Our Rural Future is the Government’s five-year strategy to revitalise rural Ireland and includes a commitment to upgrade and enhance shopfronts and street facades in our rural towns and villages. This scheme is funded by the Department of Rural & Community Development (DRCD) through the 2021 Streetscape Enhancement Measure. The focus of this measure is to support the upgrade and enhancement of shopfronts and street facades of defined areas within selected rural town/village centres.
Property owners/lessees in the following areas only are invited to apply for grant funding to carry out improvement works, under the DRCD scheme, to their residential properties within the speed limit areas of the following towns:
Moate, Castlepollard, Kilbeggan, Kinnegad, Rochfortbridge, and Killucan/Rathwire.
The following works are available for application by residential property owners/lessees:
|
Type of works |
Max. grant amount |
Funding rate |
|
Green enhancement of entrances/ terraces with planting |
€500 |
70% |
|
Painting of building/shopfront in carefully selected colours which will complement the host building and streetscape. Mural (agreed in advance with Local Authority) |
€1,500 |
70% |
|
Decluttering and repair of shopfronts. (Decluttering can include such works as removing unnecessary signs, flagpoles, wiring etc.) |
€2,000 |
70% |
|
Careful illumination and lighting of architectural features of buildings. |
€4,000 |
70% |
|
Improvements to shopfront window displays and staging |
€4,000 |
70% |
|
Replacement of signage with traditional wooden fascia with wooden/hand painted lettering OR contemporary design |
€4,000 |
70% |
|
Canopies/Awnings complementary to the materials of the shopfront and building (including street furniture). |
€4,000 |
70% |
|
Replacement of existing shopfront with traditional painted wooden shopfront OR contemporary design |
€4,000 |
70% |
|
Where painting is undertaken by direct labour by applicant |
€1,500 |
100% |
Releated Documents;
DRCD Streetscape Enhancement Application Form
Westmeath County Council has also made funding available for business owners to improve the building facades of their properties. This scheme is open for applications from all local indigenous businesses/retail premises within the development envelope of all towns and villages in the county. The aim of this scheme is to enhance the streetscape environment of towns and villages throughout County Westmeath by encouraging and supporting owners of local retail and commercial premises to improve their individual shopfronts.
The following works are eligible for funding by commercial property owners/lessees on a county-wide basis (including the six selected towns outlined above):
|
Type of works |
Max. Grant amount |
Funding rate |
|
Repair and reinstatement of all or any part of a shopfront fixture that is visible from the street, including the first and upper floors of premises (subject to the associated ground floor unit being in commercial use). |
€2,500
|
50% |
|
Reinstatement of architectural or historic features that have formed part of the buildings’ design and character but may have been lost or damaged over time |
50% |
|
|
Repainting of shopfronts. Colour schemes should co-ordinate with adjoining shopfronts (as per the agreement of the Planning Authority) and upper floors of buildings should be painted to blend in appropriately with the shopfronts |
50% |
|
|
Repair and reinstatement of guttering and down-pipes (to match historic materials where appropriate). |
50% |
|
|
Repainting and/or re-rendering of prominent elevations. |
50% |
|
|
Repair of external stonework and brickwork and replacement of stonework or brickwork which forms part of the stall riser of the shopfront |
50% |
|
|
Removal of neon signs, banners or other inappropriate signage affixed to front elevations (or side elevations visible from the street) and replacement with signage in line with the Westmeath County Development Plan standards. |
50% |
|
|
Permanent removal of external security shutters and installation of suitable replacements. |
50% |
|
|
Repair, replacement and new awnings or canopies. |
50% |
|
|
Third party costs only will be considered. Should applicants wish to undertake work themselves a grant will be paid towards material costs only |
€2,500 |
100% |
For more information on Shopfront Enhancement Scheme 2021 see here
Westmeath County Council is now inviting applications for grant support for Festivals and Events to be held in the period July to December 2021.
The purpose of the scheme is to encourage and promote local events particularly events that involve significant voluntary input and generate increased economic and community activity for the local area.
In applying to the scheme, the applicant is responsible for organising, managing and holding the event in compliance with all Covid-19 Government, Public Health and HSE guidelines in operation at the time of the event.
This is an online application. Please read the Criteria and Guidelines Festival & Events Grant 2021 before applying for this grant.
If you are unable to complete an online application, please download the Offline Application Festival & Events Grant 2021 and submit by email to communitygrants@westmeathcoco.ie by 2pm on Friday 13th August 2021 in order for a member of staff to upload the application on your behalf.
COMMUNITY GRANTS 2021 - NOW CLOSED
For the past number of years Westmeath County Council has distributed over €450,000 per annum to Community & Voluntary groups in the form of Awards and Grants. This is because the Council recognises and values the work that the Community & Voluntary sector carry out on a day to day basis and believes that this sector is one of the most important in the county as it contributes to the quality of life of all citizens.
Supporting our Communities - Westmeath Community Development Section is here to support our community groups.
We endeavour to ensure all our Community groups are supported to apply for the various grants, awards and nominations appropriate to their group or area.
A Funding and Resource workshop information evening was held via Zoom during March 2021:
Recordings of the workshops are available to view on the Westmeath County Council YouTube channel.
If you have any queries or you are looking for information our email address is communitygrants@westmeathcoco.ie and telephone number 044-93-32051
Town & village Christmas Lighting Grants
To ensure your group is kept informed of the latest available grant, please register for the Westmeath Public Participation Network (PPN) at www.westmeathppn.ie