The average value of the LEADER grant for the 327 projects approved so far this year is €34,000.

Funding approved in 2019 has been awarded to both large- and small-scale projects.

A total of 31 grants of over €100,000 have been approved in 2019, alongside 132 grants of less than €10,000, according to a report from the National Rural Network (NRN).

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Rural Development Programme

LEADER provides grants to rural Ireland through Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

In total, under the current LEADER Programme, over 1,900 projects have been approved with a value of €66.4m.

LEADER funding is targeted at priority areas identified in local development strategies developed by local action groups.

These priorities come under the following themes:

  • Economic development, enterprise development and job creation.
  • Social inclusion.
  • Rural environment.
  • Under the economic development, enterprise development and job creation theme, a total of 212 projects, valued at €6.4m, have been approved so far in 2019.

    Rural tourism projects make up the majority of this, with over 104 projects valued at €2.1m.

    Funding is still available under the LEADER Programme 2014-2020.

    Those interested in applying can contact the local action group in their local area.

    Contact details are available from the NRN’s database.

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