A total of 880 projects are set to receive funding from this year’s Local Agenda 21 (LA21) Environmental Partnership Fund, which supports local environmental initiatives by communities, individuals and not-for-profit groups.

Announcing projects to receive funding through this year’s scheme, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Denis Naughten, said that these small scale projects will impact communities throughout Ireland. “They showcase how small changes at a local level can make lasting improvements to the environment we all must share and protect,” the Minister added.

In 2017, Minister Naughten secured increased funding for the LA21 Scheme of €460,000 and maintained this increased level of funding for 2018. Funding provided by his Department is matched by local authorities, and projects may also attract funding from other sources. A total of €453,000 of the available €460,000 was drawn down by local authorities.

The €453,000 drawn from the Department is matched by local authorities and also supplemented by the applicants’ own funding and other sources giving a total investment of over €1.5m in 2018.

Eligible projects are those that will support and complement, at local level, national environmental policies such as those on Waste, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Air, Water and Sustainable Development. A wide variety of projects received support in 2018 including, among others, community gardens, allotments, tidy town groups, compost schemes, rainwater harvesting schemes and educational initiatives.

Click here for further information on the LA21 Environmental Partnership Fund and projects to receive funding in 2018.