22/04/2024 - Launch of Healthy Ireland Civic Dollars Project

Following on from the resounding success of last year’s Civic Dollars Pilot Project, Donegal County Council is delighted to announce the extension of this innovative initiative over the next two years.

Participants download the Civic Dollars mobile phone app (on Google Play or the App Store) and earn online credits by spending time in local outdoor resources that have been identified countywide. Credits can then be redeemed in exchange for local and countywide rewards provided by the local business community e.g., a discounted coffee or discounted entry into a local attraction OR donate them to a locally identified community group who can exchange them for rewards.

The app measures time spent in a designated ‘Earn Zone’ and does not record steps or distance to ensure the project is inclusive of participants with mobility or health issues. The technology used is non-invasive and privacy-friendly, by only using GPS data and allowing users to opt in once they enter an ‘earn zone’. Data is anonymised, and a user’s session will end automatically once they walk out of the ‘earn zone’ geo-fence.

Speaking from the Shore Front Walk, Killybegs - a newly added ‘Earn Zone’ - Chair of Donegal Local Community Development Committee, Cllr. Niamh Kennedy said “A measure of the success and popularity of the Civic Dollars project is in its growth from an initial five sites identified as ‘earn zones’ at our pilot launch in 2023 to over eighty sites across the County - including playgrounds, beaches, parks, trails, forest walks and the Shore Front walk along the Donegal and Shore Roads here in Killybegs”. Cllr. Kennedy added, the Civic Dollars project aims to provide people with an incentive and support to improve their mental health, increase their physical activity levels, and encourage engagement with local community groups and support for the local business community.

Mr. Paddy Doherty, Senior Executive Officer, Community Development, Donegal County Council said ‘Communities enhance our sense of belonging, of spirit and of pride - all of which are vital elements of a healthy community. Donegal County Council working in partnership with our Local Community Development Committee is committed to promoting the health and wellbeing of the people and communities of Donegal through the delivery of projects funded under the Healthy Ireland Round 4 Programme.”

Identified ‘Earn Zones’ in the Civic Dollars project across Donegal include –

The Civic Dollars project is funded under the Healthy Ireland Programme and supported by the Dept of Health.

For further information about the Civic Dollars Project and details of participating community groups and businesses see www.donegalcoco.ie/community/healthydonegal/civic%20dollars/. To download the app visit  www.civicdollars.com or scan the QR Code below