The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS), introduced in 2016 and funded under Project Ireland 2040, is a central initiative supporting Our Rural Future and the Town Centre First (TCF) policy.
It forms part of a broader national strategy to rejuvenate rural towns and villages, aligning with the National Planning Framework's vision for balanced regional development. Administered through local authorities in partnership with communities and businesses, the scheme aims to foster vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable rural communities by tackling vacancy and dereliction, enhancing streetscapes, and repurposing buildings for community use.
The 2025 TVRS will fund small to medium-sized capital projects under three categories: the Main Scheme (€50,000–€500,000), the Project Development Measure (up to €50,000), and the Building or Land Acquisition Measure (up to €500,000 per local authority). Since its inception, TVRS has supported nearly 1,800 projects with over €177 million in funding, contributing significantly to rural regeneration, job creation, and environmental and cultural preservation.
The aims of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme will be achieved through projects that focus on revitalising town and village centres. These include initiatives that drive town centre regeneration, develop plazas and green or recreational spaces, and enhance streetscapes.
The scheme also supports the creation and facilitation of local markets, such as farmers' and artisan markets, through direct support and providing necessary infrastructure like public realm works and canopies. Additionally, funding can be used to upgrade or refurbish community centres and bring vacant or derelict buildings back into use as vibrant, multi-purpose community spaces.
The Project Development Measure (PDM) provides up to €50,000 per project to help local authorities prepare well-developed, strategic medium to large-scale projects that could later proceed to construction, subject to future funding. Each application should focus on one project and cover development costs such as detailed design, planning preparation, procurement, and assessments.
While funding under the PDM supports project development, it does not guarantee future funding under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, and projects must still go through the standard competitive process. Each local authority may submit a maximum of two PDM applications.
Under the Main Scheme of the 2025 Town and Village Renewal Scheme, grants will range from a minimum of €50,000 to a maximum of €500,000 for one application per local authority. Up to three additional applications per local authority can receive funding of up to €300,000 each.
Only one application may be submitted per individual town or village, even if it falls under multiple local authorities. The scheme will fund up to 90% of a project’s total cost, with the remaining 10% to be provided by the local authority, community, or philanthropic sources. Match funding cannot come from other Department of Rural and Community Development schemes or public funding streams.
To apply for both the Project Development Measure (PDM) and the Main Scheme, community groups must complete an Expression of Interest form and submit it via email to townregeneration@wicklowcoco.ie
The deadline for submissions is Friday, 9th May 2025, and all applications will be assessed based on the priorities outlined in the scheme guidelines.