Munster GAA Development Grants

The Club Development Grant Scheme is funded by Central Council and the Munster Council.

The final budget for the scheme will be decided once grant applications have been submitted and considered by Munster GAA Council. Where revenue is available to the Council, consideration will be given to allocating additional funding to large scale infrastructure projects that encourage and increase participation levels in our games in local communities.

Guidelines for the various grant categories together with the appropriate links to make an online application will be issued in July each year and details will be available from the Munster GAA website.

Please follow the link below to the online application form,
Club Development Grant Digital Application

The closing date for grant applications to be submitted via the dedicated links to Munster GAA is 9 August 2024. All applications submitted will be vetted by your County Board and by Munster GAA with vetting completed by 30 September 2024. Please note that a number of applications from each county will be selected at random for inspection by Munster GAA representatives.

Applications will not be accepted after the closing date of 9 August 2024. Applications after this date can be submitted for review in the following year. Successful grant applicants will be announced in October 2024.

Club Development Grants – Terms & Conditions

• Submissions to the scheme must be made via a registered GAA email address.
• All paperwork must be submitted electronically, a maximum of 10 attachments can be uploaded per question.
• Each application for funding must be made separately. If a club is applying for two different grants, they must complete the online process twice.
• Only expenditure of a capital nature (providing a long-term asset) is eligible for support under the Grant Schemes. Expenditure on ongoing maintenance and repairs is excluded.
• Only development works commenced within the last 2 calendar years will be considered for grant support.
• Any club applying for grant aid must have their property properly vested in the GAA and provide a declaration of trust as part of their application.
• All grant applications must be made using the dedicated online application links provided.
• Grants will only be payable on the submission of all necessary documentation and copies of the paid invoices or receipts for the project:
  • Invoices must breakdown all costs. Invoices outlining a total expenditure figure are not acceptable.
    Please use the excel spreadsheet provided to submit the details requested
    Grant Application Expenditure Template
  • Documentation showing proof of payment, namely a Club Bank Statement showing the payment of the amount detailed on the invoice, is required.
  • Any other documentation deemed necessary to support an application under any category from time to time.
  • Cash payments will not be valid for grant rebates
• All applications submitted will be vetted by your county board and by Munster GAA. Please note that a number of applications from each county will be selected at random for inspection by Munster GAA representatives.
• Applications for grants shall only be considered from County Boards, affiliated clubs, and handball clubs within Munster. Applications from schools/colleges will not be valid.
• For land purchase applications, copy of letters from the National Finance & Management Committee authorising purchase of grounds must be included.
• Only one application can be made per project. If a club is developing a pitch, this would be viewed as a project. Similarly, if they’re purchasing land, constructing changing rooms, erecting floodlights or building a hurling wall, these would all be viewed as separate projects. All associated works, groundworks, fencing, netting etc can be included with the overall cost of the project to meet the minimum expenditure thresholds outlined.
• The level of grant aid allocated to a project may be reduced if a particular category is oversubscribed. Categories 1, 2, 3 & 5 would be viewed as priority categories and will be prioritised for funding. The remaining budget will be used to satisfy the applications made in category 4. The level of grant aid return will depend on the number of applications made each year.
• All GAA units in receipt of development grant funding are required to provide the use of their facilities to provincial, county, clubs, schools, colleges, and other GAA units.
• Clubs found to be submitting incorrect or fraudulent documentation will be subject to sanctions as deemed appropriate by the Council up to and including suspension from the scheme and repayment of monies paid.
• Certification of works – all works carried out are required to be certified as per current construction regulations and specifications agreed with the relevant contractors where applicable. Evidence of certification must be provided by the contractor/engineer to the club on completion of the project and these certificates must be included as part of the grant application to Munster GAA.
• All approved grant payments shall be made in favour of the applicant club and will be paid out via EFT.
• Confirmation of any additional grant aid being received by the Club for the project must be notified with the grant application.
• A completed Health and Safety statement for club grounds and facilities and a Club Child Safeguarding Statement must be included.
• Club accounts from the previous financial year must be submitted.
• Clubs will be required to submit their EFT details. A payment will be made electronically if the application is deemed successful.

Category 1 Grants – Land Acquisition

• The level of Land acquisition grant shall be 20% of eligible expenditure to a maximum grant of €30,000.
• There is a minimum expenditure of €50,000 required to qualify for this category. A purchase is considered as one purchase, no matter how many folio numbers are involved. A club that receives a purchase grant to the maximum of €30,000 will not be entitled to a purchase grant for another 2 years.
• The land being purchased must be for the purpose of pitch development, facilities development, or hurling wall development. In other words, land being used for the playing and development of the games will only be funded.
• This section of the scheme is funded by Central Council and Munster Council.
• It must be established that the ground the subject of the application is vested in the Association and the property is held in trust under a current and adequate Deed of Trust.
• The Registered File Plan Folio of the property must be provided, or the ‘dealing number’ in the case of property that is in the process of being registered with the Land Registry or equivalent documentation or certification in the case of unregistered land.
• Compliance is required on any new regulations deemed necessary by Central Council.
• The amount of the purchase price of the ground is certified by way of Contract or Deed of Transfer or certification by the Solicitor or Estate Agent dealing with the sale.
• Permission for purchase must be granted by County Board, Munster Council and National Finance & Management Committees (NFMC). A copy of letter from the NFMC authorising purchase of grounds must be submitted with the club’s grant application.

Category 2 Grants – Construction of Changing Rooms & Gyms

• The level of grant shall be up to 20% of eligible expenditure to a maximum grant of €20,000.
• This grant category is funded by Central Council and Munster Council.
• Applications under this category are confined to the construction of new facilities. However, extensions to existing facilities will be considered.
• Expenditure of €100,000 is required to qualify for this category. Clubs cannot apply under this category on the same project for a two-year period after having received such a grant.
• It must be established that the ground the subject of the application is vested in the Association and the property is held in trust under a current and adequate Deed of Trust.
• The Registered File Plan Folio of the property must be provided, or the ‘dealing number’ in the case of property that is in the process of being registered with the Land Registry or equivalent documentation or certification in the case of unregistered land.
• The total claimed expenditure is fully vouched and the works are certified, completed and available for use at time of application.
• This grant is intended for the development of facilities directly associated with the playing of the games i.e., changing rooms and gyms.

Category 3 Grants (Construction or Refurbishment of Handball Court)

• The level of grant for New Courts shall be 15% of eligible costs to a maximum of €10,000. The minimum expenditure required for the development of a new court is €50,000.
• The level of grant for Refurbishment of existing Courts shall be 20% of costs to a maximum of €5,000. There is a minimum expenditure of €25,000 required when refurbishment a handball court.
• This grant category is funded solely by Munster Council.

Category 4 Grants – Core GAA Facilities Development

4A          Grass & Synthetic Pitch Development

• A minimum expenditure of €100,000 is required to qualify for this category.
• The level of grant shall be up to 20% of eligible expenditure to a maximum grant of €20,000.
• This section of the scheme is funded by Central Council and Munster Council.
• Applications under this category are confined to the construction of new pitches and redevelopment to existing pitches. This grant is intended for the development of facilities directly associated with the playing of the games.

4B          Floodlights – LED only

• A minimum expenditure of €100,000 is required to qualify for this category.
• The level of grant shall be up to 20% of eligible expenditure to a maximum grant of €20,000.
• This section of the scheme is funded by Central Council and Munster Council.
• Applications under this category are confined to the erecting of new floodlights on pitches. Pitch lighting levels installed are to be a minimum of 300 Lux and certified to the appropriate standard required.

4C          Development of hurling wall facilities

• A minimum expenditure of €50,000 is required to qualify for this category.
• The level of grant shall be up to 20% of eligible expenditure to a maximum grant of €20,000.
• This grant category is funded by Central Council and Munster Council.
• Applications under this category are confined to the construction of new facilities. Associated facilities costs such as fencing, lighting & playing surfaces can be included in the grant application to meet the minimum expenditure threshold.

To qualify for category 4 grants the following conditions must be complied with.

• The premises that is subject of the application must be vested in the Association and the property is held in trust under a current adequate Deed of Trust.
• The Registered File Plan Folio of the property is provided, or the ‘dealing number’ in the case of property that is in the process of being registered with the Land Registry or equivalent documentation or certification in the case of unregistered land.
• Compliance is required on any new regulations deemed necessary by Central Council.
• The total claimed expenditure is fully vouched as required.
• All works are required to be fully certified as per current construction regulations.
• All works are completed and available for use at time of application.
• All floodlighting installed is required to be LED. Pitch lighting levels installed are to be a minimum of 300 Lux.
• All electrical works are required to be Certified to IS 10101.2020 A Certificate will need to be provided by the Electrical Contractor.

Please note that the level of grant aid for category 4 applications will vary depending on the number of applications received. Categories 1 (purchase), category 2 (changing rooms), category 3 (handball courts) and category 5 (legal trustee grant) will be satisfied first, and the remaining budget will be used to fund category 4 (core GAA facilities) applications.

Category 5 – Property Ownership Regularisation Grant

• The legal fees grant is made available to clubs who undertake to regularise the legal ownership of their property.
• This legal fee grant is made available to clubs to contribute to the legal fees associated with the regularisation of the title ownership of their property, along with the vesting of such property in the GAA in accordance with GAA Rules on assets and Trustees. It will also support units in the process of being trustee compliant.
• The maximum grant available for this is €700 per club.
• This grant category is funded by Munster Council.

Club development grant contacts

• Clare – Safety & Facilities officer is Ambrose Heagney,
  Munster Council representative is Bernard Keane
• Cork – Safety & Facilities officer is Tony McAuliffe,
  Munster Council representative is Paul McCarthy
• Kerry – Safety & Facilities officer is Diarmuid Ó Sé,
  Munster Council representative is Paudie Dineen
• Limerick – Safety & Facilities officer is Jim Barry,
  Munster Council representative is John Cregan
• Tipperary – Safety & Facilities officer is Andy Hennessy,
  Munster Council representative is Sean Nugent
• Waterford – Safety & Facilities officer is Michael Murphy,
  Munster Council representative is Michael Wadding

 

• Munster Council – John Brennan