Neoen Community Benefit Fund Program in Ireland

Deadline: 7-Mar-25

The Neoen Community Benefit Fund Program seeks to invest in the social, cultural, and environmental development of communities local to Neoen’s solar farm sites, particularly by addressing social inclusion, accessibility, and community development.

This fund will be administered in partnership with Community Foundation Ireland, which has 25 years’ experience in helping donors make strategic, sustainable and impactful grants.

Funding Information

• The fund will run for approximately 15 years. In 2025, eligible organisations may apply for grants of €1,000 to €5,000.

Eligible Projects

• Demonstrate impact on communities within 10km of the relevant solar farm.
• Request between €1,000 and €5,000, however no more than 50% of the organisation’s annual income.
• May be new or ongoing programmes
• May include overhead costs where they are necessary for the success of the project
• May be joint projects where one entity is the lead applicant

Eligibility Criteria

• Your project must take place within 10km of one of the three solar farms.
• Eligible organisations must.
  • Be a registered charity or a formalised local community/voluntary group
  • Have an annual income above €2,000 and below €100,000. Schools may apply even if their income is above this. Also note that income to pay CE workers is not included here.
  • Be at least one year old
  • Be situated or primarily active within 10km of the relevant solar farm
  • Have up to date and sufficient governing documents, annual accounts, a dedicated bank account and safeguarding policies where relevant

Ineligibility Criteria

• Ineligible organisations include:
  • Groups operating outside the 10km catchment area
  • Groups with annual income below €2,000 or above €100,000
  • Statutory bodies
  • Profit-making enterprises
  • Animal welfare groups
  • Proposals from individuals

For more information, visit Community Foundation Ireland.