Minister O’Brien welcomes publication of new ‘Scheme to Support National Organisations’

Scheme provides multi-annual support to community and voluntary organisations
Additional funding secured making €20.5 million available
Application portal to open Thursday 10th February 2022

Details of the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO) 2022-2025 were published today (16th December 2021) by Joe O’Brien T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities.

The new scheme will come into effect on 1st July, 2022 following the end of the current version. It will be a multi-annual scheme, running for a three year period from mid-2022.

The SSNO provides funding towards the core costs of national community and voluntary organisations across Ireland.

Administered by Pobal, the SSNO is a key support for a sector that works to improve the lives of the most disadvantaged members of society.

Speaking on today’s publication, Minister O’Brien said:

“I am delighted to announce the publication of the details for the new round of the Scheme to Support National Organisations. The SSNO plays a significant role in Government’s support to our national community and voluntary organisations, through the provision of multi-annual funding towards their day to day operations. Recognising the value of this Scheme to the sector, I have secured an additional annual funding allocation of €800,000 for the new Scheme, bringing the overall allocation to in excess of €20.5 million over the lifetime of the Scheme.”

Anna Shakespeare, Chief Executive Officer of Pobal, said:

“Pobal is very pleased to administer this new round of the Scheme to Support National Organisations on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development, which will provide much-needed, multi-annual funding towards the core costs of national, community and voluntary organisations in Ireland. This funding will assist organisations to operate and to fund core staff positions over the next three years. Through Pobal’s work supporting community and voluntary organisations on behalf of government I am keenly aware that these organisations provide vital services across Ireland addressing disadvantage, poverty and social exclusion within their target groups and I warmly welcome the announcement that funding is being made available to support this work in the coming years.”

The funding under the new round (2022-2025) will be specifically targeted at national organisations that:

Provide evidence of a national membership and/or demonstrate extensive reach and engagement across the country in terms of the supports and services they provide;
Demonstrate a focus on one or more of the following with relevant indicators (outputs and outcomes): addressing poverty, social exclusion and promoting equality;
Demonstrate that their activities are aligned with the DRCD’s Statement of Strategy (2021- 2023); and
Provide evidence of the need for core funding and demonstrate how critical the SSNO funding is to the future existence, sustainability and ongoing operation of the organisation.

Minister O’Brien added:

“Those organisations supported by the SSNO operate at the very heart of our communities, providing much needed supports for our most disadvantaged and vulnerable citizens. This new Scheme will build on the developments of the current programme, to help strengthen and consolidate the administrative and operational capabilities of recipient organisations, which as we know is so integral to the translation of essential services on the ground. I would to encourage all organisations who meet the eligibility requirements to study the new Scheme details released today and to take the opportunity to apply for funding when the application portal opens in the New Year”

Applications for the new Scheme will open in February 2022. For more details on the requirements and process to apply under the forthcoming 2022-2025 programme, please visit the Pobal website.

ENDS

Notes to editor:

Initially launched in 2008, the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO) is a key element of the State’s support for the role of the Community and Voluntary sector in contributing to the development of strong and vibrant civil society and in improving outcomes for those most disadvantaged.

Administered by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development, the overall aim of the SSNO is to provide multi-annual funding towards the core costs of national, community and voluntary organisations in Ireland. The scheme assists grantees to operate and fund core staff positions.

Under the current scheme, running from 2019 to 2022 inclusive, 74 national, community and voluntary organisations have been awarded €18.8 million in funding. These organisations provide much needed support services across the sector including children and young people, older persons, persons affected by homelessness or the risk of homelessness, people affected by social exclusion / poverty, persons with physical/sensory/intellectual and learning disabilities / ASD and survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence, amongst others.

Further information on the previous round of the SSNO 2019 – 2022 can be found on Pobal’s website.