Community Centres Investment Fund 2026 – Refurbishment Grant
This capital fund of €25 million is providing funding for the improvement and refurbishment of existing community centres in both urban and rural areas.
Funding is being made available under 2 Categories, with grants of between €10,000 and €100,000 available:
Category 1: Small scale projects and improvements to facilities – €10,000 to €25,000
Category 2 Larger scale projects – €25,001 to €100,000
The Portal for online application will open on May 29th, 2026, at MyPobal Portal and will remain open until July 13th, 2026
Once you log into the Portal, you will be presented with an option to apply for funding under CCIF 2026
Potential applicants are encouraged to register on the application portal in advance of this date.
Template Eligibility Checker and Application Form, Guidelines and FAQs
A template Eligibility Checker and Application Form for Community Centres Investment Fund 2026: Refurbishment Grant, with advice on how to complete each section of the form is being provided here in advance of the online application process opening.
Application Guidelines on all aspects of Community Centres Investment Fund 2026: Refurbishment Grant, can be found here.
Funding Available
Category 1
- €10,000 – €25,000
- 5% match funding required
- 15-month delivery period
Category 2
- €25,001 – €100,000
- 10% match funding required
- 18-month delivery period
Groups may submit one application only.
What Can Be Funded?
Eligible works include:
- Refurbishment and repair works
- Accessibility upgrades
- Fire safety improvements
- Energy efficiency works
- Heating, plumbing and electrical upgrades
- Kitchens and toilets
- Flooring and painting
- Fixed equipment and fittings
- Storage facilities
What Cannot Be Funded?
The fund does not cover:
- New buildings
- Sports pitches or floodlights
- Playgrounds
- ICT equipment
- CCTV
- Vans or buses
- Car parks
- Bar facilities
- Remote working hubs
Who Can Apply?
Eligible applicants include:
- Not-for-profit community and voluntary groups
- Organisations operating for at least 2 years
- Groups managing an existing community facility
- Facilities open to wider community use
Sports clubs, schools and single-purpose organisations may apply where the facility is regularly used by the wider community.
What Groups Need Before Applying
Groups should prepare:
- Quotes for works
- Match funding
- Lease/ownership documents
- Planning permission (if required)
- Before photos
- Constitution/governance documents
Only one quote per project element over €5,000 is required at application stage.
Key Dates
- Applications Open: 29 May 2026
- Closing Date: 13 July 2026
Late or draft applications will not be accepted.
How Applications Will Be Assessed
Applications will be assessed under:
- Need and quality of proposal – 40%
- Community demand and impact – 40%
- Governance and delivery capacity – 20%
Strong applications will clearly show:
- Community need
- High levels of use
- Clear impact
- Good governance
- A realistic and well-planned project
Committees interested in attending these information sessions should register their interest in advance. Links to the events are listed below.
20 May: Community Centres Investment Fund 2026: Weekly check-in-Clinic 20th May 2026
Dates for online clinics and information session on the Community Centres Investment Fund are below. Links to register for these events will be added in the week before they are due to commence.
27 May – Community Centre Investment Fund 2026 – Weekly Check-in-Clinic – 10am – 11am
29 May to 13 July – Community Centre Investment Fund 2026 – Check-in clinic (Mon, Wed, Fri) – 10am – 11am
24th June: Community Centres Investment Fund 2026: Check-in-Clinic 24th June 2026
26th June: Community Centres Investment Fund 2026: Check-in-Clinic 26th June 2026