Further €11m for cash-strapped charities announced

Puppies in training for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.

The Government has allocated €11m worth of funding to 209 organisations under the latest tranche of the Covid-19 Stability Fund.

The Society of St Vincent De Paul is set to receive €200,000.

In Cork, Irish Guide Dogs For The Blind, Tabor Lodge Addiction and Housing Services, and the Cork Simon Community will receive €200,000 each.

St Lukes Charity and Northridge House Centre will get €192,733, and the Cork-based Social and Health Education Project will get €134,853.

Meitheal Mara will receive €39,531, the Glen Resource and Sports Centre will get €84,799, and Carrigaline Community Association is getting €60,556.

In total, 24 Cork-based organisations will receive funding.

The monies, which come from the Dormant Accounts Fund, is designed to support charities, social enterprises and community and voluntary organisations that are experiencing financial difficulties as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Once-off cash injections between €2,000 and €200,000 are being awarded to qualifying organisations that provide critical services to society's most vulnerable in areas such as disability services, health and wellbeing services, community supports, active retirement and elder care services, as well as a range of social services and supports for disadvantaged individuals and communities.

This new funding will include organisations who received previous tranches of the same fund, which was announced back in June and July. 

That previous round of funding benefited 276 organisations, and totalled €14.1m.

The Wheel, the national association of charities, has welcomed the announcement.

"We are very pleased to see these badly-needed funds being transferred to financially impacted charities today," said Deirdre Garvey, CEO of The Wheel.

"It will go a long way to help hard-pressed organisations to continue their essential work."

Ms Garvey added that The Wheel is estimating a combined shortfall of €500m in Irish charities' income by the end of 2020. 

"While the funding announced today goes some way to closing the gap, the scheme was primarily designed to support the worst-hit charities to cope with urgent cash-flow and liquidity needs. A medium to long term strategy is now needed to protect key services."