Grassroot projects boosted by €100,000 from Tallaght Fund

MORE than €100,000 has been invested into the ideas of people living and working in Tallaght, with 13 grassroot projects receiving funding.

Last year, entrepreneur and philanthropist Ed Dunne, who grew up in Kingswood Heights, established the €100k Tallaght Fund, with the aim of supporting the community in creating innovative, sustainable and inclusive projects.

The annual €100k fund is being delivered by the Síol Foundation, which, founded by Ed, offers sustainable support to social entrepreneurs, community projects and social enterprises nationwide.

The Tallaght Fund is being managed here in Tallaght by Andrea Deering of Síol, who spoke with The Echo about the inspiring range of ideas submitted.

“We had some absolutely inspiring ideas,” Andrea said.

“We had to shortlist projects and couldn’t cut out any [on the shortlist] and ended up going over budget by €17,000.

“Some of the projects are still at planning and paper stage but close to getting off the ground and others are well on their way.

“Key for us here was that people living and working in the community are the ones coming up with solutions, not people who don’t know the community.

“We’re hoping that the impact [of these projects] will be visible right away.

“We’re so thrilled to be a part of it, and really excited to get out and see it all happening.”

The 13 projects awarded funding range from a Youth Mentor Programme in Killinarden to film workshops and a free friendship and support phoneline for senior citizens, to a school music programme in Brookfield.

Alongside delivering funding and ongoing mentoring to the 13 projects selected, Síol is also providing support and advice to a number of applicants not awarded funding in this round.

“We had additional projects that we put in touch with other funders who could help them more than we could,” Andrea said.

“There were also other programmes not ready for funding, but we provided them with mentoring and business advice.”

Andrea added: “What we noticed through the application process was a pattern with organisations looking for very similar resources.

“Six organisations were physically very close to each other, doing different things but all applying for the very same resource.

“We’re going to bring [these six organisations] together… maybe they can collaborate and look for the same resource?

“Collaboration creates a much stronger voice both with us and other funding boards.

“The networking piece is very important… and we’ll hold a coffee morning, introduce them to each other and see where we go from there.

“There are some great people prepared to do some great work.

“They know what the community needs…they’re just not sure where to go.

“We can advise or put them in touch with someone who can.”

The sustainability of projects is also huge for Síol, with the Foundation looking at how projects can be made sustainable and are not totally dependent on funding as they grow into the future.

Senator Lynn Ruane is championing the Tallaght Fund locally and helping to raise awareness.

In a comment to The Echo this week, Ms Ruane said: “Delighted to see these exciting and necessary initiatives funded by the Tallaght Fund.

“There is such a cross-section of projects from trauma and sensory interventions to creative arts projects.

“I look forward to seeing how they all progress over the coming months.”

Applications for Tallaght Fund 2022 will open in September, with another €100k available for locally led ideas and projects.

Follow @tallaghtfund on Instagram or Síol Foundation across all social media platforms.