Our Rural Future: €15m Fund to Revitalise Rural Towns & Villages
The Department of Rural and Community Development has today announced €15 million in funding to help revitalise rural towns and villages post-COVID-19.
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is designed to breathe new life into rural communities, making them more attractive places to live, work, socialise, and raise a family.
The initiative is a key part of Our Rural Future – the Government’s five-year strategy to revitalise rural Ireland.
The measures that will be supported by the 2021 Town and Village Renewal Scheme include:
- Tackling dereliction in town centres
- Turning vacant properties into remote working and community spaces
- Supporting Local Authorities to run innovative marketing campaigns targeted at attracting remote workers to their county.
- Investing in green spaces, parks and recreational amenities
- Upgrading and improving shop fronts and streetscapes on main streets
- Projects that support and enhance the night time economy and add vibrancy to town centres
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is administered through the Local Authorities, who are required to work closely with local communities and local businesses to develop and implement proposals.
The previous maximum grant of €200,000 has been increased to €500,000 under this year’s scheme so that projects of scale can be supported.