Community Finance Ireland To Lend Their Support For Organisations In Tipperary
Community Fiance Ireland has announced a €10 million All-Island Recovery Loan fund, its first all-island loan scheme.
The fund will offer flexible loans of €10,000-€500,000 to community sector organisations including faith-based groups, sports clubs and social enterprises in Tipperary.
Between 2016 and 2020, Community Finance Ireland financed loans to the value of €5.1 million for organisations in Munster, including South Eastern Mountain Rescue and Cloughjordan Community Farm in Tipperary.
Commenting on the launch, Dónal Traynor, Chief Executive of Community Finance Ireland said:
“Throughout the pandemic we witnessed the incredible resilience of the community sector, with many pivoting their offerings and exploring new opportunities for development.
The All-Island Recovery Loan fund is open to organisations who want to build on these new opportunities to recover, rebuild or reimagine what they can bring to their local community.
Despite the challenges of Covid-19 and public health restrictions, our client portfolios performed well over the past year and at Community Finance Ireland, we have nothing but confidence in the sector and its ability to play a pivotal role in bringing our local communities back together and to create something new in response to the changes our communities have undergone during the past year.
The new recovery fund supports the strategic priorities outlined in ‘Our Rural Future’, launched by the government earlier this year, which aims to transform the quality of life and opportunity for people living in rural areas.
The flexible nature of the fund with the added value of a one-to-one relationship with a dedicated client manager who knows the sector and the local area, makes it a great option for communities exploring how they can become more attractive locations for people to live and work.
The All-Island Recovery Loan fund supports longer term loans plus short term bridging loans.
There are no time restrictions around funding and we will respond to applications within 48 hours of receipt.”
Ballina Killaloe Sports Community Facilities Development CLG (trading as Clarisford Park) is the brainchild of international rugby player Keith Wood. Clarisford Park is a 30 acre community park in Killaloe, Co. Clare incorporating playing pitches, intergenerational sports hall, dressing rooms, walking trail, athletics running track and training facilities in addition to a large expanse of open parkland.
The Park is modelled on a municipal approach to sport and recreation whereby all clubs and groups can utilise facilities and the park acts as a community resource for health & wellbeing.
Commenting on the support received from Community Finance Ireland, Caroline Madden, Director of Legacy Projects Ballina Killaloe Sports Community Facilities Development CLG said:
“Community Finance have been instrumental in this partnership approach as a conduit for funding new development, in particular assisting with a loan for our 200m athletics track and training facilities installed in 2020/21.”
