Following the development of the Kilkenny County Council RAPID Web-site, a new independent Community RAPID website has been developed and gone on line, www.rapidkilkenny.ie The website is providing a one stop shop for communites to access relevant community and agency information. RAPID co-ordinator Ronan Ryan said that the web-site that the site's uniqueness lies in being able to access information on all relevant statutory bodies both in the South East and Nationaly. The websitesite will also act as a one stop shop for established and new community groups to communicate and share best practices.The site will be one of the first of it's kind in the country and the key to it's success will be community ownership. The web-site will act as a powerful communication and information tool if used to it's fullest potential. Following the development of the Kilkenny County Council RAPID Web-site, a new independent Community RAPID website has been developed and gone on line, www.rapidkilkenny.ie The website is providing a one stop shop for communites to access relevant community and agency information. RAPID co-ordinator Ronan Ryan said that the web-site that the site's uniqueness lies in being able to access information on all relevant statutory bodies both in the South East and Nationaly, The websitesite will also act as a one stop shop for established and new community groups tto communicate and share best practices.The site will be one of the first of it's kind in the country and the key to it's success will be community ownership. The web-site will act as a powerful communication and information tool if used to it's fullest potential.

Grants to Voluntary & Community Groups

The focus of these schemes has been on the most disadvantaged groups and communities in society. To be eligible groups must subscribe to a self help, community development ethos and must involve the intened beneficeries in the management and design of the project
To qualify for funding groups must be working to assist people develop themselves rather than providing, personal, social and other services for people. The scheme seeks to support local self help groups and to provide seed monies to enable groups to pilot initiatives as meeting new and emerging community needs

Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht

Affairs Grants for Locally-Based Community and Voluntary Organisations
The grant schemes provided by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to support locally-based voluntary and community activity include:

Equipment and Refurbishment/Premises Grants

1.1 Purpose of Scheme

Under this scheme, once-off grants may be made available to help voluntary and community groups working with disadvantaged groups or in disadvantaged areas. The grants may be made for acquisition or refurbishment of premises, or the purchase of equipment or transport. Grants towards wages or salaries or other running costs are not available under this Scheme.

1.2 What Organisations qualify for grants?

Grants may be made to:

Voluntary Organisations with a focus on disadvantage.
Community development organisations and groups working in particularly disadvantaged areas or with disadvantaged groups.
Mutual support and self-help organisations, such as local personal development and community-based education groups, unemployed groups, etc.
Family Resource Centres and Family Support Groups.

1.3 How much of the cost will be met?

The maximum grant available is 90% of the cost. The actual grant varies in the light of individual circumstances and needs and takes account of the overall demands that must be met. You should show on your application where the balance of funding, if any, will be obtained.
.
Education, Training and Research Grants

2.1 Purpose of Scheme

The primary purpose of the scheme is to provide once-off grants to fund training, education or research initiatives aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of local communities and voluntary groups. This includes programmes which strengthen and increase the skills and knowledge of management committees and programmes to provide education or training to individuals from disadvantaged communities. Research or Publications which further these aims will also be considered.
Innovative projects which develop new ideas in the area of personal development for disadvantaged people are particularly welcome.

2.2 Who can apply?

The scheme is aimed at small local community groups or groups that experience particular disadvantage, for example, the unemployed, lone parents, Travellers, people with disabilities or other disadvantaged communities.

2.3 What can be funded?

Grants will be made available for:

Community development education and training activity intended to enhance the effectiveness of local groups and their participants and the local community they belong to. Examples of the types of training eligible include management, organisational development, social analysis, media skills and leadership skills.
Second-chance education opportunities for individuals.,Adult literacy training., Foundation and pre-vocational skills courses, Training in job-seeking skills.Training in personal development skills, such as home management, budgeting, or parenting skills.
Projects being carried out by locally-basedlocally-based groups which meet one of the above objectives may qualify for a grant.

Up to 90% of the cost may be met, subject to a maximum grant of €3,810 4,000. However, the actual grant varies in the light of individual circumstances and needs and takes account of the overall demands that must be met. You should show on your application where the balance of funding will be obtained.To develop parenting skills and improve family life;

2.5 Priority

In allocating grants, priority is given to disadvantaged communities.

2.6 What organisations can qualify for grants?

Grants may be made to a range of locally-basedlocally-based organisations and groups, including:

Family support and community development groups.
Family Resource Centres and Family Support Groups.
Lone parents support and self-help groups.
Travellers groups.
Co-ordinating organisations whose members or affiliate groups support eligible locally-based locally-based groups.
Other groups which target disadvantaged communities.

2.7 What will the Education, Training and Research Grants cover?

The grants may cover some or all of the costs involved in organising activities and running programmes for which funding is sought; for example, running costs such as the cost of accommodation, equipment, materials, books, fees for tutors and crêche facilities for people participating in activities; support and outreach work; once-off research or publications.
However, such grants may also be committed in a limited number of cases for periods of two or three years for particularly worthwhile on-going projects where adequate evaluation and reporting procedures are in place. If you consider that your project needs such a longer-term commitment, you should show on a separate sheet with your application why you believe this to be the case and set out in detail the evaluation and reporting procedures you will put in place to measure and report on the impact of the work over that period. You should note that funding is not available under this scheme for staff/salary costs.

3.8 Core-funding

In addition to the main scheme, 3-year core-funding is available for more established and developed groups and networks with a specific anti-poverty focus who work with a wider group of disadvantaged people and have the potential to make a substantial impact in their local communities with enhanced funding. The 3 - year funding allows groups to expand their work and plan ahead, thus making their project more effective, and allowing them to reach out to a larger number of disadvantaged people.

This category of funding is particularly targeted at issue-based groups i.e. women's groups, men's groups, lone parent groups, Traveller groups, etc..

Further details on this category of funding is available on page 29 (Programme of Core-funding to Locally-based Community & Family Support Groups).

How to Apply

The Grants to Locally BasedLocally-Based Community and Voluntary groups, and will be advertised in May in the national and provincial newspapers. The closing date for receipt of applications will be stated on the advertisement.

There is a separate application form for each grant scheme. Application forms are available on our website, www.pobail.ie or from Voluntary and Community Services Section, Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, PO Box 9248, Dublin 2.
Telephone (01) 4748684/ 4748686.

Information on Applications to …

Section, Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, PO Box 9248, Dublin 2, Telephone (01) 4748684/ 4748686.