Ms Gina McIntyre:

I thank Deputy Smith.

We have a programme of predevelopment support for all applicants. Over the past year or more, before the programme was approved and opened, we ran a series of workshops, including an information workshop, in all the different areas that were opening for calls. After that, we put in place capacity for somebody to help potential applicants to access the programme. They dealt with potential applicants and decided whether the programme was applicable for them, whether there was a different theme they should focus on or a different programme they should look at. They tried to give them some support because the Deputy is quite right, there are some organisations that do not have the capacity. We tried to ensure there was enough time for organisations to prepare. Also, a better quality application to us is a better quality project for the longevity of the programme. We have seen the benefit of that and have heard from applicants about how this really helped them to think about areas they had not thought of before. Some of that also involved partnering up with others. I will ask Mr. Huddleston to speak further on that.

There are other areas that are useful for those groups that do not have much capacity. First, the local authority council plans must be created with the community, down to the district wards. There must be evidence of co-creation. When there is a specific need in an area, then it should come forward into the action plan with the local council and come forward to us, because they have an allocation of funding that is not competitive. The other area for smaller groups is, as I mentioned, small grants. They are not that small and are up to approximately €100,000. We hope to rename the cross-community and cross-border grants as the "change-maker funds". Under theme 1, there are cross-community small grants available of up to €100,000. Under theme 6 there are cross-Border grants. The cross-Border ones are for exactly what it says; they are to encourage and strengthen links across the Border, to look at the challenges and to create new networks and links going forward. The cross-community grants, in theme 1, are focused on peacebuilding activity, but it can be in any sector and groups can apply as many times as they wish. A small group might want €50,000, they might just want €5,000. That would be more administratively straightforward. They are going to be managed on our behalf by Pobal, together with a Northern Ireland delivery partner. Hopefully, they will roll out in March or April. A big impact will be seen on the ground of those small grants, because they will be much easier. In relation to sport and facilities, we have always funded sport and facilities. In and around Cavan, there is the sports link facility. Deputy Smith is quite right, the impact of sports on relationship building is within the remit of the programme; it is so important. We accept, both in the capital round and the shared spaces, that there are areas for it within the small grants, the rural regeneration and the local authorities. We are not averse to funding sport and facilities. We see the benefit of that. Does Mr. Huddleston wish to add anything in relation to predevelopment support?