On 17 December 2025, Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, and Minister of State for Community Development and Charities, Jerry Buttimer TD, announced increased funding for over 400 organisations nationwide under the Community Services Programme (CSP). The revised funding, effective from 1 January 2026, will see higher annual contributions per post for organisations with high and medium funding needs, as well as an increase for all supported manager positions.
The funding adjustments include an additional €1,260 per post for organisations with high funding needs, €1,160 per post for medium-need organisations, and €400 per annum for each of the 351 CSP-supported manager positions. Fifty-five organisations are set to move to a higher funding category, focusing additional support on those with the greatest financial need.
Nine new organisations, including Ballinamore Community Hall CLG trading as The Island Theatre, will join the CSP Programme in early 2026, supporting employment for 11 full-time posts and six managers. This will bring the total number of supported organisations to 435. Additionally, 11 organisations with contracts originally ending on 31 December 2025 have had their contracts extended for two more years, and there will be an open call for new organisations to join the programme early next year.
Minister Calleary highlighted the vital role of the CSP Programme in ensuring essential services reach communities nationwide, noting that the additional funding strengthens targeted support and addresses local needs. Minister Buttimer emphasized his commitment to working closely with community organisations to help them continue delivering essential services where they are most needed.
The CSP Programme supports over 440 services nationally through 426 community organisations, focusing on urban and rural areas where public and private services are lacking. The programme provides an annual co-funding contribution toward full-time equivalent positions and, where necessary, manager positions, enabling organisations to address local service gaps and provide access to facilities that would otherwise be unavailable.
As part of the Budget 2026 package, the CSP Programme was allocated an additional €4 million, bringing total funding for 2026 to €59.4 million. The current iteration of the programme, which began in January 2023, will continue until December 2027 and is administered by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.
The CSP Programme operates on a funding allocation model introduced in 2023, designed to provide higher support for organisations in disadvantaged areas employing at least 70% of individuals from target groups with limited earning potential. This model replaces the previous flat-rate payment approach and ensures funding is directed to organisations best able to meet local community needs.
