Offaly County Council are now accepting nominations for our upcoming Community & Voluntary Group Awards 2025. Offaly County Council celebrates these special awards in recognition of the role played by groups and organisations who help create strong and vibrant communities.
Applications are now open. Nominations can be submitted by individual members of the public and by voluntary community groups and organisations.
Finalists will be selected in each award category and invited to an Awards Ceremony on the evening of 5th November 2025 in Tullamore. Winners will receive a bursary of €500 to use for their community work.
Complete the Nomination Form – Community and Voluntary Group Awards 2025
Closing Date: 14 September 2025 – late applications will not be accepted.
Awards Categories
Community Involvement Award: This award recognises community groups & organisations who work tirelessly in their community through their commitment to voluntary and community activities and play a significant role in enhancing the quality of life in their communities and promote community involvement.
Culture & Heritage Award: This award recognises the efforts of community groups and organisations to promote and preserve the natural, built and cultural heritage of their local area.
Equality & Social Inclusion Award: This award recognises community groups & organisations that actively work in a supportive role and whose aim is to minimise social exclusion and/or help to improve the quality of life for socially excluded groups.
Children & Youth Supports Award: This award recognises voluntary efforts of groups & organisations that actively work to improve the life opportunities and achieve significant improvements/impact in the lives of children and young people especially among disadvantaged or excluded groups.
Environment & Climate Action Award: This award recognises communities & organisations that actively work to enhance the environment in a sustainable manner and carry out awareness initiatives or actions that make a positive contribution towards climate change.
Sports Award: This award recognises the efforts of community groups & organisations that provide a leading role in their communities to increase the number of people participating in sport or physical activity, particularly within groups with low participation rates, and reduce barriers to participation.
Arts & Culture Award: This award recognises the efforts of community groups & organisations that actively work to encourage and promote knowledge, experience and practice of arts and culture in the county.
Health & Well Being Award: This award recognises voluntary efforts to improve community health and wellbeing and acknowledges community groups and organisations who work to promote physical and/or mental health and wellbeing focusing on prevention and keeping people healthy.
Older People Supports Award: This award recognises community groups & organisations who voluntary work to support and improve the participation of older people in active and social life by providing opportunities to engage and stay socially connected, prevent social isolation and contribute to a fulfilling, healthier and enjoyable older age.
Terms and Conditions
- To ensure judging is fair and impartial, Judges will be selected from outside County Offaly. The judging panel reserve the right to re-categorise nominations to an alternative award category if deemed appropriate. The decision of the judging panel is final.
- Nominations will be accepted online via MS Forms only – no late applications will be accepted.
- The nominated group/organisation must be registered with Offaly Public Participation Network (OPPN). Further details available at www.offalyppn.ie
- The nominator may or may not be a member of the nominated group. Groups can self-nominate or be nominated by a third-party individual or group.
- If groups are nominated multiple times, the group will be contacted and asked which category they wish to enter. Only one application per group will be allowed with groups only being permitted to be entered in one category.
- Further information/photographs may be requested in respect of selected finalists.
- Nominations that do not have all the required consent from the nominated organisation/group involved will be deemed invalid.
For further assistance and queries, please contact the Community & Culture Section on (057) 9346800 or email community@offalycoco.ie