2023 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has announced a major €16 million fund to support outdoor recreation projects.

The 2023 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) will see the development of natural amenities such as our mountains, lakes, beaches, bogs, walkways, greenways and blueways and will place a particular focus on developing amenities for adventure tourism in rural Ireland.

The funding is aimed at supporting outdoor recreation tourism, a growing tourism sector internationally, which has the potential to have major economic spin-off benefits for our rural towns and villages as well as improving the health and well-being of rural communities.

Monaghan County Council is seeking Expressions of Interest for projects under all measures;

  • Measure 1: Small Scale Repair/Development/Promotion and Marketing – grant up to €30,000
  • Measure 2: Medium Scale Repair/Upgrade and New Trail/Amenity Development – grant up to €200,000
  • Measure 3: Strategic Large-Scale Repair/Upgrade and New Strategic Trail/Amenity Development projects – grant up to €500,000
  • Project Development Measures – will provide funding for the detailed development of projects which would enable them to reach a standard for application under Measure 2 or 3 of ORIS – grant up to €50,000

As set out in the scheme details, projects with evidence of strong community engagement will be prioritised.  Where a project requires planning permission, this must be in place in advance of an application being submitted.

Projects should be located mainly in the countryside and not in the environs of a town or village unless the proposed project is linking a town or village into the countryside.

As in previous years, the scheme does not include sporting activities which take place in the countryside on confined courses or pitches specifically designed and constructed for those events e.g., golf, football, show jumping, motorised activities etc.

Please contact your local Municipal District Co-ordinator or Aisling Kierans, Community Development Section to discuss potential projects for submission to this scheme as early as possible:

  • Ballybay/Clones Municipal District Office – 047 51018
  • Carrickmacross/Castleblayney Municipal District Office – 042 9661236
  • Monaghan Municipal District Office – 047 73777
  • Aisling Kierans, Community Development – 047 73707

 

All expressions of interest must be submitted in WORD Format to oris@monaghancoco.ie by 4.00 p.m. on Monday 10th July 2023 to allow sufficient time for applications to be prepared and finalised.

 

MEASURE 1 APPLICATION FORM (WORD DOC)

MEASURE 2 3 APPLICATION FORM (WORD DOC)

ORIS SCHEME OUTLINE 2023 (PDF)

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT MEASURE APPLICATION FORM (PDF)

Cavan and Monaghan Youth Arts Bursary 2023: Open for Applications

CM Youth Arts Bursary Email banner

We’re delighted to announce that the Cavan Monaghan Youth Arts Bursary 2023 is now open for applications!

The bursary scheme is designed to support young people from Cavan and Monaghan to participate in short youth arts projects in collaboration with a professional artist and within youth work and non-formal education settings. Eight bursaries worth €800 each will be awarded, four to County Cavan and four to County Monaghan.

This bursary scheme hopes to ignite young people’s interest in a range of art forms, support them to develop new skills and to encourage them to find their voice through a youth arts process. The scheme also aims to support professional artists to develop their collaborative experiences working with young people and youth workers.

For more information on the bursary, see the attached document or visit our website.

How do I apply?

Complete the short online application form: https://www.youth.ie/articles/cavan-monaghan-youth-arts-bursary-call-for-applications/ and submit your application by Monday, April 24th  at 5pm.

For more information or queries about the application process, contact Rhona Dunnett., National Youth Arts Programme Manager at rhona@nyci.ie

This bursary scheme is funded by Cavan Arts Office Cavan County Council, Monaghan Arts Office Monaghan County Council, Cavan Monaghan Education Training Board Youth Services and the Local Arts and Education Partnership (LAEP) as part of their support for the Cavan Monaghan Youth Arts Hub.

Monaghan Sports Partnership – Sports Club Grant Scheme 2023

Monaghan Sports Partnership’s overall aim is to support and increase participation in Sport and Physical Activity. With this in mind, we are pleased to announce our Grant Programme for 2023 for sports clubs that provide activities of a sporting or physical activity nature and in particular projects that attract new members or which increase participation in an activity.

Online applications are now being accepted for assistance under this fund, which is available under three strands:

  • Strand 1:              Sports Club training / playing equipment

Eligible items – sports equipment (non-capital / non-personal)

 

  • Strand 2:              Sports Club Education and training supports

Eligible items – coaching and training course costs for sports club volunteers

 

  • Strand 3:              Sports Club Participation Initiative

 Apply online here

Eligible items – a new community-based initiative with a specific target group  

Clubs may apply (where eligible) for one or more of the strands listed – (terms and conditions apply)

Closing date for online applications:

 

Thursday 30th March 2023 at 5.00pm

 

Online application form, Guidelines (terms & conditions) and all relevant information is available at www.monaghansports.ie

General enquiries to Monaghan Sports Partnership office 042-9755126

Incorporated Community Groups and Charities Urged to Apply to Pobal for Energy Costs Relief Before December 2nd Deadline

PRESS RELEASE – 23/11/2022
A Second Funding Scheme, To Be Launched Shortly By LCDC, Will Be Able To Support Other Types Of Community Organisations With Their Running Costs.
Chairman of Monaghan Local Economic & Community Development Committee, Alan Johnston, today moved to encourage local community groups to avail of one of the two
funding packages put in place by Minister Heather Humphreys’ Department of Rural & Community Affairs to help the community and sector cope with the rising cost of energy this winter.

He was speaking to welcome the announcement by Minister Humphreys last week of an allocation of €277,255 to Co. Monaghan under a new Community Support Scheme, which will provide small grants to a wide and diverse range of local community groups to carry
out small upgrade works, purchase equipment to support their activities and assist with their running costs, which can include energy costs. The Community Support Scheme will be rolled out through the LCDC, which is currently preparing the application form and guidelines, and expects to open the scheme to applications within the next fortnight.

In the meantime, Mr Johnston is anxious to point out that a separate scheme has been put in place by the Department to assist larger community groups with their energy costs, and that due to this, these groups will not be able to seek help with energy costs from the
LCDC-run scheme.

It is therefore vital, says Mr Johnston, for all incorporated community groups (eg CLG’s and co-operatives) and registered charities to visit the Pobal website and apply for their energy
costs through the Community and Voluntary Energy Support Scheme (CVESS). This scheme is now open, and will close on the 2nd of December. These larger groups will still be welcome to apply to the LCDC’s Community Support
Scheme for other costs, upgrade works etc, but will not be able to claim energy costs through this Scheme.

While the LCDC is still awaiting guidance from the Dept of Rural & Community Development on eligibility criteria for projects under the new Community Support Scheme, it is known that the Scheme is specifically designed by the Department to support a wider
range of groups than any previous scheme. Funding will be available to support Parish Halls, Community Centres, Local Development Associations, Social Clubs, ICA Groups, Senior Citizen Groups, Men’s Sheds, Women’s Sheds and much more.

The new scheme has been devised to support groups with their energy costs who may not have been deemed eligible under previous Government schemes.

These include groups that operate from parish halls and who need support with running costs such as energy or insurance bills.
Groups can also use the funding to carry out small upgrade works on buildings, and to purchase equipment such as laptops and printers, lawnmowers, training equipment, etc.

When available, full Guidelines and application forms will be posted to the Community Grants section of Monaghan County Council’s website, www.monaghan.ie. Monaghan Public Participation Network will circulate a notice to all their member groups as soon as the details of the Scheme are announced. If you are not already a member of the PPN, you can sign up to receive updates from them on their website www.ppnmonaghan.ie or by liking their Facebook page.