The Community Services Programme, or CSP, supports community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model with funding provided as a contribution to the cost of an agreed number of full-time equivalent positions (FTEs) and a manager, where warranted.
Pobal, who manage the programme on behalf of my Department assessed the business plan from the organisation in question last year, and determined that the organisation required one-to-one business coaching to address specific issues such as financial projections, identification of need for the proposal and potential displacement issues. The organisation availed of the offer of business coaching and completed it over the 1st quarter of 2020.
The organisation in question has since submitted revised documentation to Pobal who will reengage with the organisation as soon as is practical with a view to reassessing their proposed business plan in light of social distancing requirements and the Government's Roadmap for reopening society.
Funding for new organisations is also considered in light of available resources.