Community Recognition Fund 2024 – Window 3 Funding

Who can apply?

What areas can apply?

• Roscrea
• Thurles
• Clonmel
• Carrick on Suir
• Dundrum
• Nenagh
• Borrisokane
• Cahir

How much can you apply for?

• The minimum level of funding for an individual project is €50,000. It is anticipated that successful projects will be awarded between €50,000 - €60,000.
• Smaller projects cannot be artificially combined to meet the minimum threshold of €50,000.

What can be funded?

• Development, enhancement or refurbishment of community or cultural facilities including play areas, walkways, parks, community/sensory gardens, allotments, and recreational areas
• Development, enhancement or refurbishment of local club and sports facilities including facilities such as community swimming pools, changing rooms, toilets, digital aids such as score / information boards etc.
• Enhancement to school/parish facilities which are open to use by all of the community after school hours
• Purchase of equipment for local clubs, festivals, community events and organisations e.g. music, arts or sports equipment
• Transport infrastructure such as the purchase of community vehicles, bus shelters and attendant information boards; (any vehicle funded must be in good condition and not more than 5 years old)
• Projects that help address dereliction and/or wider local economic and community development objectives
• Purchase or land or vacant buildings in conjunction with the local authority to develop community facilities refurbishment of vacant or derelict buildings for community use where a clear need is identified.
• Purchase of land and associated works for the development of community facilities such as play areas/ MUGAs or town parks/ community gardens, recreational areas etc. (purchases must only be administered by the local authority).

The deadline to apply is 4pm Friday 10th January 2025.

Terms and Conditions

• The application form. 
• Procurement documentation, including;

• Original or certified copies of invoices and receipts detailing the works carried out, or goods or services provided.
• Proof of payment including bank statements.
• Details of any other contribution from any other public funded scheme. 
• Documentary evidence (electronic or hard copy) of match funding received. 
• Tax clearance certificates of any recipients of onward transmission of funding, where the payments total €10,000 or more in a 12-month period or €650 for construction operations. 
• Evidence of ownership documentation and lease agreements. 
• A case study report including photos to demonstrate the project has been completed and may also be used for promotion purposes by the Department. Photos should also show that required signage has been erected to reference funding provided by the Department of Rural and Community Development. 
• Successful groups will acknowledge the support of Tipperary County Council and the Department of Rural and Community Development. 

1. Grants should only be used for the purposes approved by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Tipperary County Council.
2. Organisations should have appropriate governance in place to oversee funds, manage procurement procedures and record all required documentation throughout the project
3. The recipient shall adhere to relevant EU and national public procurement requirements.
4. Any change in the purpose of the grant aid, change in key elements or re-allocation across key elements must be requested in writing and no changes should be made until the local authority requests and confirms permission of the Department for same
5. The project, and all approved elements of the project, must be completed and all drawdown claims submitted to the Tipperary County Council no later than 30^th June 2026 unless otherwise agreed by the Council.
6. The Council may de-commit grant aid if the project, or approved elements of the project, are not completed by 30^th June 2026. 
7. The Council may de-commit funding prior to 30^th June 2026 if it considers the project cannot realistically be completed by this date.
8. The grant aided project must operate as approved for a minimum of five years following the date of final payment of grant aid by the Department or the final commissioning of the project, whichever is the longer.
9. The recipient undertakes to protect the State’s investment and will not use it as security for any other activity without the consent of the Department.
10. The recipient shall ensure that all assets funded in whole or in part by the Community Recognition Fund 2024 shall be maintained in good order, repair and condition.
11. The recipient shall not dispose of grant aided assets within a period of six years from date of final payment of grant aid without prior approval of the Council and Department.
12. Assets purchased by the Community Recognition Fund 2024 shall not be hired out, pledged, mortgaged or charged for financial gain without prior approval of the Council and Department.
13. The recipient will facilitate a site visit to produce a report signed declaration confirming project elements approved by the Council have been completed
14. PROJECT IRELAND 2040 / OUR RURAL FUTURE BRANDING - Recipients will acknowledge the support of Tipperary County Council, the Department of Rural and Community Development, Our Rural Future and Project Ireland 2040 and any other applicable sources of funding in all public announcements (including online), advertising and signage, as appropriate, relating to the project.
15. The Council and the Department must be notified at least one month in advance of any opening of a funded facility/amenity.
16. The Minister and the local authority shall not be liable for any accidents, illnesses or claims arising out of any work grant aided by the Department.
17. The recipient shall retain and shall maintain all insurances adequate and necessary to operate and deliver the project.
18. If the project involves works on buildings or lands that are not owned by the recipient, a minimum five-year lease must be in place from the date of final payment of grant aid or commissioning of the project, whichever is longer.
19. If the project involves building, renovation or construction works, the recipient must meet all statutory requirements, including Health & Safety and ensure all necessary planning requirements, permissions and consents are in place prior to commencing those works.
20. The recipient must ensure all relevant assurances are established in respect of tax compliance of contractors and suppliers and evidence of compliance must be provided at claim stage, as set out in Circular 44/2006 “Tax Clearance Procedures Grants, Subsidies and Similar Type Payments” and When is a Tax Clearance Certificate required? (revenue.ie)
21. Only non-recoverable VAT, that is where a recipient is not registered for VAT, is eligible for funding, and written confirmation must be obtained from the Revenue Commissioners and dated no more than three months prior to any expenditure claim.
22. The information supplied by the applicant group /organisation must be accurate and complete.
23. Misinformation may lead to disqualification and/or the repayment of any grant made.
24. All information provided in respect of the application for a grant will be held electronically. The Council and the Department reserves the right to publish a list of all grants awarded on its website.
25. The Freedom of Information Act applies to all records held by the Department and Local Authorities.
26. The application must be signed by the Chairperson, Secretary or Treasurer of the organisation making the submission.
27. It is the responsibility of each organisation to ensure that it has proper procedures and policies in place, including appropriate insurance, where relevant.
28. Evidence of expenditure, receipts /invoices must be retained and provided to the local authority or their representative if requested.
29. Breaches of the terms and conditions of the grants scheme may result in sanctions including disbarment from future grant applications.
30. Please ensure the application form is completed in full. Incomplete applications will not be returned for further information and will slow down the funding process.
31. In order to process your application, it may be necessary for Tipperary County Council to collect personal data from you. Such information will be processed in line with the Local Authority’s privacy statement which is available to view on https://www.tipperarycoco.ie/sites/default/files/2023-11/ECRD%20Privacy%20Statement%202023.pdf.
32. The recipient, Council and the Department agree that they are subject to the data protection and privacy laws of Ireland and the EU, in particular the Data Protection Act 2018 and Regulation (EU) 2016/679, known as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”).