CLÁR (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais) Funding 2026
CLÁR (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais) is a targeted investment programme for rural areas that aims to provide funding for small infrastructural projects in areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population and/or socio-economic disadvantage and geographic remoteness (see attached map of County Louth’s CLÁR areas). The programme is delivered by the Department of Rural & Community Development & the Gaeltacht (DRCDG) and the funding assists in building the resilience of these rural communities.
The 2026 CLÁR Programme is now open for applications. Louth County Council is seeking Expressions of Interest for projects under Measure 1*.
The types of projects that may be supported under Measure 1 include:
- Small scale renovation works to community facilities open to the wider community such as community centres/sports centres/clubhouses of sporting groups/youth centres/men’s sheds etc. This includes external works such as parking and accessibility enhancements
- Multi-use gaming areas (MUGAs)/Astro-turf facilities including upgrades (see information box in respect of astro turf surfaces below)
- Playgrounds/skateboard parks/pump tracks/cycling tracks/teenage spaces
- Walking/running /athletics tracks
- Handball alleys/tennis courts/basketball courts/cricket grounds/ outdoor bowling areas
- Community gyms/community cinemas
- Sensory gardens/Community gardens/ allotments/ biodiversity planting
- Access to unique local heritage sites / areas of natural beauty
- Enhanced outdoor toilet and changing facilities
- Car parking
- Community focussed traffic safety measures
- Improving access at sports grounds e.g. development/upgrade of spectator stands at local sports grounds with a particular focus on improving access for people of all abilities and ages
- Toilets/showers in community facilities but not sports team changing rooms or showers.
- Emergency Generators
- Actions to remediate light pollution (terrestrial and marine) through restorative lighting strategies to protect and/or retore Ireland’s dark skies
- Solar Bins
Under Measure 1:
- The minimum grant available is €5,000.
- The maximum grant level is €65,000, but to facilitate projects of a slightly greater scale, each local authority can submit 2 applications seeking grant funding of up to €100,000.
- The scheme will provide up to 90% of the cost. The remaining 10%, or balance of the cost, must be provided in cash through local authority/community/other resources. Philanthropic contributions will be accepted as full or part of match funding costs.
- Landowner consent, planning permission, necessary screenings (if applicable), and the required match funding must be confirmed and in place at the time of application.
- If the project involves works on buildings or lands that are not in the ownership of the grantee, a minimum of 7 years remaining on a lease/licence must be in place from date of application.
- Only 1 application may be submitted per organisation/facility.
- Projects approved for funding must be capable of being delivered within an 18-month timeframe.
Closing date for applications is Tuesday 2nd June 2026 at 12pm. If you are interested in applying to Measure 1 of the Scheme, please read the attached Scheme Outline fully and complete the attached 2026 CLÁR Measure 1 Expression of Interest Form, returning it (in Word format only) to funding@louthcoco.ie
Please note that the deadline date for submission of Expressions of Interest to Louth County Council is different to the application deadline date indicated by the DRCDG on the Scheme Outline. The reason for this is that the Expressions of Interest must be reviewed by Louth County Council before submission to the DRCDG for further consideration.
If you have any queries in relation to the 2026 CLÁR Programme, please email funding@louthcoco.ie
*Louth County Council does not administer applications for Measure 2 - Mobility, Cancer Care, Community First Responder and Meals on Wheels Transport and Measure 3 - ‘Our Living Islands’ of the scheme. Applications under those measures need to be made directly to the DRCDG. More details can be found on their website - https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-rural-and-community-development-and-the-gaeltacht/policy-information/cl%C3%A1r-funding-for-small-scale-rural-projects/