Cork County Council Opens Applications for 2026 Circular Economy Fund

2026 proposals should be focused on reducing single-use plastics

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.

In 2025, Cork County Council awarded over €52,000 in funding to 23 community groups through the Circular Economy Fund. This year, schools, community groups, sports clubs, festivals, and events are invited to submit proposals specifically focused on reducing single-use plastics. These materials pose a serious environmental threat, contributing to ocean pollution, harming wildlife, and generating unnecessary waste across our communities.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley, welcomed the renewed funding opportunity, saying, “Cork County Council is delighted to support communities across the county in delivering meaningful behavioural change when it comes to reducing waste, particularly single-use plastic. As a nation, we have become overly reliant on disposable items, and it is encouraging to see the positive impact that so many schools, festivals, sports clubs, and community groups have had through previous rounds of the Circular Economy Fund.”

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.

A key focus for the 2026 fund is the implementation of Circular Cups for Community Events, a reusable cup rental service for small-scale, not-for-profit events. Through this scheme, community event organisers can hire reusable cups that are delivered to the event, collected afterwards, and professionally washed and dried for future use, significantly reducing reliance on single-use beverage containers.

Applications for the Circular Economy Fund are now open and must be submitted online by 4:00pm on Friday, 20^th 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.

For further information visit the Council’s website at www.corkcoco.ie or contact Cork County Council’s Environmental Awareness Office at cefund@corkcoco.ie or 021 4532700. To apply, visit corkcoco.ie.

ENDS