and since then approximately €149m has been distributed on 3,000 projects countrywide. POBAL have announced that funding of €5.07m, is now being made available (2015). In summary:-
- A call for applications was made on June 8th. All applications MUST be online and the deadline for receipt of applications is extended to 3pm on 29th July.
- The minimum application is for €15,000
- Decisions on the applications will be made in November and Grant offers will be made in December(2015.
- The funds will be distributed on eight measures with “Social Enterprise” receiving €1m and the other seven measures getting varying amounts -.Youth Employment, Support for Home carers, Substance misuse, Local Area co-ordination of Disability services., Achieving HIQA standards, Capital grants for Childrens’ Residential Centres, National Training Initiative for both Adults and Childrens’ Centres, Support for Young people with disabilities and Non-centre based Respite Services.
- Under the “Social Enterprise” measure applicants must be able to show that they have traded income.
- Check out the detailed programme information on the POBAL website https://www.pobal.ie/FundingProgrammes/DormantAccountsFund/Pages/default.aspx
CEDRA FUNDING FOR SOCIAL FARMING AND LOCAL FOOD-ARTISAN MARKETS
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD and Minister of State for Rural Economic Development, Ann Phelan TD have announced part funding for initiatives to advance existing social farming operations and community based markets for food/artisan produce in rural areas (all locations outside the main urban areas of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick & Waterford). These two pilot initiatives, which are independent of each other, operate under the CEDRA Rural Innovation and Development Fund and attract a combined dedicated fund of up to €330,000 which is available for 2015 only.
Social Farming Social farming is the practice of offering, on a voluntary basis, farming, horticultural and animal related work experience as a choice to people who avail of a range of day support services. This CEDRA fund will provide up to 75% grant aid for initiatives that support social farming operations on family farms or in institutional settings. A funding range of €10,000-20,000 is envisaged for approved projects.
The CEDRA micro enterprise funding is available for community based local food and artisan markets and is open to all rural towns and villages with populations of up to 10,000 and offers potential funding of between €5,000-10,000 for development of existing or start-up local food and artisan markets.
Both schemes have limited funding, so proposals will be selected on a competitive basis against the other proposals received and the funds stated objectives. Application forms and fuller schemes details can be found on the Department’s website at the following links www.agriculture.gov.ie/cedra/socialfarming and www.agriculture.gov.ie/cedra/localfoodmarkets The closing date for applications under both schemes is 14 August 2015. Online applications only are being accepted.
Enterprise Ireland fund aimed at overseas entrepreneurs and Irish Diaspora
“As I have repeatedly said, we have great entrepreneurs and start-up businesses in Ireland – we just don’t have enough of them,” said Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, TD
Competitive Start Fund – Mobile Entrepreneurs is a new Enterprise Ireland fund which will make up to €500,000 available to 10 overseas entrepreneurs and Irish diaspora who decide to set up their businesses here. The fund will support start-up businesses in internationally focused manufacturing or internationally traded services. The website for online applications will open on 26 August and close on 9 September 2015. The 20 best applicants will be invited to Ireland to pitch competitively for the 10 available investments. Funding up to a maximum of €1,000 will be paid to the 20 finalists to enable them travel to Ireland. The evaluation of projects is timed to coincide with the Startup Gathering, a national week of events taking place across Ireland from 5 to 10 October
