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Town & Village Renewal

For the 2026 call the Main Scheme grants run from €50,000 to €500,000. The €500,000 ceiling is for one application from each local authority and the ceiling for further applications is €300,000. The Project Development Measure gives up to €50,000. The Building and Land Acquisition Measure funded councils to buy vacant or derelict buildings or land: up to €500,000 per local authority for up to three properties, with 100% of the purchase price covered. It closed on 29 May 2026.

Last checked October 2026 · Updated 20 October 2026

What it is

Investment to bring life back to rural towns and villages, from tackling dereliction and vacancy to new public spaces, applied for by your local authority on behalf of the community. Where it stands for 2026: the 2026 call for the Main Scheme and the Project Development Measure launched on 16 September 2026 and local authorities must submit applications by 22 January 2027. The Building and Land Acquisition Measure closed on 29 May 2026. Bring your idea to the council now, because the council is the one that applies.

Which towns qualify is set by population. Category 1 is a town or village of up to 5,000 people, which is the central focus. Category 2 is 5,001 to 10,000. Category 3 covers larger towns up to 15,000, which are eligible only where the application is high quality and shows a strong need, good value for money and positive outcomes. On the buildings measure only the purchase price is eligible, not the other costs of the transaction.

In the 2026 call the maximum grant is 90% of the project cost (95% in the North-West transition region counties: Donegal, Cavan, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway, Leitrim and Monaghan). Local authority or community match funding covers the rest. At least 60% of funding goes to Category 1 towns. There is also a Category 4 pilot for larger urban towns.

Who can get it

Your project is in a rural town or village and helps revive it, for example a public space, tackling a derelict building, or boosting footfall and tourism
You are a community group, business group or local body, working with your local authority
The local authority is the one that applies to the Department, so your project goes forward through them

Good to know

This is a local-authority-led scheme: community groups bring project ideas to their council, and the council applies to the Department on their behalf.
It runs in yearly calls, and the exact measures change, recent years have included a Building and Land Acquisition Measure to tackle derelict and vacant buildings.
It sits alongside the Our Rural Future and Town Centre First policies, so projects that fit those aims are favoured.
For the Main Scheme any leases, assessments, feasibility studies and planning permissions that are required must be in place before the council applies. Projects that involve constructing new buildings are not supported.

How to apply

Applications go through DRCD. The official page has the full eligibility rules and the application itself.

Go to the official page →

Checked against the official source on 7 October 2026. Last updated on 20 October 2026. Always confirm the details on the official page before applying.

Questions people ask

How much is the Town and Village Renewal Scheme worth?

In the 2026 call Main Scheme grants run from €50,000 to €500,000, with the €500,000 ceiling for one application from each local authority. A separate Building and Land Acquisition Measure funded councils to buy up to three derelict or vacant buildings or sites for up to €500,000 in total per council. It closed on 29 May 2026.

Who can apply?

It is applied for by your local authority. Community groups, business groups and local bodies bring project ideas to the council, which then applies to the Department.

What kind of projects does it fund?

Reviving town centres, tackling dereliction and vacancy, new public and pedestrian spaces and projects that boost footfall and tourism in rural towns and villages.

How do I get a project funded?

Talk to the community or economic development section of your local authority, since they submit the applications. Check the official page for the current call.

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