Community Water Development Fund Grant Application Form 2026

Open19 Nov, 2025, 10:35 - 20 Jan, 2026, 23:30

 

Community Water Development Fund 2026                

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The Community Water Development Fund is supported by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, under the Water Action Plan for Ireland 2024-2027.

Welcome to the online grants portal. Please download the Guidelines to this funding stream and familiarise yourself with the scheme. 
Download: Community Water Development Fund Open Call Guidelines 2026 
Download a word version of the Questions on application form from which you can copy and paste to the portal.

The Scheme has been in existence since 2018 when we awarded €180,000 and has grown to €1,047,000 worth of awards in 2025. Some changes have been introduced to the Scheme for 2026:

1. Minimum grant award of €5,000 & Medium size €5000 to €25,000.
2. Maximum grant award of between €25,000 to €40,000 or more subject to procurement.
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.Where successful applicants propose to engage in public launch events/promotional events they MUST contact their local CWO or other LAWPRO staff in advance to ensure that appropriate arrangements are put in place.

4.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:

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 (Note 1).

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 (Note 2) etc; Bog restoration*** – e.g. conserve and improve. the quality of blanket bogs and associated habitats (Note 2).

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.

Note 1. Consultation with IFI is mandatory.
Note 2. Consultation with NPWS and/or Local Authority Biodiversity Officer mandatory.
Note 3. Consultation with LAWPRO’s Blue Dot Catchments team recommended.
Note 4. Must have a water quality benefit

All information must be received before Tuesday, 20th January 2026.
The portal will close at 11:30pm.  
You must login or register to participate.