Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan opens Community Safety Fund 2025 for applications
-
From: Department of Justice
- Published on: 7 April 2025
- Last updated on: 9 April 2025
The Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has today opened the nationwide funding call for the Community Safety Fund 2025 during a visit to Ballymun Garda Station and the Ballymun Implementation Board in Dublin.
The annual fund allows for the proceeds of crime, seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and An Garda Síochána, to be directed into local projects to support and enhance community safety.
This year, €4 million is available, which is double the original allocation of €2 million when the fund first opened for applications in 2022, and grants range from €20,000 to €150,000.
The call for the Community Safety Fund is open for six weeks from today Monday 7 April, closing on Friday 16 May.
Speaking today in Ballymun in Dublin, Minister O’Callaghan said:
“The Community Safety Fund is an important part of my overall objective to build stronger and safer communities. It takes the money seized from criminals and puts it directly back into community safety initiatives.
“Investing this money into the communities provides that tangible and direct link between law enforcement and building stronger, safer communities.
“The fund has supported hugely significant projects in previous years that are having a real impact in communities. Under Budget 2025 the government increased funding to €4 million.”
The Community Safety Fund will be managed by the newly established National Office for Community Safety within the Department of Justice.
The Fund:
- allows proceeds of crime to be directed into projects to support and enhance community safety
- ensures that the most appropriate proposals to improve community safety will access the funding they need
- allows best practice on community safety and youth justice to be shared with other partnerships and communities nationally as new proposals are developed
- benefits from the success of An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau in seizing the proceeds from criminal activity
Projects that have previously benefited from the funding supported initiatives that:
- reduce the fear of crime; improve community safety and feelings of safety
- support the creation of safe and resilient communities
- reduce reoffending
- divert vulnerable individuals away from engagement in criminal behaviour
Minister O’Callaghan added:
“The Community Safety Fund encourages and supports the development of new ways to improve and enhance community safety from those working in our communities who best understand the needs in their locality.
“Community participation is crucial to people feeling safe and protected and I am encouraging eligible groups who have a proposal to support and enhance safety in their area to apply.”
In 2024, over €3 million was allocated to projects nationwide. Themes from 2024 successful applicants included projects aimed at addressing anti-social behaviour, domestic violence, drug-related intimidation, social exclusion, youth programmes, prison post-release support. Many of the projects focused on education, sport, recreation, and social interaction to proactively address safety concerns in communities.
Notes
Grants range between €20,000 – €150,000.
Applications are invited from community safety initiatives as well as groups co-funded with local authorities, NGOs and community organisations working on issues relevant to community safety and youth justice.
Applications may be submitted by individual organisations, or by a consortium involving two or more organisations where the lead partner is a community organisation, not-for-profit, social enterprise or similar with a remit relevant to community safety and/or youth justice. Applications with innovative approaches will be afforded particular consideration.
Completed application forms must be returned by 5pm on Friday 16 May to CommunitySafetyFund@justice.ie
More information on Community Safety can be found at: www.gov.ie/communitysafety.
Supporting documentation, including the Application Form and Guidance Document are available below.
