Climate Action Works

 

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Darragh O’Brien, and Minister for Circular Economy Alan Dillon today announced the awarding of €500,000 worth of grants under the Climate Actions Work Engagement fund. The grants, ranging from €2,500 to €10,000, will be distributed to 96 community groups and organisations across 23 counties. It is estimated that 30,000 people will benefit from the activities generated through this fund with the support of over 2,000 volunteers.

The funding will support groups or organisations working to bring people together and share information on climate action. The fund is focused on climate engagement, awareness and communications – helping communities to reach new audiences in their locality. It will also provide opportunities for community groups to promote their work and spread the message of community-led climate action.

The fund is administered by Community Foundation Ireland which as part of its mission of Equality For All in Thriving Communities has been empowering local groups, researchers and advocates to take action on climate and nature since 2000. The foundation’s work in this space is informed by its 25 years’ experience of partnering with 5,000 voluntary, community and charitable groups as a philanthropic hub; a network which continues to grow.

Announcing the grantees, Minister O’Brien said:

“Our local communities are delivering great work on climate action, much of which often goes unseen. This funding will help groups in those communities raise awareness of that work and bring the climate action message to a wider audience. From workshops to events to content creation, this fund is really targeted at storytelling – helping people to tell their stories about climate action. I am very pleased to help these initiatives showcase examples the great work going on across Ireland.”

Minister Dillon said:

“Climate change affects different communities in different ways. The impacts we feel in the West of Ireland are different to those in Dublin, or the Midlands. This fund helps to shine a light on specific local responses to climate change. From developing engaging social media content to supporting local environmental collectives, this funding will provide valuable assistance to promote the work of community groups, many of whom are working tirelessly on a voluntary basis. I commend their work and welcome this opportunity to showcase and celebrate it.”

Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of Community Foundation Ireland said:

“Partnership is key to meeting the climate challenge.

At the Community Foundation we are proud to have contributed knowledge and insights from our network of local community groups to inform and deliver this Government initiative.

A network which underpins all our work as a philanthropic hub.  We look forward to seeing the impact of these imaginative projects.”

The fund is a core component of the Climate Actions Work Programme. This programme has built on engagement with community groups through the National Dialogue on Climate Action over the last few years. The engagement showed that many community groups and organisations are supported through volunteers who often have to give up nights and days to undertake engagement and communications activities. The fund is intended to provide support to promote the incredible work already underway, and to encourage new participation. The fund supports groups to work with audiences who have not previously engaged in climate action at a local level or beyond.

 

ENDS

NOTES TO THE EDITOR

Climate Actions Work Programme

Climate Actions Work is a national programme of engagement on climate action. It enables people and communities across Ireland to be part of the conversation about climate change. The Climate Actions Work project includes:

• An expanded programme of engagement activities and events, building on the National Dialogue on Climate Action
• A training programme with accessible and best practice guidance on the development and implementation of climate engagement programmes for community organisations
• Funding and resources for community groups to support climate communications and engagement at a local level
• An interactive map of regional activities that are happening in different areas
• A national communications campaign to tell the story of community climate actions that are already making a difference.

Climate Actions Work Engagement Fund

The Climate Actions Work fund is specifically aimed at community groups and organisations to support them in:

• Community Awareness: promoting and creating awareness of climate actions in the local area and encourage others to get involved
• Community Engagement: making connections with each other in their communities, engage with each other and better coordinate their climate action efforts;
• Community Activation: through better coordination develop new partnerships to support new and larger projects and programmes.

Projects who have been awarded funding include the following:

• Leave No Trace Ireland: This project will expand the reach of “Love This Place” campaign with social media videos and community events, raising climate awareness by promoting sustainable outdoor behaviours and environmental stewardship, connecting personal actions to climate resilience.

• Éire Óg Greystones GAA Club (Wicklow): The Greystones Sports Club Climate Action Charter will bring together over 30 sports clubs in the greater Greystones area (including Delgany, Kilcoole, Newtownmountkennedy and Greystones) to work together on Climate Action relevant to sporting clubs.

• Croi Glan Integrated Dance Company (Cork): ‘Change’ is a new ambitious Dance Performance co-created through a series of workshops with people with disabilities that focuses on building community awareness and stimulating knowledge exchange around climate resilience.

• Royal Terrace Residents’ Association (Dublin): The project would involve the delivery of three two-hour workshops over the course of the year on the following topics: sustainable fashion, including a waste not clothes swap; sustainable food workshop focusing on food waste; and a zero waste workshop focusing on reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products.

• St. Peter’s NS Phibsborough Parents’ Association (Dublin): This project aims to grow awareness of climate positive activities by expanding two successful sustainability pilot projects from 2023/24.

• Connecting-Cabra (Dublin): Targeted support for disadvantaged communities in Dublin 7 to support them to avail of retrofitting grants to provide warmer homes, this builds on pilot programmes which have trialed appropriate and effective methods.

• Balla Community Resource Development (Mayo): To complete a Town and Village Renewal Report which will lead to addressing issues that arise, focusing on an assessment of energy needs as a community through the SEAI

A full list of grantees can be found at  Climate Actions Work Engagement Fund – Community Foundation Ireland