New COVID-19 Support Scheme for Community & Voluntary Organisations, Charities and Social Enterprises announced

10/05/2020

New COVID-19 Support Scheme for Community & Voluntary Organisations, Charities and Social Enterprises announced

Published on May 8, 2020

Scheme will help alleviate funding challenges faced by organisations most in need.

Mr Michael Ring, TD, Minister for Rural and Community Development and Mr Seán Canney, TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development have today (Friday 8th May) announced the launch of a package of supports for Community and Voluntary Organisations, Charities and Social Enterprises.

A large number of these organisations are providing critical services to vulnerable individuals and groups in society arising from the Covid-19 crisis. Many of these organisations now find themselves in financial difficulty as fundraising efforts, commercial activities and other services they rely on have been curtailed due to the ongoing crisis. Their networks and representative bodies have clearly articulated their situation and ongoing challenges.

The funding package is being made available through the support of the Dormant Accounts Fund, which is specifically set aside to support initiatives which will benefit the most disadvantaged groups in society.

A €35 million Covid-19 Stability Scheme, which will be administered by Pobal, will provide a level of support to qualifying organisations who are most in need and have seen their trading and/or fundraising income drop significantly during the crisis.

This funding is additional and complementary to the range of other supports provided by the Government to support employers and employees on foot of the crisis, including the Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme, the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, and a range of enterprise supports.

The Stability Scheme has been 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 Scheme will be focusing on organisations providing supports and services in the following sectors

• Health and Social Care (including addiction, disability and mental health)
• Child and Family Services (including counselling/therapies)
• Domestic/Sexual/Gender based violence
• Housing/Homelessness
• Community Services (e.g. meals on wheels/befriending services/old age supports/vulnerable people’s support groups etc.)
• Community Education Sector

The Stability Scheme will provide a once off grant to qualifying organisations that are providing critical services to those most vulnerable in society. Organisations will be required to demonstrate the impact that the crisis has had on their services and applications will be prioritised according to need.

Pobal, which works on behalf of Government to support communities and local agencies toward achieving social inclusion and development, will administer the Stability Scheme on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development.

The Stability Scheme will open for applications on the 11th of May 2020. Further details can be found on our website on the Covid-19 Stability Scheme page.

Email queries can be sent to stabilityscheme@pobal.ie