€50,000 funding boost for Clare projects

Fifteen projects in Clare will receive a total of €50,000 worth of funding under this year’s AIB Better Ireland Programme. The bank recently announced details of the three children’s projects short-listed by each branch in the county for the current programme.
Almost 1,300 applications were received by AIB branches from across the country and 546 projects, three per branch, will now be voted on by local communities to decide how the €10,000 funding available at each branch will be distributed. Text and online votes from the public will rank the projects. The one that attracts the most votes will be awarded €5,000., second place will receive €3,000 and third place €2,000.
In Ennis, Clare Haven Refuge, TLC4CF Cystic Fibrosis and Clare Crusaders Clinic are each shortlisted for the cash award. The AIB branch in Ennistymon selected Ennistymon After School Club, Liscannor Childcare Services Ltd and Young Men’s Group as its shortlist of groups. In south-east Clare, the Killaloe branch shortlisted The Rowan Tree out of school project, Killaloe/Ballina Youth Initiative and EMC Youth Group. In West Clare, AIB Kilrush selected West Clare Early Years, St Senan’s National School and Voices for Autism/Clare Local Development Group. AIB Shannon shortlisted Shannon Family Resource Centre, Little Acorns Pre-School Montessori and The Bridge Complex T/A Bridgekids.
In South Galway, AIB Gort shortlisted Kinvara Youth Project, Gort No Name Club and Saint Thomas’s Foróige Club for the awards.
Voting continues until March 15. This year, votes can be cast via text or online.
To vote online, log on to www.betterireland.ie, select the branch and choose your project. To vote by text, text the branch keyword, which can be found on the website, followed by a space, followed by A, B, or C, to 51303.