Ó An Roinn Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail
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In 2020, the Department of Rural and Community Development established the COVID-19 Stability Fund for Community and Voluntary, Charity and Social Enterprises. Working in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Department for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, funding of €45 million was made available through the Dormant Accounts Fund to support close to 600 non-profit organisations to continue delivering critical services to the most vulnerable in our communities, despite the challenges brought by COVID-19.
Funding of €10 million was made available for the Stability Fund for 2021. The application process re-opened in May 2021, with Pobal as administering partners.
The Government is aware of the challenges facing community and voluntary organisations and is committed to working closely with the sector in managing through these, recognising that it will require a whole of Government approach.
In 2020, the Stability Fund was developed to provide support to qualifying organisations who find themselves in particular difficulty and have seen their trading and/or fundraising income drop significantly during the crisis. The Fund focused on organisations providing supports and services in the following sectors.
Organisations were required to demonstrate the impact that the crisis has had on their services and applications were prioritised according to need. With funding provided through the Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF), the scheme criteria align with DAF objectives to support:
Pobal, which works on behalf of Government to support communities and local agencies toward achieving social inclusion and development, administer the Stability Fund on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development and provided online support to all applicants and grantees.
In 2020, this scheme supported close to 600 organisations to continue delivering vital services to the most at need in every part of the country. 1,060 applications were received during the 2020 application period. All organisations have now been issued with a decision in relation to their application.
The 2021 Stability Fund was part financed by Dormant Accounts Funding with additional National Exchequer Funding, building on 2020 Scheme. The COVID-19 Stability Fund 2021 opened to all Community and Voluntary organisations, Charities and Social Enterprises providing certain critical services to the most at need in our society in May 2021. 517 applications were received during the 2021 application period.
The 2021 Stability Fund has provided close to €6.5m in funding to 245 organisations all across Ireland. All organisations have now been issued with a decision in relation to their application.
The list of successful Stability Fund applicants is available here.
The Stability Fund is now closed. As the country moves to a new phase of living with COVID-19 and restrictions are eased, there are no plans to reopen the Stability Fund. In general, all organisations are encouraged to continue to engage with their Local Authority and Local Development Company, and to check on the Gov.ie website in order to be aware of funding opportunities as they become available.
The Department of Rural and Community Development will continue to work with community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises, building on our mission to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland.
The Stability Scheme is administered by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development. Grantees may request assistance via stabilityscheme@pobal.ie
Information on funding allocated to the COVID-19 Stability Fund can be found here: COVID-19 Stability Fund Funding Allocations