Grants schemes are available to many different local groups and organisations, ranging from residents committees to social supports, from environmental initatives to local festivals. The deadline for 2009 applications is 18th March and I would encourage anyone involved to start applying now. I produce below full information courtesy of Kildare and Naas Town councils:

Groups in Naas town should contact (045) 980990 or tclerk@naasudc.ie whilst groups outside the town or more specialist queries should be directed to the relevant contact below.

Kildare County Council announces Grant Schemes available for 2009
Kildare County Council announces Grant Schemes available for 2009

With effect from 2007, Kildare Co. Council is engaging in a system of advertising grants available on a co-ordinated basis.
Please see below, a list of the grants available to the citizens, local communities and local development bodies of County Kildare for this year.
Please note, the closing date for receipt of applications is:

Wednesday 18 March 2009 for all grants unless stated otherwise.

COMMUNITY GRANTS SCHEMES 2009
We are now inviting applications for the various grants administered by the Community & Enterprise Department in Kildare County Council. These include Festival Grants, Community Grants and Amenity Grants Schemes.

Festival Grants
These grants aim to promote and support local festivals and celebratory activities in the county that have a tourism, cultural/artistic or community perspective.
Conferences, seminars and commercial activities are excluded from the Scheme.
Closing date for receipt of applications is Wednesday 18 March 2009.

Community Grants
These grants pertain to community groups and organisations within County Kildare, whose activities promote the well-being of communities in the County and which contribute toward meeting the goals of the County’s 10-year strategy, ‘Kildare 2012.’
Projects in areas concerned with the following will be considered for funding:

Social Inclusion – projects involving groups such as travellers, youth, people with disabilities, refugees & asylum seekers
Community Integration – coming together to jointly address local problems
Community Participation – improving facilities for community use
Joint projects with the local authority
Technical Assistance – preparation of local development and action plans, research, training & facilitation
Closing date for receipt of applications is Wednesday 18 March 2009.

Amenity Grants
These grants are aimed at community groups engaged in environmental type activity in public open spaces, not within housing estates.
Closing date for receipt of applications is Wednesday 18 March 2009.

Application Forms
Application forms for all the above schemes are available from:
Maria Allison, Community & Enterprise Section, Kildare County Council, Áras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas.
Tel: 045 980535.
Email: mallison@kildarecoco.ie
They are also available to download www.kildare.ie/countycouncil

GRANTS FOR THE CONSERVATION OF PROTECTED STRUCTURES
Applications are presently being invited by Kildare County Council for the 2009 Conservation Grants Scheme. Please note this scheme is based on the allocation of funding from the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government.
further information please contact Triona Dowling/Sandra Gannon, Kildare Co. Council, Áras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas, Co. Kildare.
Tel: 045 / 980765/980611
Email: jhannigan@kildarecoco.ie

NOTE: Closing date for receipt of applications for Conservation Grants ONLY is Friday 30 January 2009.

KILDARE COUNTY COUNCIL ARTS SERVICE
AWARDS OPPORTUNITIES 2009

Kildare County Council Arts Service invites applications for the following:

Arts Act Grants Scheme

Bursary awards for individual Kildare based artists for the development of their work.
Assistance to groups/organisations/schools towards the cost of projects or events that stimulate public interest in and improve arts practice in the county.
Assistance to groups / organisations for the purchase of equipment
Cecil Day Lewis Literary Bursary Award
The annual Cecil Day Lewis Literary Bursary Award is open to both established and emerging writers and critics in all genres to enable

Research: towards the production of new writings
Formal or informal training: Participation in a professional or post-graduate course, mentoring, or other initiative, which will expand existing practice.
Kildare Dance Summer School Bursary Award
Two bursary awards will be made to dancers, teachers or facilitators to participate in the Kildare Dance Summer School at NUI, Maynooth 20- 24July 2009. The Summer School will have workshops in Choreography, Education, Youth dance and Dance with Disability. The awards include tuition fees and light refreshments.

Music Recording Bursary Award
Two bursary awards will be awarded to musicians, across music genres for a three-day recording opportunity, with Sound Engineer provided, in the Platform 4 Recording Studio in Leixlip Library. Further information about the Platform 4 project is available on www.kildare.ie/artsservice

Tyrone Guthrie Residency Bursary Award
Two bursary awards will be made to artists from all fields for a two-week stay at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, the artist’s workplace in Monaghan. Artists will be selected on the basis of their previous achievements and the project they intend to further during their working residency.

For information about the Tyrone Guthrie Centre see www.tyroneguthrie.ie

Drama League of Ireland Summer School Bursary Award
Two bursary awards are offered for participation on the DLI Summer School 1 – 8 August 2009. For information about the Drama League of Ireland see www.dli.ie

Application forms and further information are available from:

Kildare County Arts Service, Riverbank, Main Street, Newbridge, Co Kildare
Contact Kildare County Council Arts Service Tel: 045-448328, Email: bbrady@kildarecoco.ie

Information is also available on the web www.kildare.ie/artsservice
Closing date for receipt of applications for each scheme is
Wednesday 18 March 2009.

CAPITAL GRANTS
FOR RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 2009

We have now opened our 2009 Capital Grants Scheme for Recreational Development.

The purpose of the scheme is to give practical support to local sporting clubs and organisations by helping to fund their development.
Application forms and full details of the scheme are available from:
Cheryl Wilson, Leisure Services Dept., Áras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas,
Co. Kildare.
Tel: 045 / 980262
Email: cwilson@kildarecoco.ie
Closing date for receipt of completed applications is Wednesday 18 March 2009.

RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION GRANTS – PRIVATE ESTATES
Grants are awarded towards expenses incurred on estate maintenance, e.g. landscaping, flowerbeds, tree planting and other minor works.
For further information please contact: Pearl Voigt, Kildare Co. Council, Áras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas, Co. Kildare.
Tel: 045 / 980588
Email: pvoigt@kildarecoco.ie
Closing date for receipt of applications is Wednesday 18 March 2009.

RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION GRANTS – LOCAL AUTHORITY ESTATES
Grants are paid to residents associations for the maintenance and improvement of housing estates. Work such as tree planting, shrubberies, etc. is eligible.
To obtain further information please contact the following:
Mary Behan, Community Worker, North Kildare.
Tel: 045 / 980693
Email: mailto:mcbehan@kildarecoco.ie or
Doreen Daly, Community Worker, South Kildare
Tel: 045 / 980596
Email: ddaly@kildarecoco.ie

Please note closing date in respect of these grants ONLY: Friday 24 April 2009

LOCAL IMPROVEMENT SCHEME 2009
Applications are invited for the above Scheme, which applies to repairs to non-public accommodation roads and bog roads. To qualify, the project must be of benefit to agricultural production and benefit two or more parcels of land owned / occupied by different persons.
Further details and application forms can be obtained from the Roads Administration Section of the Council – Tel: 045/ 980421 and also on www.kildare.ie
Completed applications should be returned to Sonya Kavanagh. Senior Executive Officer, Transportation Department, Kildare Co. Council, Aras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas, Co. Kildare.
Tel: 045 / 980394
Email: : skavanagh@kildarecoco.ie

Closing date for receipt of applications is Wednesday 18 March 2009.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT SCHEME
This scheme applies to repairs to public roads only.
For further information please contact: Sonya Kavanagh, Senior Executive Officer, Transportation Department, Kildare Co. Council, Aras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas, Co. Kildare.
Tel: 045 / 980394
Email: skavanagh@kildarecoco.ie
Closing date for receipt of applications is Wednesday 18 March 2009.

All grants awarded, are subject to a maximum amount available, within limited budget allocations and in accordance the terms and conditions pertaining to individual grant schemes. If a group / organisation is granted an award of monies one year, a fresh application must be made in all cases for support in subsequent years.

Application does not guarantee an award of grant.

All applications are judged on merit of the project/initiative submitted for consideration.