SIXTY Northside community groups are to share €400,000 from Dublin Airport’s new €10 million Community Fund.
The organisations that are being funded from the fund’s first allocation comprise 43 successful applicants and 17 groups which were previously supported by Dublin Airport in a multi-year agreement and are now backed by the fund as part of a transition arrangement.
The fund is also supporting up to 10 students per year from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to enable them to attend Dublin City University (DCU) via its Access Programme.
Dublin Airport’s €10 million Community Fund was launched during the summer with an annual investment of €400,000 over the next 25 years.
Support is focused on areas such as environment and sustainability, sports and recreation, social inclusion and community development, health and wellbeing, and culture and heritage.
Dublin Airport managing director Vincent Harrison said he was delighted that so many community groups had applied to the fund for support.
“The response has been fantastic with 100 community groups submitting applications,” said Mr Harrison.
“The doubling of our annual spend means that we are able to reach even further into our communities and more people and causes will benefit from our support.”
Eighteen community groups will receive support above €5,000 in this round of funding while 42 groups will receive €5,000 or less.
Among the projects being funded are: new heaters for the 18th Santry Scout Group, refurbishment of Portmarnock Youth Adventure Club hall, new flooring for River Valley Community Centre and new pitch fencing for Innisfails GAA Club, Malahide Road.
The Dublin Airport Community Fund opened for applications for the first time at the start of September 2017 for a six-week period.
Applications were received from all catchment areas of Cloghran, Forrest Little, Greater Baskin, Hollystown, Malahide, Portmarnock, Rolestown, Santry, St. Margaret’s, Swords, The Ward and Tyrrelstown.