Monday 5 October 2020 11:04. DRCD Press Office <press.office@drcd.gov.ie>

Minister O’Brien announces the fourth tranche of COVID-19 Stability Funding

• €4.29 million support package to benefit 79 organisations
• Collaboration with colleagues in the Department of Health
• Funding aimed at providing immediate assistance to community and voluntary groups, charities and social enterprises
• Cash injections for organisations that provide critical services to those most vulnerable in society

Some 79 organisations across the country are to benefit from €4.29 million worth of funding under the Covid-19 Stability Fund.

The funding was announced today by Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Joe O’Brien TD.

The funding from the Dormant Accounts Fund is designed to support community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises that are experiencing financial difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Once-off cash injections of between €2,000 and €200,000 are being awarded to qualifying organisations that provide critical services to those most vulnerable in society.

This will help with short term cash flow issues caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

This includes organisations from both phase 1 and 2 (unincorporated charities) of the fund and is on top of three previous tranches of  funding announced in June, July and September 2020 which allocated funding of over €25m to 489 organisations.

These organisations provide services in a diverse range of areas including homeless services, cancer supports, counselling and family supports, addiction services and assistance for older and vulnerable persons.

Some of the successful applicants today include:

• The Alzheimer Society of Ireland  €200,000
• Irish Kidney Association                 €200,000
• North West Simon                           €109,186
• Amach! LGBT+ clg                          €15,215

Speaking this morning, Minister O’Brien said :

“I am very happy to join with my colleagues at the Department of Health to announce a further tranche of funding under the COVID 19 Stability fund to Community and Voluntary organisations and Social Enterprises that are experiencing financial difficulties at this time.  My Government colleagues and myself acknowledge and appreciate the work that these organisations do in their communities and I hope that this funding will go some way to support the continuation of their valuable services.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank sincerely all community and voluntary organisations for the work they have done throughout this difficult period to support and provide valuable services to the most disadvantaged in our communities. Their work remains a very important part of getting Ireland through this pandemic and Government recognises and is grateful for that contribution.”

Minister Butler stated:

“I am pleased to see the release of the fourth tranche of funding under the COVID-19 Stability Fund.

“Community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises play an important role in our society, and their volunteers and workers are incredibly dedicated. This funding will help them to continue to do this. With my colleagues in the Department of Health, I welcome these additional resources which will help these organisations to continue their valuable work.”

Minister Feighan stated:

“I am pleased that the fourth tranche of funding under the COVID-19 Stability Fund is going ahead.

“This funding will help community and voluntary organisations and charities to continue to contribute in these difficult times. With my colleagues in the Department of Health, I welcome the continuation of this important work.”

Minister Rabbitte stated:

“I am pleased that the fourth tranche of funding under the COVID-19 Stability Fund is being released.

Community and voluntary organisations, with their dedicated staff and volunteers, contribute enormously to our society. This funding will, in the constraints of Covid, help them to continue to make these contributions. With my colleagues in the Department of Health, I welcome the release of this funding to these organisations at this time.”

A full list of successful applicants under Tranche four is available here.

Note:

Following the announcement of a €40 million funding package for the sector, applications were invited for the €35 million Stability Scheme. The Stability Scheme, administered by Pobal, opened for phase one applications in May 2020, with phase two applications opened in August. Over a thousand applications were received during that time.

The Stability Scheme will provide immediate, short term cash flow to qualifying organisations which provide critical services to those most vulnerable in society. The funding will be prioritised for those organisations which are most in need and have seen their trading and/or fundraising income drop significantly during the crisis.

With funding being provided from the Dormant Accounts Fund, the Stability Scheme will provide a once off grant to qualifying organisations. In line with the objectives of the Dormant Accounts Fund, the Stability Scheme will focus 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

Organisations were 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, administers the Stability Fund on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development.