€4.75 million available for community safety improvement projects nationwide

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, has today opened this year’s nationwide funding call for applications to the 2026 Community Safety Fund (CSF).

First opened in 2022, this annual fund allows for the proceeds of crime, seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and An Garda Síochána, to be redirected into local projects that support and enhance community safety.

This year’s fund totalling €4.75 million is a significant increase since the initial allocation of €2 million in 2022.

The Community Safety Fund:

• Allows proceeds of crime to be directed into projects to support and enhance community safety
• Ensures that the most appropriate proposals to improve community safety will access the funding they need
• Allows best practice on community safety and youth justice to be shared with other partnerships and communities nationally as new proposals are developed
• Benefits from the success of An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau in seizing the proceeds of criminal activity

Projects that previously benefited from the fund included initiatives that:

• Reduce the fear of crime, improve community safety and feelings of safety
• Support the creation of safe and resilient communities
• Reduce reoffending
• Divert vulnerable individuals away from engagement in criminal behaviour.

Since the Fund launched in 2022, a total of 127 projects have received funding nationally.

For information on how to apply, visit www.gov.ie/communitysafety

Grants range between €20,000 – €150,000.

Applications are invited from community safety initiatives as well as groups co-funded with local authorities, NGOs and community organisations working on issues relevant to community safety and youth justice.

Applications may be submitted by individual organisations, or by a consortium involving two or more organisations where the lead partner is a community organisation, not-for-profit, social enterprise or similar with a remit relevant to community safety and/or youth justice.

Applications with innovative approaches will be afforded particular consideration.

Completed application forms must be returned by 5pm on 18 May 2026 to CommunitySafetyFund@justice.ie

More information on Community Safety can be found at: www.gov.ie/communitysafety.

Supporting documentation, including the Application Form and Guidance Document are available at link below. Information on the previous allocation from last year’s Fund, by successful project and county, may also be found at the link. https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migration/collections/community-safety-fund/

Source: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migration/press-releases/applications-for-the-2026-community-safety-fund-now-open/