Kilkenny LEADER Partnership (KLP) is a non profit, independent, community-led, local development organisation, with almost 25 years of experience delivering to communities on the ground, providing a wide range of services including training, work placements, grants and advice.

KLP traces its origins back to its securing of the LEADER programme for the county in 1991 and the Social Inclusion programme in 1995. It is led by a voluntary Board of Directors from community and voluntary groups, social partners, local government and state bodies.

In the 2009 – 2013 LEADER period we funded approximately 300 separate projects of all sizes in the county- distributing in excess of €11 million in grant aid. In the social inclusion and community development sector, KLP is also the driver for some of Kilkenny’s most innovative and dynamic projects and initiatives including: Trail Kilkenny, KickStart, Driving Ambitions, Vulcan Wood Energy Cooperative and many more.

KLP was formed in 2008 as a result of the government’s decision on the integration of the functions and missions of local development companies operating in the rural development and social inclusion sectors. In general, at national level, these companies were effectively merged to local authority boundaries. In Kilkenny this resulted in the roles of Barrow Nore Suir Rural Development (BNS), Castlecomer District Community Development Network (CDCD), Kilkenny community Action Network (KCAN) and in the medium-term future- Loughboy Area Resource Centre being combined into one integrated company- KLP.

KLP MISSION STATEMENT

Kilkenny LEADER Partnership will lead and facilitate the creation of an integrated local development strategy to improve the economic, social and cultural quality of life of the people, communities and small enterprises of all County Kilkenny.