The Community Water Development Fund 2026 is now open for applications.

The application process will remain open until 11:30pm on Tuesday 20^th January 2026.

• Download: Guidelines: Community Water Development Fund 2026 Guidelines

• Application: Submit your application through our dedicated applications portal.

The Community Water Development Fund is provided by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and administered by LAWPRO.

This fund supports community groups to enhance the quality of local streams, rivers, lakes, and coastal areas. The fund has been in place since 2017, with growing interest year on year.

The standard of applications for funding is high, making the assessment process more difficult. The fund delivers a broad range of water projects that benefit the amenity of local areas. Types of projects approved for funding include:

• Awareness raising initiatives such as river clean ups, biodiversity information boards, citizen science workshops, outdoor classrooms, rainwater harvesting, and enhancement of wetlands.

• Preparation of local plans such as feasibility studies, habitat management plans, ecological surveys, and biodiversity action plans.

• River and habitat enhancement works such as planting of native species and hedgerow, pollinator friendly planting, river-bank stabilisation, fencing and riparian buffer zones.

1. Minimum grant award of €5,000 & Medium size €5000 to €25,000.
2. Maximum grant award of between €25,000 to €40,000 or more subject to procurement.

The Community Water Development Fund is supported by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, under the Water Action Plan for Ireland 2024-2027.

Source: https://lawaters.ie/cwdf/