Community Services Programme (CSP)
CSP 2023-2027
CSP supports community-based organisations to provide local social, economic and environmental services through a social enterprise model. CSP aims to tackle disadvantage by providing a co-funding contribution towards the direct salary cost(s) of employing a manager (if approved), and full-time equivalent (FTE) positions.
A minimum of 70% of CSP supported employees (excluding Managers) must be from the CSP Employment Target Groups. The current programme runs until 31 December 2027.
Programme Manual
The CSP Interim Programme Manual outlines the basic information in respect of delivering the Programme. It provides information on the vision, strategic objectives, three sub-programmes, funding model, rules and monitoring framework. A new Programme Manual is currently being developed and will be available in due course.
Important Dates
| Type of Report | Period Covered | Frequency |
| Employee Reporting | Live System | Recommend always keeping up to date |
| Financial Reporting | ||
| If contract value > €89,000 per annum | January – June & July – December | Twice a year |
| Where contract value is ≤ €89,000, no more than 3 FTEs and no performance issues | January – December | Once a year |
| Annual Progress Report | January – December | Once a year |
Please note:
- In 2024 due to delays in the new system being ready the reporting periods are different covering January – August and September – December (17 weeks).
- The Finance Reports are generated during the last month of the reporting period i.e. June and December. Information from Employee Reporting is pulled into Finance Reporting in order to generate the Reports. You will be advised of a date by which all Employee Records have to be up to date.
- Finance Reporting is due approximately 3 weeks after the end of the reporting period. i.e. towards the end of January/July.
- Annual Progress Reports are due for submission in mid/late February. This is where you will be asked to report against the output indicators and targets in your contract, as well as providing general updates.
News and upcoming events
Minister Joe O’Brien announces increased funding for 400 community organisations The funding increase is for FTEs only (on the mid and high rate). Unfortunately, the Manager’s rate will not increase due to budgetary constraints.
Upcoming Events
Financial Reporting and Annual Progress Reporting training will take place in December 2024 January 2025
- Upcoming Peer Led Events
- Introduction to the Circular Economy (4 December)
- Care and Repair (February 2025)
These events will culminate in an in-person event in Feb/March 2025. Other Peer-led events are also being planned.
Please refer to the Training & Event Resources for recordings and presentations from past events.
Resources
- Guidance on Displacement 449.65 KBLast Updated 18th August 2022
- CSP Monitoring Framework 314.74 KBLast Updated 24th August 2022
- Examples - Indicators, Outputs and Milestones 1.09 MBLast Updated 4th October 2022
- Employment Eligibility Form 150.54 KBLast Updated 14th November 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
| 1. | Primary Access User (PAU)
| The Primary Access User (PAU) must be a member of the Board and registered as a Director with the CRO. The PAU has overall responsibility for adding users and assigning permissions to these users to ensure that they have access to the relevant data on the Portal and also ensuring that they do not have access to sensitive data if their function / role does not require it. PAUs will invariably be responsible for submitting applications and returns and also have viewing rights of their contract with Pobal. An Operational user has high level permissions similar to the PAU and can set up secondary users and assign permissions, they can also submit applications and returns and view contracts if the PAU has assigned them this permission. A secondary user is a member of your organisation that can be assigned permissions to work on the application form (such as a manager or administrator). Instructions on how your PAU can set up a secondary user, can be found here. Whilst there is no limit on the number of secondary users you can register, we do recommend that you only set up individuals (as secondary users) who will be directly inputting into the application form. A secondary user is a member of your Organisation that can be assigned permissions to work on the application form (such as a manager or administrator), they can also be assigned the “CSP – Financial User (Read and edit)” permission to enter Employee Reporting data, if required. Instructions on how your PAU can set up a secondary user, can be found here. Taking all of the above into account, it is possible for more than one user to view the online application i.e. The PAU, the operational user and secondary user can all view the application. The secondary user will receive an email invitation once set up by the PAU. The PAU will be able to view all secondary users listed under the ‘Secondary Users’ section on the MyPobal Portal.
|
| 2. | Does the PAU need to input this data for the employee reporting or can a user input it?
| PAU or an Operational user can give the permission to their secondary users so as they can complete the employee data. |
| 3. | What if an employee has left, you are a new manager and you do not have information if they were or were not from a target group? | It is the organisations responsibility as the employer to keep all records of employees. The organisation is contractually obliged to keep all records for 7 years after the end of the programme. Perhaps the board can contact the former manager if there are no records to hand. Please ensure to keep all records of the programme as per the contract between Pobal and the organisation as you may receive a Pobal audit in the future. |
| 1. | Is there any impact following on from the reduction of hours from 39 to 37.5/week for a CSP supported full-time post? | The change to the number of hours worked for a full-time post is purely for reference purposes in terms of what the CSP contribution goes towards. Organisations are not obliged to change employment contracts on foot of this. Alternatively, organisations may choose, in consultation with their CSP supported staff member, amend employment contracts so that full-time staff are only required to work 37.5 hours / week, or they may choose to employ staff at the same hourly rate, up to 39 hours / week. NB: the staff working 37.5 hours or over will be considered to be full time and, the full CSP contribution can be claimed for them. The CSP grant is an annual contribution to the employment costs. The rate per hour paid to an employee and the number of working hours of an employee is entirely up to the organisation. The rate of pay should be commensurate with the role and responsibilities.
|
| 2. | Can you clarify the position pertaining to Sunday working with relation to the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 where we require staff to work on a Sunday. Is it therefore, required by law for us to remunerate staff with additional money/time (time and a half) or bonus allowance for these additional hours that we have requested that they work? | No additional grant/bonuses etc. will be made available to CSP supported organisations for additional hours worked. It is the responsibility of the Board as the employer of all staff to inform themselves and to implement all relevant employment law and comply fully with the Working Time Act, 1997.
|
| 3. | In the New Funding model do CSP supported organisations that exceed the 70% threshold on the metric for ‘Number of individuals employed from CSP target groups’ get top marks on this metric? | The scoring framework for this metric, rewards organisations that meet the 70% threshold and above. There is an additional incentive for those that can achieve 86% or higher. As a simplification, the level of employment will be counted based on individuals employed rather than percentage share of total hours worked by staff from the CSP target groups. NB: This score is only one of the three metrics used to decide the rate of funding for organisations. Therefore, achieving a high score under this metric is not a guarantee of a higher rate of funding, it is an accumulative score of all three weighted criteria that will determine the funding allocation rate. If organisations do not meet the 70% rule for employment of CSP supported staff, this will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis by discussion with Pobal/DRCD.
|
| 4. | What data was used in the metric to assess the Number of individuals employed from the CSP employment target groups? | This data was submitted by each CSP supported organisation as part of the application process. Any change to this data will be captured through programme reporting.
|
| 5. | Do we have to have prior approval to change from 1 full-time to 2 half-time positions? | It is not necessary to seek approval for filling a role supported by CSP with one or more individuals. The Board of your organisation should approve this change and retain evidence of their decision. It is important that Board in making this decision consider if there is any impact on the services for the local community. It is also important that the Board of Management adhere to all employment legislation. |
| 1. | Can you clarify how surplus is calculated to determine scoring on the metric for ‘earning potential’? | Surplus percentage is calculated with regards to the CSP supported service(s) only. Total Income (excl. Amortisation if applicable) minus Expenditure (excl. Depreciation if applicable) = Adjusted Surplus / Total Income (excl. Amortisation if applicable). |
| 2. | Are Reserves taken into consideration? Will the metric be used to determine ‘earning potential’ take account of level of reserves? | Reserves will not be assessed as part of this metric as it is not considered a direct indicator of current earning potential. However, reserves are reviewed in evaluating an organisation’s viability and sustainability.
|
| 1. | Will the rate of funding/new funding calculation be reviewed if an organisation’s situation changes during the contract life-cycle? E.g. If the number. of employees from the employment target sector changes? | Yes, it is intended to review an organisation’s scoring on the differential funding model during the contract lifecycle to reflect any changes. The process and frequency for this will be confirmed but most likely in 2025.
|
| 2. | Is funding level linked with outputs reported? | The funding model is not linked with achievement of targets or reported outputs. Data on outputs reported will be collated to assist with overall programme reporting, and assessing performance against objectives, etc. Outputs reported will be reviewed in order to provide support and guidance to organisations in setting their own targets and achieving them.
|
| 3. | How and where do we find the current definition of “disadvantaged / marginalised” sections of society? | There are many definitions of disadvantage and marginalisation. For the purposes of the Community Services Programme, the priority target groups in terms of employment of people under CSP is outlined in the CSP Interim Manual, page 12.
|
| 4. | Will targets be required to be set for three or five years?
| Initially we are requesting targets for the first three years only. If you are provided with a five-year contract, a process for confirming the targets for the remaining two years will be undertaken at an appropriate later date.
|
| 1. | A CSP supported employee retired in October 2023. Can we re-employ that person now to work up to 70 yrs. if they wish to defer their contributory pension. Can it only be from January 1st, 2024? | As this person retired in 2023 at age 66 years, this person will not be able to avail of the flexible pension arrangements. The flexible pension arrangements were introduced for people who turn 66 on or after 1 January 2024. Note: A person who retired last year aged 65 years and will be 66 in 2024, should seek clarification from DSP in relation to this scheme and their eligibility to defer their pension. If they are eligible to defer, they may apply for a vacant position. For further information on flexible pension arrangements please go to the following webpage: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/d8fd8-flexible-pension-options/
|
| 2. | Will Pobal/DRCD provide additional funding to cover auto-enrolment of pension system from Q4, 2024? | The financial allocations for 2024 have been confirmed. It is not the intention of the Department to provide additional money in 2024 to take account of additional employer costs arising from the introduction of the auto-enrolment pension scheme later in the year.
|
| 3. | What is the Auto-Enrolment Pension Scheme? | For further information and guidance on the scheduled Auto Enrolment (AE) pension scheme please visit the Department of Social Protection’s website. In summary, the Auto-enrolment Scheme is as follows: Auto-enrolment is a new pension savings scheme for certain employees who are not paying into a pension. They will be automatically included in the scheme but can opt out after 6 months. Auto-enrolment is expected to be introduced in late 2024. Under the scheme, the employee, employer and Government all pay a certain amount into the employee’s pension fund. You will be automatically enrolled in the new pension plan if you are an employee and: • You are aged between 23 and 60. • You are not currently part of a pension plan. • You earn €20,000 or more per year. |
| 4. | Is a widow drawing her widow’s contributory pension eligible as a CSP supported employee? | No. A widow or widower with a contributory pension is not an eligible target group under the programme rules. Note: People in receipt of the following are eligible target groups under the programme rules:
A full list of eligible employment target groups is outlined on page 12 of the CSP Interim Manual for grantees. |
| 5. | Is a person under the age of 18 years eligible as a CSP supported employee? | Yes. A person who is 16 years or over, and not in education and available for work, is eligible. The employer must ensure that the organisation is following all legal requirements in relation to the employment of young people.
|
| 6. | Will the 70% rule be reviewed?
| No, the 70% rule will remain given high unemployment rates in certain sectors and the focus on disadvantaged target groups. While exemptions to this rule will continue to be considered/applied, it should be noted that the funding model provides an incentive to CSP supported organisations to maximise the number of employees that come from the CSP target groups. However, the 70% rule will remain under review.
|
| 7. | Are managers included in the 70%? | No, the metric currently excludes managers.
|
| 8. | Are organisations able to set their own hours/type of employment (FT/PT) for CSP supported posts? | Yes, organisations are free to determine conditions of employment of individuals in respect of hours worked and/or type of employment e.g., FT/PT.
|
| 1. | What is the Auto-Enrolment pension system? | For further information and guidance on the scheduled Auto Enrolment (AE) pension scheme please visit the Department of Social Protection web page. In summary the Auto Enrolment scheme is as follows: Auto-enrolment is a new pension savings scheme for certain employees who are not paying into a pension. They will be automatically included in the scheme but can opt out after 6 months. Auto-enrolment is expected to be introduced in late 2024. Under the scheme, the employee, employer, and Government all pay a certain amount into the employee’s pension fund. You will be automatically enrolled in the new pension plan if you are an employee and:
|
| 2. | What is the difference between a single and multi-service organisation? | Single and Multi service refers only to CSP supported services and activities. The key difference between a Single and Multi service organisation is that the different CSP supported services delivered by the organisation are considered unique and distinct. In general, a unique service would:
A Single CSP supported service could be:
A single service may include the multiple interventions and services for a specific target group e.g. older people services, which includes, home visits, respite service, activities, laundry services etc. A Multi CSP supported service could be:
In other circumstances, there are distinct services within the one location. For example, a meals on wheels service and visitor centre with a café. In this example, there are two unique and distinct services. Multiple services are distinct services managed by the one organisation and possibly in the one location e.g. meals on wheels and a genealogy service. They are generally reported on separately in their annual financial statements and/or management accounts and/or reports to the board. |
Funded by
