Community Climate Action Programme
Do you have an idea to make your community more sustainable? The Community Climate Action Programme can help you bring it to life. Apply for 100% funding to support local climate action projects across Kildare.
Kildare County Council, in conjunction with the Department of Climate, Energy, and the Environment, will support communities to promote and assist in the scale up of community climate action. The overall objective of the programme is to shape and build low carbon, sustainable communities in a coherent way to contribute to national climate and energy targets.
Kildare County Council have been given an allocation of €897,000 for projects under strand 1. Under this scheme communities will partner with the local authority to carry out projects that have a direct climate action impact.
The grant supports projects within five key areas:
- Community Energy: Projects that improve energy efficiency or promote renewable energy use
- Travel: Initiatives that encourage sustainable travel
- Shopping and Recycling: Projects that reduce waste and increase recycling rates
- Food and Waste: Initiatives focused on reducing food waste and promoting local food production
- Local Climate and Environmental Action: A broad category encompassing various projects aimed at environmental protection and climate action.
Projects should seek to demonstrate the delivery of national climate action at local level by including at least one, preferably more, of the following:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Improving energy efficiency
- Increasing climate resilience (help adapt to the consequences of climate change)
- Identifying nature-based projects that enhance biodiversity and seek to reduce, or increase the removal of, greenhouse gas emissions or support climate resilience in the State
- Assisting communities transition to low carbon and sustainable economy
- must demonstrate what the climate action benefit of the project is and clear public accessibility—i.e. how the wider community will be able to engage with, benefit from, or use the project outcomes.
Community Applicants:
- must be a not-for-profit organisation
- must be located in the operational area of the Local Authority to which it is applying for funding
- must submit a completed application form on or before the specified closing date and time
- must be registered with the County Public Participation Network (PPN) or connected with other collectives such as the Wheel, Tidy Towns and /or a community group with Articles of Association or a Constitution, which hold an AGM, and for which approved minutes are available.
Kildare County Councils approved and funded projects under Round 1 of the CCAP are detailed in the document Kildare County Council Approved CCAP Round 1 Projects
Round 2 of the Community Climate Action Programme will open for applications on Tuesday 28th of October 2025.
Drop-in Clinics:
To support potential applicants, Kildare County Council is hosting six scheduled drop-in information sessions taking place across County Kildare. The clinics are informal, relaxed, open to all and provide an opportunity to learn more about the programme, share your ideas, ask questions, and explore potential project concepts.
- Athy Community Library - Tuesday — 14th October 6pm-8pm — R14 DK33
- Naas Library & Cultural Centre - Wednesday — 15th October 6pm-8pm — W91 E1RT
- Maynooth Community Library - Thursday — 16th October 6pm-8pm — W23 ND79
- Kildare Town Community Library - Tuesday — 21st October 2.30pm-4.30pm — R51 P403
- Celbridge Community Library - Wednesday — 22nd October 2.30pm-4.30pm — W23 VA47
- Kildare County Council HQ Carpark Naas (Mount Lucas Rig - Climate Week) - Tuesday — 28th October 10.30am-12.30pm — W91 X77F
Required Reading Before Application:
Kildare's CCAP Guidelines for Applications Strand 1 Round 2
How do I apply?
The Round 2 application form will be available from Tuesday 28th of October at 9:00am and should be submitted in advance of the deadline Monday 22nd of December 2025 at 1:00pm (applications outside of this period cannot be accepted).
Any programme-related queries should be submitted by 16th December 2025.
Access the application form here: CCAP Form | Kildare County Council
WATCH: Online Grant Information Session
This recorded session outlines an overview of the CCAP grant, the eligibility and application process, types of projects supported, and examples of successful projects from Phase 1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some FAQs about the programme.
How will the programme work?
A number of projects will be selected which demonstrate climate action at a local level in Kildare. Local communities will be selected following the application submission and evaluation process and will carry-out their direct climate action projects over 18 months. Projects can include a suite of measures, not just one specific action.
Who can apply?
Eligible communities must be a not-for-profit organisation; must be located in the operational area of the Kildare County Council; must submit a completed application form on or before the specified closing date and time, and must be registered with a PPN or connected with other collectives such as the Wheel, Tidy Towns and /or a community group with Articles of Association or a Constitution, which hold an AGM, and for which approved minutes are available.
Who cannot apply?
Private individuals, commercial undertakings, schools, national level community or environmental organisations. Local branches of national organisations may be eligible, once there is a clear financial separation or local branch from national organisation level.
What projects are eligible?
Projects must demonstrate the delivery of national climate action at a local level for Strand 1. There are five programme themes and communities should try to incorporate as many themes as possible. Projects must address at least one of the themes and are encouraged to address more than one theme. The themes are:
- Community Energy: Projects that improve energy efficiency or promote renewable energy use
- Travel: Initiatives that encourage sustainable travel
- Shopping and Recycling: Projects that reduce waste and increase recycling rates
- Food and Waste: Initiatives focused on reducing food waste and promoting local food production
- Local Climate and Environmental Action: A broad category encompassing various projects aimed at environmental protection and climate action.
Projects should seek to demonstrate the delivery of national climate action at local level by including at least one, preferably more, of the following:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Improving energy efficiency
- Increasing climate resilience (help adapt to the consequences of climate change)
- Identifying nature-based projects that enhance biodiversity and seek to reduce, or increase the removal of, greenhouse gas emissions or support climate resilience in the State
- Assisting communities transition to low carbon and sustainable economy
Projects must demonstrate what the climate action benefit of the project is and clear public accessibility—i.e. how the wider community will be able to engage with, benefit from, or use the project outcomes.
Are electric vehicles or lawnmowers eligible?
No, these are excluded under Strand 1.
What funding is available?
Funding is available for 100% of the project and there are three project sizes eligible:
- Small scale projects < €20,000
- Medium scale projects €20,000 to €50,000
- Large scale projects €50,000 to €100,000
Up to 100% of project costs may be funded through the Community Climate Action Programme – Strand 1. However, funding is not guaranteed, even if a project meets the eligibility criteria. The programme operates as a competitive process.
Please Note: If your group has received more than 300K of State aid within the last three years it may limit your eligibility under a state aid EU rule known as De Minimis. When you make an application you will be advised as to whether you are affected by this State Aid rule that exists to avoid unfair competition in the marketplace.
How do I apply?
The Round 2 application form will be available from Tuesday 28th of October at 9:00am and should be submitted in advance of the deadline Monday 22nd of December 2025 at 1:00pm (applications outside of this period cannot be accepted).
Any programme-related queries should be submitted by 12th December 2025.
Access the application form here: CCAP Form | Kildare County Council
Contact Details
Stephen O'Reilly
Community Climate Action Officer
087 1472909
climateactionoffice@kildarecoco.ie