Great Island Community Fund

Through our SSE Thermal Great Island Fund, linked to the SSE Thermal Gas Fired Power Station near Great Island in County Wexford, we make €25,000 available per year for community and charitable projects.

This annual Community Benefit Fund enables us to support organisations that are working to deliver benefits for the community in and around our existing operational sites.

Project eligibility

The Great Island Community Fund will give priority to applications in closest proximity to the site and those from the areas of Great Island/ Campile and Cheekpoint. Priority will also be given to those projects that deliver on themes, identified during consultation:

• Biodiversity, natural environment and habitat enhancement, including play areas and parks
• Service provision, such as local clubs, events, activities or groups, including female participation in sport
• Energy efficiency and reduction of energy use

A group is eligible to apply if they are legally-constituted community group, a non-profit organisation, or a registered charity.

All applications must meet SSE’s guidelines and values and must not be used for the following:

• Political or religious purposes
• For purposes adverse to SSE’s interest
• To replace statutory funding
• To support individuals for their personal gain

Fund timetable – 2026/2027

Application deadlines:

Fund opens for applications – Tuesday 14 April 2026

Fund closes for applications – Tuesday 9 June 2026

Panel meeting – w/c 13 July – Date TBC

If the full funding allocation is not spent, another funding round will be added in Autumn 2026. This will be communicated here and via our stakeholder database.

Funding Decisions

A community led funding panel is in place for each fund to ensure consistent and transparent decision making and to ensure that decisions are led by local people. The panel consists of:

• One member of the Power Station leadership team
• One member of the SSE Thermal Community Investment team
• Two Local Authority representatives

Fund Guidance

We recommend that grant applications are for funding between €4,000 and €6,000. You don’t need to be a registered charity to apply, but your organisation must have a constitution (governing document or set of rules) and not be set up for individual profit. If you are unsure if your group is eligible, please contact us for advice.

How to apply

First, please read the guidance document below for the Fund and then click the Application link to be taken to our online application portal.

SSE Thermal Great Island Community Fund