# Community group asks candidates to sign pledges on EU and funding

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2019/04/28/community-group-asks-candidates-to-sign-pledges-on-eu-and-funding/
- Published: 2019-04-28T22:17:21+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**An Irish community lobbying body has asked candidates for local and EU elections
to sign pledges which will improve access to EU funding and improve the way community
organisations receive state funding.**

Members of The Wheel’s Community Matters group have launched an [online pledge campaign](https://www.wheel.ie/elections)
aimed at all the candidates who will take part in the 24th May poll. Hundreds of
candidates will take part in the council elections while 59 have declared for the
EU elections. To date, 31 local candidates have signed the local election pledge
and 9 the EU pledge.

Community Matters say the majority of EU funding programmes require organisations
to match funding from their own resources and that this presents a barrier for many
nonprofit organisations. The pledge therefore asks candidates if elected to commit
to supporting the principle of a dedicated National Fund to serve as a matching 
income source for nonprofit organisations that are successful in their applications
for EU programmes.

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_Photo: The Wheel_

 

In addition, Community Matters say funding and partnership opportunities from the
EU should reflect the unique realities faced by nonprofit organisations working 
in Ireland and elected EU members of parliament should commit to encouraging EU 
funders to consider the high cost of delivering services in Ireland and increase
operating grants to support the vital work of the nonprofit sector in long-term.

Reflecting the widely held view that EU funding applications are overly complex 
they call for simplification of application procedures for EU funding programmes.

In relation to local elections, community and voluntary organisations and charities
have experienced reductions in funding and capacity, the lobby group says. While
a high standard of application processes, project design and management is essential,
this comes at a cost and it takes time Community Matters calls for secure multi-
annual funding to plan their work.

[The Wheel](http://www.wheel.ie) is Ireland’s national association of community 
and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises.

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