The Community Water Development Fund (CWDF) is a grants scheme to enable community driven projects that will help improve water quality. The Fund is administered by the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The Fund is open to eligible applicants in the Republic of Ireland only. The Fund will help meet the objectives of the recently launched Water Action Plan 2024 Publications – Local Authority Water Programme (lawaters.ie). The Water Action Plan (WAP) sets out the measures that are necessary to protect and restore water quality in Ireland under the EU Water Framework Directive up to 2027. One of the principles to help achieve improved water quality over the next four years is improvements in water quality delivering multiple benefits for biodiversity, climate change and local communities. This Fund supports communities to deliver positive actions for water quality.

• Guidelines to this funding stream are available here: Community Water Development Fund Open Call Guidelines 2025 
• Application form is available here: Word version of application form 2025
• Closing date: Wednesday, 20th November 2024 at 12 Noon
• How to apply: Applications via Online Portal www.lawaters.ie

The Scheme has been in existence since 2018 when we awarded €180,000 and has grown to €702,000 worth of awards in 2024. Some changes have been introduced to the Scheme for 2025:

1. Minimum grant award of €5,000 (increased from €1,000).
2. Maximum grant award of €50,000 or more subject to procurement (increased from €25,000)
Please note that a Small Grants and Events Scheme will be available all year round for projects / initiatives seeking less than €5,000. Please contact your Community Water Officer to discuss.
3. Types of projects: This fund welcomes applications from organisations who are planning projects that demonstrate direct water quality actions. Projects must fall into the following categories:

Projects must demonstrate direct water quality actions and must fall into at least one of the
categories listed below:

• River restoration – e.g. reinstatement of natural processes, preparation of river restoration plans.

• Nature-based solutions – Urban – e.g. rainwater planters, rain gardens, hard surface removal, rainwater management plans etc.

• Nature-based solutions – Rural – Wetlands/ponds, leaky dam, Silt trapping or ‘Slow the Flow’ Natural Flood Retention Measures (e.g. the addition of large woody debris to drains), Flood management measures (e.g., Swales, attenuation ponds), catchment woodlands, etc.

• Protected Area Projects – Projects in support of protection/restoration of drinking water sources, bathing waters, shellfish waters, or water dependent habitats/species, e.g. salmon, freshwater pearl mussel.

• Pathway interception measures (to reduce phosphorus, microbial pathogens) – e.g. Riparian planting – trees, fencing, closing off cattle access point with provision of cattle drinkers, hedge planting, etc.

• Surveys – e.g. wetland surveys, water quality assessments (macroinvertebrates, fish, chemistry, etc), fluvial geomorphology assessments etc.

• Fish barrier mitigation (Note 1) – e.g. feasibility reports, remediation of fish barrier etc.

• Permissions & Consents – e.g. Appropriate Assessment Screening, Planning permission, etc.

• Fish habitat enhancement

• Reports – e.g. Feasibility Reports for scoping medium to large scale projects

• Landscape management actions – e.g. Invasive Alien Species (IAS) surveys, biosecurity programmes, IAS treatment (Note 2), IAS removal etc; Bog restoration  e.g. conserve and improve the quality of blanket bogs and associated habitats.

• Education Programme & Training Delivery – e.g. Citizen Science; Outdoor classrooms; development of primary of secondary level educations programmes and local delivery; participatory workshops; development of media, or online/social media products; information/training sessions; or collaborative projects.

• Blue Dot Catchments Projects (Note 3) – Projects for the protection and restoration of Ireland’s network of blue dot waters in support of the Blue Dot Catchments Programme.

• Biodiversity (Note 4) – Riparian management/tree planting, planting of native species/hedgerows, de-tunneling, green space development, Creation of habitat near river, lake, wetland; projects in support of the National Biodiversity Action Plan.

• Water conservation measures – e.g. Rainwater harvesting.

• Climate action (Note 4) – Water project with co-benefits for climate; Projects in support of the Climate Action Plan.

• Bespoke Projects – innovative projects in support of water quality action delivery will be considered.

Please find links to guidance and application process information below:

• Guidelines to this funding stream are available here: Community Water Development Fund Open Call Guidelines 2025 
• Application form is available here: Word version of application form 2025
• Closing date: Wednesday, 20th November 2024 at 12 Noon
• How to apply: Applications via Online Portal www.lawaters.ie