Cavan Community ENews 13.11.26
With over 30 pieces of news this week welcome to your weekly ENews. Our news is compiled weekly from our over 500 member groups (571 as of this week!), partner agencies and funders. The deadline for submitting to cavanppn@gmail.com is noon Wednesdays with the title 'ENEWS ITEM' and we can only take community focused news. Please try to ensure that items fit to one A4 page for ease of reading by recipients.
Please note that views/items contained within our ENews may not reflect the values/policies of CavanPPN.
Many Thanks, The CavanPPN Team (Aisling & Daniel). info@cavanppn.ie, CavanPPN, CCLD, Corlurgan, Cavan. H12 X9Y1
CONTENTS (Shaded are new items this week, but all are still relevant/in date)
FUNDING
1-FUNDING: Bealtaine Touring Award
2-FUNDING: Regional Creatives Fund
3-FUNDING: River Basic Management Fund
4-FUNDING: Festival Investment Scheme 2027
5-FUNDING: Conservation & Climate Micro Grants
TRAINING
6-TRAINING: Facilitation Training
7-TRAINING: Running AGMs
8- Settting Up & Running Community Groups
9-TRAINING: Board Induction for Non-Profits
SURVEYS/CONSULTS 10.SURVEYS/CONSULTS: Natural Predator Survey 11. SURVEYS/CONSULTS:Shercock's Future EVENTS & OTHER NEWS 12- Healthy Cavan Committees Sought for County 13- Cavan Countywide Community Conference Comes to ARVA 14- Cavan Biodiversity Conference 15- Woodland Restoration/Nature Reserve Opportunity for Cavan 16- 'Framing Cavan' Photographic Event 17 Community RetroFit Event 18 The Other Taylor Swift Comes to Ballyconnell 19 Community Connections & Wellbeing Project 20 Virginia Community Cafe and Craft & Food Fair
REPRESENTATION 21- Cavan LCDC Seat Open for Communities 22- Peace Plus Partnership Seeks Cavan Voices!
23- Beilieborough/Cootehill Community Representative Sought
24- Cavan Credit Union Seeks Community Representation for its Board
FUNDING
1 Cash4Clubs Award
I’m delighted to share that Cash4Clubs, our award-winning grassroots sports funding scheme is back and applications have been open since October 1st.
Once more, a total of €500,000 will be available for community sports clubs across the UK and Ireland, giving them the chance to improve facilities, purchase new equipment, and invest in the sustainability of their club.
This year, as well as €2,000 grants for 225 clubs, five clubs will have the opportunity to receive a transformational €10,000 grant.
Please do encourage local clubs in your area to apply and we would greatly appreciate your help in highlighting this funding opportunity to those who could benefit from it most – be that on social media or in your local area. Separately, our launch video is also on YouTube and LinkedIn .
Applications opened on 1 October, and if you know of a club or charity that would like to apply, please encourage them to visit the Cash4Clubs website - https://cash4clubs.org/ - and complete the application before the deadline of Friday 1 January 2027. The grants will be awarded early next year.
We’re committed to supporting grassroots sport across Ireland, particularly at a time when many clubs are facing increased financial pressures.
Last year saw record numbers of Irish clubs awarded grants and we are keen to increase that number even further. Groups must only support adult members (18+) to be eligible for funding. You cannot apply if your organisation or club has junior members or runs any junior activities.
However, we welcome applications from a wide range of not-for-profit organisations, including charities, community groups and traditional sports clubs and teams. To be eligible for funding, organisations applying must be clubs with a structured governance and constitution, registered charities, or companies without share capital.
Flutter UKI is part of Flutter Entertainment, the world’s leading online sports and gaming operator and home to Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair, tombola and PokerStars. Through Cash4Clubs, we have donated over €7 million to grassroots sports clubs across the UK and Ireland since 2008.
2 Regional Creatives Fund
The Regional Creatives Fund Ireland (RCF Ireland) is Amazon’s annual grant programme supporting charities that help people from underserved communities build skills, confidence, and careers in the creative industries.
Deadline: 30 Nov
3 Music Capital Scheme
I am writing to let you know about the launch of the Music Capital Scheme 2026 which we hope will be of interest to some of the organisations in your network.
The scheme supports funding for the purchase of musical instruments and selected items of equipment to individual professional performing musicians and non-professional groups across the country.
A total of €500,000 in funding is available through the following three awards which are now open for applications:
Music Capital Scheme Award 1 supports the purchase of musical instruments by non-professional performing groups
Music Capital Scheme Award 2 supports the purchase of musical instruments by individual established professional performing musicians
Music Capital Scheme Award 3 supports the purchase of musical instruments by individual emerging professional performing musicians
The Scheme is now open for applications and the deadline for applications is 2pm, Tuesday 15 December 2026.
You can find further details of the scheme on the Music Network website at https://www.musicnetwork.ie/whats-on/music-capital-scheme
We would really appreciate it if you could help us to spread the word far and wide by sharing the information with any relevant contacts and through your social media and including the information in your newsletters wherever possible. Our social media pack is available on Dropbox and includes graphics for the different social media platforms and some sample social media post text, which you may find helpful. Download our social media pack here. If you have any issues accessing Dropbox just let me know and I’ll arrange to get the information to you another way.
We will also be providing an extensive range of applicant supports to both organisations and individuals, with a particular focus on supporting first time and previously unsuccessful applicants. These include two online Information Sessions on 16 November, in person information sessions in Roscommon and Monaghan on 26 November, as well as seminars on key topics including recording creation, artistic planning, and application writing skills and a limited number of one-to-one consultation sessions with each seminar presenter. All supports are provided free of charge to applicants, and you can find out more about them at https://www.musicnetwork.ie/whats-on/music-capital-scheme-applicant-support-sessions
4 Festival Investment Scheme
Festivals Investment Scheme 2027 – Round 2 - 19th Nov
The Festivals Investment Scheme supports small-to-mid-scale festivals to deliver high-quality arts experiences for audiences. It focuses on programmes engaged with, and relevant to, local communities or communities of interest.
There are three funding bands in the Festivals Investment Scheme.
Those operating:
A small festival, a new festival wanting to test new ideas, a festival that is in the early stages of development or a festival without a formal business structure should consider applying to Band A. Funding available up to €10,000
A small to mid-scale festival, a festival that is seeking to build programme capacity in a particular artform/arts practice area or which wishes to develop strategies for public engagement should consider applying to Band B. Funding available €10,001–€25,000
A mid-scale festival that is strategically led and wishes to develop its capacity in the area of artform development (e.g. co-commissioning, producing, etc.) should consider applying to Band C. Funding available €25,001–€45,000
Deadline: 5.30pm Thursday 19th November 2026
5 Conservation & Climate Micro Grants
Conservation and Climate Awesome Foundation Micro-Grants - 27th Nov
Each chapter of the Awesome Foundation is volunteer-run and self-funded by a group of people who pool their money to form micro-grants that fund meaningful projects. This chapter is focused on nature conservation and climate change. They want to find promising projects and innovations that may be overlooked by the big, cumbersome funding organizations. If you are an individual or small team, with an awesome idea that will help the environment, you are encouraged to apply.
They want to support: Creative, innovative and impactful projects having to do with wildlife conservation, habitat protection, climate change, ecotourism or environmental communication. They are looking for ideas that haven't been done before or are being done in a unique way.
Deadline: 27th November 2026
TRAINING
6 Walking Trail training
Sport Ireland are running two workshops in November at the Annebrook House Hotel, Mullingar, N91YH2F:
Trail Planning (11th November), further information - Walking Trail Planning | Sport Ireland
Trail Development (18th November), further information - Walking Trail Development | Sport Ireland
Can you please circulate this information to your relevant contacts/network. Both courses will run from approx. 10am to 4.30pm and participants will be capped at 20 per course. Tea/coffee and lunch will be provided each day.
The fee for non-voluntary organisations is €120 per person and for voluntary organisations is €50 per person (Sport Ireland are subsidising the cost to make the course more accessible to voluntary organisations). Payments can be made via cheque or on Eventbrite (details to follow). For bookings, please contact RRO Leona Galligan ruralrec@ccld.ie.
7 Running AGM Training
We’ve all been to AGMs and left feeling frustrated. They’re a “must-do” event on our annual calendar, but many wish they didn’t have to attend. Why is that?
The main issue is that the purpose of an AGM isn’t well understood. Its importance for a well-run organisation is often overlooked, leading to poor planning.
This workshop will help participants appreciate and plan for an event that members will actually want to attend while benefiting the organisation.
Learning objectives
AGMs are a requirement so understanding their importance and planning for them to be successful is critical for the health of an organisation.
How to plan for an AGM that members will want to come to.
The legal context of AGMs, including:
What goes wrong
How to ensure that it is seen as a central part of an organisation’s annual work programme.
Timelines leading to the day
An agenda to cover what is legally required and what would be good to add and exclude.
Running the meeting to the benefit of all present.
Who should attend
Board members especially Chairs and (Company) Secretaries, CEOs and admin staff
How to register
register by emailing cavanppnsw@gmail.com quoting your member group or PPN number. 150 euros for individuals, 85 euros Wheel members and FREE for CavanPPN members.
8 Setting Up & Running Community Groups Training
This online course will be delivered over 2 weekly Zoom sessions as per the details below. For privacy reasons, these sessions will not be recorded, so please make sure to attend both sessions if possible.
Module 1: (Tues 24 November, 10am - 1pm)
Establishment of a Group
Setting up a community group
Deciding on the Legal Structure
Writing Your Constitution
Recruiting Volunteers
Running of the Group
Committee Roles
Running a Meeting
Agendas/Minutes
Module 2: (Tues 1 December, 10am - 1pm)
Making Decisions
Conflict of Interest
Code of Conduct
Communication with members of group
Legal Duties
Regulatory Responsibilities
Charity/Tax & Bank Accounts
Succession Planning
Methodology
Delivered virtually via Zoom.
To register for free as a member of CavanPPN, email cavanppnsw@gmail.com , naming the training you request and citing your PPN group or groups number.
9 Board Induction Training For Non-Profits
Becoming a member of a non-profit board is a rewarding and at times challenging task. Understanding the role and responsibilities of a board member makes the job easier. In this eLearning course we provide you with a structured sequence of topics, each of which is designed to further your knowledge of corporate governance and support your understanding of your voluntary board role.
This course can be accessed for up to 60 days after purchase. To access this e-training for FREE contact cavanppnsw@gmail.com quoting your PPN member group or its PPN number
SURVEYS/CONSULTATIONS
10 Local Community Safety Partnership
Dear Members,
Cavan Local Community Safety Partnership will be hosting six 90-minute public consultation workshops across County Cavan on 16th and 17th November 2026 as part of the development of our new 3-Year Community Safety Plan.
I have attached the workshop details and would greatly appreciate if you could share this information through your personal and professional networks, as well as on any social media platforms available to you. Your support will help maximise awareness of these events and encourage public participation.
11- Shercock's Future, A Consultation
EVENTS & OTHER NEWS
12 Healthy Community Committees Sought For Cavan
13 Cavan County Community Conference in Arva This Winter
14 Artist Talks in Cavan Townhall Arts Centre
15 Time Traveling Trees
The Cavan Branch of BirdWatch Ireland along with Cavan County Council Biodiversity Officer Naomi Mitten are delighted to host local ecologist and PhD researcher Emmeline Cosnett for a presentation “Time Traveling Trees”. Emmeline is conducting research on woodland ecology as part of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) funded Ancient Woodlands Ireland Project https://www.ancientwoodlandsireland.com/.
Join us on Saturday 28th November at 10am at Killeshandra Resource Centre (Eircode H12X3Y9) for a cup of tea and a talk on the Ancient Woodlands Ireland Project.
We will discuss the evidence of woodlands on historic maps, AI-digitisation of satellite imagery, how pollen analysis allows us to travel beyond the earliest mapping evidence, how it can be applied to woodland conservation and the potential for uncovering more long-established and possibly ancient woodlands in County Cavan as part of this all-Ireland multidisciplinary project.
After the talk and weather allowing there will be a short walk through a section of woods close to the town with a soil coring demonstration.
16 Belturbet Christmas Market
17 Community RetroFit Event
COOTEHILL COMMUNITY RETROFIT INFORMATION EVENT – St. Michael’s National School, Thursday
19th November, 6pm–8pm. Find out about SEAI grants, expert advice and finance options to make
your home or business warmer and cheaper to run. Free to register and walk-ins are welcome.
Hosted by Kore Retrofit with Cavan County Local Development.
18 Wellness Event in Cavan Crystal
Wellness Workshop - Family Friendly Workplace Event
at the Rural Hub in Virginia we are offering to staff and supervisors wellness workshops around the challenges that staff encounter when managing and balancing care duties and work - often highlighting issues of bias in Gender GAP care.
We would love to bring this to your staff and also invite you to the closing event on November 19th at Crystal Hotel in Cavan - where Sinead Brady will lead the conversation and we will present participating organizations with the "Family Friendly Badge"
The event and talks are sponsored by Eramus + Programme and free to attend.
See details and the toolkit www.curamproject.eu
Please ping samantha@ruralhub.ie directly to organise the wellness talk and see below link to reserve your place at the event.
19 Community Connections & Wellbeing Project
20 Virginia Community Cafe & Craft and Food Fair
REPRESENTATION
21 Cavan LCDC Seat Open To Social Inclusion Communities
CavanPPN has a seat vacant on the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) for County Cavan and wish to fill this with a Social Inclusion voice at the invitation of Cavan County Council.
The nominee MUST come from a Social Inclusion member group of CavanPPN with a proposer and seconder from a member group. They MUST submit a bio of 50-300 words describing why you seek this seat and your suitability to be the voice for Social Inclusion in County Cavan. We also ask that the full contact details (email, phone, address) be included and that candidates do not already hold another PPN representative position.
Emails have been sent to ALL member groups with information on this. Please request this info from your registered point of contact with the PPN if they have not forwarded it on already to your members.
Of the 103 Social Inclusion member groups, we hope that this voice is not lost to your communities. Please step forward to have your voice counted!
22 A Community Voice Needed for Peace Plus
A seat on the PEACEPLUS partnership requires a social partner representing “New Communities” and nominations are now welcomed for a social partner through the PPN. We are seeking nominations from community representatives, including volunteers, from PPN Member Organisations within our council area and who could represent PEACEPLUS Target groups.
Full details are contained in the attached documents here:
23 Bailieborough/Cootehill Representation Sought
Your Community. Your Voice. Your Seat at the Table.
A seat is available on the Cavan PPN Secretariat for the Bailieborough/Cootehill Municipal District.
Want to do more than complain about how things are run? Come help shape how they’re run.
The PPN Secretariat is the engine room of Cavan’s Public Participation Network — connecting community organisations with local decision-making and making sure the voices of communities are heard where it matters.
As a Secretariat member, you’ll have the opportunity to:
-Influence how community voices are represented.
-Connect with organisations and community activists across Cavan.
-Shape the work and priorities of your PPN.
-Bring the perspective of your Municipal District to the table.
-Learn how local government and participative democracy actually work.
-And, perhaps most importantly, make a difference rather than just talk about making a difference.
You don't need to be a politician, an expert or a professional campaigner. You just need to care about your community, have something to say, and be willing to listen to others.
If you’ve ever thought, “Someone should do something about that…” — this could be your chance to be that someone.
Join the Cavan PPN Secretariat.
Bring your voice. Bring your ideas. Bring your community.
Bailieborough/Cootehill Municipal District — your seat is waiting.
Send your expression of interest into cavanppn@gmail.com with a few lines as to why you want to run.
You must be a member of a registered PPN group in East Cavan.
24 Cavan Credit Union Seeks Community Board Member
Cavan Credit Union are currently seeking individuals who may be interested in contributing their skills, experience, and community commitment by serving on our Board of Directors. As a member-owned financial co-operative, the credit union relies on dedicated volunteers to help guide its strategic direction and ensure it continues to serve the needs of our members and community.
We are particularly interested in speaking with members who have experience in areas such as:
Community development and stakeholder engagement
Information technology and digital transformation
Finance, accounting or risk management
Legal or regulatory affairs
Business leadership and management
Directors are volunteers and do not receive remuneration, although reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out the role are reimbursed by the credit union.
The role involves:
Attending monthly Board meetings, typically held on the third Wednesday of each month.
Reviewing Board papers in advance of meetings.
Participating in committee work as required.
To help prospective candidates better understand the role, members of our Nominations Committee will hold a meeting where the responsibilities, expected time commitment, and election process will be discussed, and candidates will have an opportunity to ask questions.
If you are interested in learning more, or if you know someone in your network who may be suitable, please contact cavanppn@gmail.com
25 Cavan Sports Partnership Representative Sought
Help Shape the Future of Sport and Physical Activity in County Cavan
Cavan Sports Partnership is seeking nominations from individuals involved in local sports clubs, community sporting organisations, National Governing Bodies of Sport, and physical activity groups who are passionate about increasing participation in sport and physical activity across County Cavan.
As part of our new governance structure, we are establishing an Advisory Committee to help inform, guide, and support the work of Cavan Sports Partnership over the next three years.
We are particularly interested in hearing from individuals who can bring the voice and experience of:
Local sports clubs and volunteers
National Governing Bodies of Sport
Community and recreational physical activity groups
Disability sport and inclusion programmes
Women and girls in sport initiatives
Outdoor recreation organisations
Youth sport providers
Older adult physical activity programmes
Minority and underrepresented communities
What Does the Advisory Committee Do?
The Advisory Committee provides strategic advice and guidance to Cavan Sports Partnership on the development of sport and physical activity opportunities throughout the county. Committee members will:
Represent the interests and perspectives of their sector.
Contribute to the implementation of the Active Cavan 2025-2030 Strategic Plan.
Identify emerging opportunities and challenges within sport and physical activity.
Support collaboration between organisations and communities.
Champion initiatives that encourage greater participation in sport and physical activity.
Why Get Involved?
This is an opportunity to:
Influence the future direction of sport and physical activity in County Cavan.
Ensure the views of clubs and community organisations are heard.
Contribute to initiatives that improve health, wellbeing, inclusion, and community participation.
Network and collaborate with a range of organisations and stakeholders across the county.
Who Can Apply?
We are seeking individuals who:
Have experience in sport or physical activity at local, county, regional, or national level.
Are passionate about increasing participation and improving opportunities for all.
Can contribute constructively to committee discussions and decision-making.
Are willing to commit to attending Advisory Committee meetings and related activities.
Members will be appointed for a three-year term (2027-2030).
How to Nominate
To express your interest or nominate a representative, please complete the online nomination form by Tuesday, 17th November.
Nomination Form: Advisory Committee Nomination form 2026 – Fill in form
For further information on the role of Advisory Committee members, contact aislingmaguire@cavancoco.ie
Together, we can continue to make County Cavan a more active, healthy, and inclusive place for everyone.
Comments