2026 Circular Economy Fund Open for Applications

Open to schools, community groups, sports clubs, festivals & events!

Cork County Council has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 Circular Economy Fund, an initiative designed to empower local communities to reduce waste and embrace more sustainable practices. The fund supports a shift away from the traditional linear take-make-use-dispose model towards a circular approach, where resources are reused, repaired, or recycled for maximum value.

Responding to the growing public demand for alternatives to single-use plastics, the 2026 fund will support a range of practical, community-led initiatives. Eligible projects may include reusable cup or container schemes for community use or programmes such as meals-on-wheels, the installation of permanent water refill stations at sports facilities and schools, and the provision of water refill points at festivals and events.

Applications must be submitted online by 4:00pm on Friday, 20th February 2026.

Eligibility is limited to organisations within the Cork County Council administrative area, including schools, community groups, sports clubs, festivals, and events. Commercial and for-profit bodies are not eligible. For 2026, only applications addressing the theme of single-use plastics will be considered.