South Meath Solar Farm Renews Funding for Community
Sustainability Projects
Wednesday 20th May 2026, 12:38pm
● Funding from the solar farm, managed by Schroders Greencoat and in collaboration with
Microsoft, available for grassroots sustainability initiatives.
● Funding of up to €10,000 to be made available for a number of community projects in
Meath, North-West County Dublin, and North-East County Kildare. Priority will be given
to projects in the municipal districts of Ashbourne and Ratoath, Co. Meath.
● Sustainable Communities Fund: South Meath Solar will be managed by ChangeX.
20 May 2026 - South Meath Solar Farm, managed by Schroders Greencoat, is renewing its
commitment to local communities with the launch of its second Sustainable Communities Fund
in collaboration with Microsoft
1
.
The fund, established as part of a renewable energy agreement between South Meath Solar
Farm and Microsoft, will benefit communities across Meath, and parts of North-West County
Dublin and North-East County Kildare. Priority will be given to projects in the municipal districts
of Ratoath and Ashbourne.
Last year, 20 community projects received funding from the Fund, supporting the delivery of
impactful local initiatives that helped build greener and more sustainable communities and
benefit more than 5,000 local people. Funded projects include a ‘wear and share’ clothes
lending and repair hub at Ashbourne Library, an interactive biodiversity trail around the grounds
of Kiltale GAA club, and a series of workshops designed to empower Traveller communities to
understand and protect wildlife.
This year’s fund will once again support individuals, community groups, schools, and non-profits
to start or develop projects that address local social and environmental issues. Applicants can
choose from ChangeX’s portfolio of proven ideas that have already had a positive impact in
other communities or secure funding to start or expand a qualifying project of their own design.
Funding of up to €10,000 is available per project
2
.
Some of the proven ideas on offer through the fund include:
● ‘Biodiversity in Schools’, an initiative that equips schools, youth groups, and clubs with a
complete biodiversity toolkit to plant trees, install wildlife signage, and run hands-on
outdoor learning experiences that build environmental awareness and long-term
stewardship among young people.
1. These commitments may have been put in place as part of commercial agreements.
2. Organisations must be registered non-profits to apply for a total amount in excess of €5,000.
● ‘TOM: Community Solutions for Disabilities’, a programme that empowers communities
to design and share open-source assistive solutions that improve daily life for people
with disabilities.
● ‘Precious Plastic Europe LITE’, a decentralised micro plastic recycling system that
supports people to recycle and turn plastic waste into useful products.
Patrick Maguire, Head of Asset Management for Schroders Greencoat, commented: “We
are excited to once again collaborate with Microsoft and ChangeX to support the creation and
expansion of community-led initiatives that will drive real environmental and social impact,
ensuring sustainability is accessible and beneficial to all.”
Lavinia Morris, General Manager, EMEA Data Centre Operations, Microsoft, commented:
“At Microsoft, we’re committed to advancing greener, more connected and sustainable
communities across the regions where we operate. We’re proud to work together with
Schroders Greencoat and ChangeX to deliver on this commitment, with the launch of the
second Sustainable Communities Fund for local people across counties Meath, Dublin and
Kildare. Building on the positive local impact of last year’s Fund, we look forward to seeing the
inspiring projects that will come to life over the coming months, empowering additional local
communities to shape a more sustainable future.”
Niamh McKenna, co-founder and head of impact, ChangeX, commented: "ChangeX is
committed to empowering communities by supporting the people and ideas that drive real
change. Through this ongoing collaboration, we’re supporting a portfolio of proven ideas and
community-led projects to come to life, enabling more local leaders to create lasting impact.”
ChangeX has developed an easy step-by-step process to get funding to communities to enable
them to lead impactful projects. Applications will be reviewed against eligibility and scoring
criteria.
If approved, applicants will be asked to complete a number of simple steps to unlock
their initial funding. The application deadline is July 1.
To find out more and apply, visit this link:
https://www.changex.org/ie/funds/sustainable-south-meath
