Funding

Last year, 133 people drowned, the majority of them men in tragic circumstances. When a drowning occurs, bodies are usually recovered thanks in no small part to the many voluntary search, rescue and recovery groups. Meath River Rescue is one such group and it has twice benefitted from LEADER funding.

Regardless of the outcome of Saturday's vote in Westminster, community groups north and south will continue to be supported, promised Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney.

Many community organisations rely on funding to keep the lights on, but grant application processes can be overly complex. What if there were information sessions to help with that?

The Department of Rural and Community Development has the smallest budget of any government department, but what does it do with its allocation?

The Michael Davitt Museum may be small, but it’s impressed an unlikely international supporter: China. The deserving community museum recently received department funding to further its reach.

When it comes to large funding programmes, it can be hard to see beyond the big numbers to the actual impact they make on communities. It’s only when you look at the nitty gritty that their true value reveals itself.

It’s been 10 years since the banks were bailed out, but credit unions are still unfairly tarnished. This year’s Credit Union Summer School in University College Cork sought to clear their name.

In an age where community-based solutions can solve national problems, Social Innovation Fund is offering a helping hand. At this year’s Ploughing Championships, we were introduced to the six groups that the organisation is supporting in their efforts.