Terms & Conditions of Scheme
Introduction
The purpose of the Scheme is to encourage and support community and voluntary groups to take an active part in the development of their communities and to improve the quality of life in their area.
Who is eligible to apply?
Not for profit community and voluntary group operating in Tullamore Municipal District may apply.
The community grants are intended for the following uses only:
• Public Area and Amenity Enhancement
• Community Involvement and Participation
• Christmas Lighting
• Graveyard Enhancement
• Climate Change Action Initiatives
• Community Capital Works (once-off grant will be considered only)
Ineligible
• Commercial projects
• Proposals from individuals
• Purchase of land or facilities
• Running costs of projects or facilities (e.g. wages, electricity etc.)
• Where other funding sources are clearly available
• Proposals that compete with privately run projects of a similar type, serving the same catchment/market.
Grant aid should be for specific projects or activities that the organisation proposes to undertake during the year. Each grant application will be examined on its own merits under the following criteria.
How will applications be assessed?
Applications will be assessed under the following broad headings, each of which will be assigned a weighting in the assessment process, although this list is not necessarily exhaustive:
• Projects and activities which promote and enhance the attractiveness of Municipal District of Tullamore as a place to live, work and do business in.
• Projects and activities which promote local action and voluntary participation in community development by organisation members.
• Projects and activities that promote links between a number of organisations working together and incorporate sound community development practices and principles.
• Groups or organisation must have the capacity to deliver the project or activity and have an ethos of openness, transparency and accessibility to all.
• Projects or activity to support social inclusion and marginalised groups.
• Extent to which proposed projects and activities meet local needs and will benefit the intended target group or area.
Conditions of Grant
Groups/Organisations must be able to provide the following on request:
• Bank or Credit Union account in the name of the association to which the approved grant will be paid
• Tax Clearance Certificate/Reference
• Evidence of appropriate insurance cover for the works being undertaken
• Offaly Public Participation Network affiliation reference, see link -https://offalyppn.ie/registration form
• Minutes of most recent AGM
• Annual Accounts for most recent year
• Written confirmation of completion of proposed enhancement works/activity, and a report on the outcome of project.
• Copy of all receipts on suppliers headed paper showing dates and details of goods/services provided
Please note that obtaining a Tax Registration Number for Voluntary Non-Profit Organisations can be a lengthy process and is obtained from Revenue – not Offaly County Council as follows:
• • Your organisation must first register for tax in order to apply for Tax Clearance Certificate by completing a Tax Registration for Voluntary Non-Profit Making Organisations
• • Thereafter you will receive a Tax Registration Number from Revenue.
• • When you receive the Tax Reg No, complete form TC1 and send to Collector General's Division, Sarsfield House, Francis Street, Limerick, V94 R972.
• • See https://www.revenue.ie for further info.
Payment can take a number of weeks to process, particularly if this group/committee have not received payment in the past. Page 3 of 4
All organisations in receipt of grant assistance must give an undertaking that the support of Offaly County Council, Municipal District of Tullamore will be acknowledged by the group on any promotion material produced, as part of publicity campaigns or where any appropriate opportunity should arise.
All applicants will be informed of their success or otherwise and if unsuccessful will be given the reasons why.
Grants not drawn down within 12 months of the date of award will be nullified without any written communication.
Shop Local
The Council encourages applicants to ‘SHOP LOCAL where possible as collectively, this can make a big difference to the local economy.
How to apply
Application forms and details are available from the offices of Municipal District of Tullamore, Town Hall, Cormac St., Tullamore – 057 93 52470, during normal office hours, or alternatively can be downloaded and completed online from Offaly County Council’s website www.offaly.ie.
Closing Date;
Applications to be submitted online on www.offaly.ie no later than the 19th December, 2024
or by post to Municipal District of Tullamore, Town Hall, Cormac St, Tullamore, Co Offaly, R35 WV59.
For any enquiries, please contact the offices of Municipal District of Tullamore on 057 93 52470, tmdgrant@offalycoco.ie
Categories of funding available
(1) Public Area and Amenity Enhancement
Grant support may be provided for small to medium scale community projects which contribute to the enhancement of public and amenity areas within towns, villages and estates in the District. Examples of such works include:
• Tidy towns groups involving the general enhancement of public amenity areas including trees, shrubs, flowers, hedging, cleaning, painting, planting, hanging baskets
• Residents groups improving the physical appearance of the public areas within their estates.
*It should be noted that on-going maintenance expenses including the payment of contracted grass cutting works are excluded from this scheme.
(2) Community Involvement and Participation
Community or voluntary groups providing events, community development, physical activities and social inclusion activities may apply.
Examples of such groups includes those supporting the elderly, disadvantaged, vulnerable groups, youth groups and the community at large.
The following will be considered:
• Festivals, events and parades
• Development of workshops/programmes/projects within the community that will
• increase mental health awareness and mental health well-being
• promote Social Inclusion Measures
• promote participation in Physical Activities
(3) Christmas Lighting
Groups wishing to avail of small scale funding towards the cost of purchasing or upgrading Christmas lighting displays can apply.
(4) Graveyard Enhancement
Grant support may be provided for groups who wish to avail of small scale funding towards the cost of upgrade and enhancement of burial grounds.
It should be noted that on-going maintenance expenses including the payment of contracted grass cutting works and the purchase grass cutting equipment are excluded from this scheme.
(5) Climate Change Action Initiatives
Grant support may be provided for small to medium scale community projects which contribute to Climate Change Action within Tullamore Municipal District. Funding will also be available for projects to increase Community Mobilisation and Community Resilience in relation to Climate Change Action. Examples of such initiatives include:
• Community initiatives or programmes such as weather stations, biodiversity projects, pollinator friendly zones, bug hotels, recycling projects
• Community Food Production Projects such as grow your own zones, community orchids, land use initiatives.
(6) Community Capital Works
A once-off grant will be considered only.