This grant scheme aims to support innovation and circular economy projects by social enterprises, voluntary and community organisations and businesses with fewer than 50 employees.

The CEIGS was established by Minister Smyth in April 2021, and since that first call CEIGS funding of almost €1.14 million has been awarded to 23 projects covering a wide range of circular economy themes including food waste, plastics, single-use plastics, packaging, construction, textiles and general waste. This year the scheme will be administered in partnership with Community Foundation Ireland. The Community Foundation Ireland is a philanthropic hub that brings together donors, grantees and communities who share a vision of positive social change. The organisation has demonstrated considerable success in disbursing grants to diverse groups and organisations under various thematic pillars.

Typical funding for CEIGS projects under the 2024 call is anticipated to be in the range of €10,000 to €50,000.

Deadline: 19th July 2024.

More info: https://grantsandfunding.ie/applications-open-for-the-circular-economy-innovation-grant-scheme-2024/

The award supports specific projects in the field of Street Arts and Spectacle.

The purpose of the award is to support high-quality, stand-alone initiatives that specifically deliver a presentation to, or an engagement with, an audience or public.

Maximum awarded €50,000

Deadline: 5.30pm Thursday 25 July 2024

More info: https://www.artscouncil.ie/Funds/Street-Performance-and-Spectacle-Project-Award/

The purpose of the award is to support high-quality, stand-alone initiatives that specifically deliver a presentation to, or an engagement with, an audience or public.

Potential circus proposals could be those that:

• Involve a variety of circus disciplines within a theme-based performance
• Allow artists to work with professionals such as choreographers, producers, directors and costume designers to develop work that is new to both the artists involved and audiences
• Enable artists to create work that changes their own concepts of current working practices.

Deadline: 5.30pm, Thursday 25 July 2024

More info: https://www.artscouncil.ie/Funds/Circus-project-award/

The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has opened the funding call for the Community Safety Fund 2024. This fund has been developed to reinvest the value of proceeds of crime seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau directly back into communities via projects that support and improve community safety.

The Community Safety Fund

• allows proceeds of crime to be directed into community projects to support community safety;

• encourages the development of projects aimed at improving community safety from the people who best understand local community safety needs;

• allows best practice on community safety and youth justice to be shared with other partnerships and communities nationally as new proposals are developed;

• reflects and highlights the success of An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau in seizing the proceeds from criminal activity.

This could include activities intended to:

• tackle crime or reduce the fear of crime; improve community safety and feelings of safety;

• support the creation of safe and resilient communities;

• reduce reoffending;

• divert vulnerable individuals away from engagement in criminal behaviour.

This year, projects which have already received funding under a previous round of the Community Safety Fund may apply for repeat funding, once strong outputs to date are demonstrated as part of the application process.

Deadline: 5pm on 26 July 2024

More info: https://grantsandfunding.ie/community-safety-fund-2024-open-for-applications/

The RISE Community Fund supported by National Broadband Ireland and Granahan McCourt is aimed at addressing the rural digital divide and will award 5 monthly grants of €1,000 each to empower local businesses, community groups, farms and social enterprises to enhance their digital strategy. The Fund offers an immediate financial injection into your local community, boosting the digital ecosystem.

The remaining counties are: Meath, Kildare and Dublin

Deadline – 31st July 2024

More info: https://riseglobalfoundation.com/programs/rise-community-fund/

• €1.3 million will be made available to organisations who support LGBTI+ persons:

• €900,000 is being made available, under the LGBTI+ Community Services Fund, to applicant groups operating at national, regional and local level, to support community services and promote visibility and inclusion of LGBTI+ people.

• €400,000 will be made available to support LGBTI+ young people under a separate funding call, details of which will be announced in the coming weeks.

• Funding aims to promote inclusion, protect rights and to improve quality of life and wellbeing for LGBTI+ people in Ireland.

• Grant scheme is open to applications from existing LGBTI+ non-government organisations and community organisations working with LGBTI+ people.

Deadline: 12pm Wednesday 31 July 2024

More info: https://grantsandfunding.ie/minister-announces-e1-3million-in-funding-to-support-lgbti-people-and-opens-the-2024-lgbti-community-services-funding-call/

Ecclesiastical and Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards is back. Now in its sixth year, the awards are giving charities across the UK and Ireland the opportunity to receive €1,000.

The Movement for Good Awards will once again see more than €1million donated to good causes and from today, people can quickly and easily nominate a charity online at www.movementforgood.com.

The Movement for Good Awards has donated over £5million to charities in the UK and Ireland since the initiative started in 2019.

Winners will be drawn at random and the more times a charity is nominated the more chance it has of being selected.

There will also be a series of special draws where charities operating within specific sectors can be nominated to receive a grant of €5,000, the timetable of draws can be viewed at www.movementforgood.com and donations will be announced throughout the year.

Deadline – Ongoing with monthly draws

More info: https://movementforgood.com

The Shared Island Civic Society Fund promotes practical North South cooperation and engagement across a range of sectors and themes consistent with the objectives and commitments of the Good Friday Agreement.

The Shared Island Civic Society Fund has been developed as part of the Government’s Shared Island initiative and is supported through the Shared Island Fund.

Deadline: 1 pm on Friday 2 August 2024

More info: https://grantsandfunding.ie/e1-5-million-fund-for-civic-society-cross-border-projects-announced/

The Commemorations Bursary Scheme, in partnership with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has been established to encourage and support new local research and local history studies relating to the commemoration of events associated with the early years of the State as well as other significant historical anniversaries, events and themes.

The bursaries will be awarded to individual researchers across a wide range of themes which recognise the importance of the commemoration of events and a number of grants of between €1,500 and €10,000 will be made annually.

Deadline: Friday, 9th August 2024 at 5.00pm.

More info: https://www.ria.ie/commemorations-bursary

Charities working in the areas of suicide prevention, homelessness and education access and support can apply to the Fund for project specific funding.

Three times a year, ESB allocates an amount from the Fund for disbursement. The amount may vary because of the volume of applications received or seasonal considerations – wintertime and Christmas may require more funding than summer.

Applications submitted during each round are appraised with funding allocated accordingly.

Deadline: August 19th 2024

More info: https://esb.ie/who-we-are/our-story/efg-funds

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has today (Fri. 14th June) announced €20 million in funding to support the upgrade and refurbishment of community centres across the country.

• Grants of up to €100,000 available to upgrade existing Community Centres announced.
• Wide range of works eligible for funding including Refurbishment of Kitchens & Toilets, Upgrades to Windows & Doors, Energy Efficiency Upgrades & Improving access for people with disabilities.

Under the Community Centres Investment Fund 2024 , community organisations will be supported with grants of between €10,000 – €100,000 to develop and enhance their existing community facilities.

This is broken down into two categories of funding:

Category 1:

Small scale projects/improvements to facilities: €10,000 – €25,000.

Category 2:

Larger scale projects: €25,001 to €100,000.

Deadline: 29th August 2024 (application process opens on 29th July, so you can begin to get your paperwork ready)

More info: https://grantsandfunding.ie/grants-of-up-to-e100000-available-to-upgrade-existing-community-centres-announced/

The overarching objective for New Solutions is to enhance the social innovation ecosystem in Ireland by, ‘fostering active inclusion, promoting equal opportunities, non-discrimination and active participation, and to improve employability, for disadvantaged groups including through the social enterprise business model.’

This objective has been broken down further as follows:

• Objective 1: Support the development of a social innovation ecosystem through awareness-raising and maximising synergies with other key public policies in the areas of social inclusion, social enterprise and community led local development
• Objective 2: Capacity building for Social Innovation initiatives at national, regional, local and/or community levels
• Objective 3: Fund Social Innovation Pilot Programmes to address significant social and environmental challenges
• Objective 4: Create an enabling environment which will allow social innovation to thrive and to support scaling up of social innovations

Deadline: 5pm Friday, 30th August 2024

More info: https://grantsandfunding.ie/esf-new-solutions-funding-to-support-social-innovation-across-the-country-announced/

The purpose of Strategic Funding is to invest in and support the organisations needed to lead, sustain and develop the arts in Ireland.

Organisations that receive Strategic Funding must play a critical part in delivering the policy priorities of Making Great Art Work, the Arts Council’s ten-year strategy.

In offering Strategic Funding to organisations, the Arts Council wishes to ensure:

• The delivery of excellent artwork and/or events activities and services
• Excellent opportunities for artists and/or arts professionals to develop their practice and/or to create or to be engaged in high-quality work
• That the diversity of contemporary Ireland is reflected in the work it supports
• That more people will enjoy high-quality arts experiences
• Increased depth of engagement by and with the public
• Excellent standards in governance and management in the arts.

Deadline: 5.30pm, Thursday 05 September 2024

More info: https://www.artscouncil.ie/Funds/Strategic-Funding/

Are you an artist working collaboratively with a community? Are you an artist or community group with an interest in working on a collaborative, socially engaged project?

The Arts Council’s Artist in the Community (AIC) Scheme, managed by Create, offers awards to enable artists and communities of place and/or interest to work together on projects. The AIC Scheme also offers an annual bursary, as well as residencies and a summer school. The AIC scheme is open to artists from any of the following artform disciplines: architecture, circus, street art and spectacle, dance, film, literature (Irish and English language), music, opera, theatre, visual arts and traditional arts.

Deadline: 5pm Mon 30th September (Round Two)

More info: https://www.create-ireland.ie/aic-scheme-2024-round-one-open-for-applications/

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, announced that 62 new walking trails across the country are approved in principle to join the Walks Scheme in February 2024. The expansion recognises the importance of the scheme in delivering high quality trails.

A key action in Embracing Irelands Outdoors, the National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023-2027, is to expand the Walks Scheme to 150 trails by end 2024.

In light of this, a Call for Expressions of Interest to join the Walks Scheme has now opened. Closing date for Expressions of Interest is 11th October 2024. All applications must be made through your Local Development Company.

Deadline for Expressions of Interest is 11th October 2024.

More info: https://www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/942b4b-the-walks-scheme-and-rural-recreation-officers/

The Age & Opportunity Active National Grant Scheme offers financial supports – provided by Sport Ireland – to local clubs, groups and organisations, nationwide who promote increased participation in recreational sport or physical activity for older people.

Some of the Sport Initiatives supported are:

Age & Opportunity Active National Grant Scheme

Offers financial supports to local clubs, groups and organisations, nationwide.

FitLine

A telephone mentoring service which encourages callers to start getting more active- we’re only a phone call away!

Physical Activity Leaders

An education and peer leadership initiative which trains older people how to lead sport and activity sessions in their local groups and communities.

CarePALS

Trains those working in care settings to lead suitable physical activities.

People with intellectual disability Physical Activity Leaders

Enabling people with intellectual disability (ID) to become physical activity leaders.

Walking Football initiative

An Age & Opportunity initiative for older men that is great craic and good for general health and wellbeing.

European Week of Sport

Promoting sport and physical activity across Europe.

Go For Life Games

Teams from all over Ireland coming together to take part in a national day of sport in June every year.

More info: https://ageandopportunity.ie/active/age-and-opportunity-active-national-grant-scheme/

The Community Recognition Fund was first introduced last year to recognise the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland.

Through the 2023 allocation, funding of €50 million was approved for some 900 projects in supporting cities, towns and villages nationwide that have welcomed people from Ukraine and other countries.

A further €50 million is being provided again to deliver projects over 2024 and 2025.

Local authorities, in collaboration with communities, will be funded to develop projects that will deliver long term benefits to those living in the areas selected.

Projects that will be funded include:

• Development or refurbishment of community or cultural facilities including play areas, walkways, parks, community/sensory gardens, allotments, and recreational areas;
• Development or refurbishment of local club and sports facilities;
• Enhancement to school/parish facilities which are open to use by all of the community after school hours;
• Purchase of equipment for local clubs, festivals, community events and organisations
• Transport infrastructure such as community vehicles

Deadline: Varies according to Local Authority (LA).  The deadline for Application window 1 was the 31st May. There are 2 other application windows, which we will announce as soon as they open, as follows:

Application window 2 – 1st August to 30th September 2024

Application window 3 – 1st January 2025 to 31st January 2025

Visit the page below for links to your local council and details on how to apply.

Read more: https://grantsandfunding.ie/2024-community-recognition-fund-launched/

The Seniors Alert Scheme (SAS) has been established to encourage community support for vulnerable older people in our communities. It provides funding for a personal monitored alarm, connected to a contact centre to enable older persons of 65 or older and of limited means, to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind.

The Scheme is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development via Pobal with equipment made available through community, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations registered with Pobal under the SAS.

Deadline: Ongoing

More info: https://www.pobal.ie/programmes/seniors-alert-scheme-sas/

To Register as a Seniors Alert Scheme organisation: https://www.pobal.ie/app/uploads/2018/06/How-to-register-as-an-SAS-Organisation.pdf

The Hospital Saturday Fund is a registered charity whose aims are to provide assistance for registered health charities, hospices, medical organisations and individuals with a medical condition or disability.

They can provide grants for medical projects, care, research or support of medical training within the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, the Republic of Ireland and Malta.

For individuals, they can provide help with the purchase of specialised equipment or forms of treatment.

For medically related charities, hospitals, hospices and medical clinics:

The Hospital Saturday Fund will consider giving grants towards medical capital projects, medical care or research and in support of medical training. The Hospital Saturday Fund will also consider grants for running costs.

For Individuals:

The Hospital Saturday Fund will consider giving partial or full grants to individuals for the following:

Specialised mobility equipment, wheelchairs, mobility scooters, car adaptions, medical appliances and aids, hearing aids, nebulisers, specialised vision aids, specialised computer equipment, therapeutic equipment/treatment, orthopaedic beds, mattresses or pillows, riser /recliners chairs, lift hoist/aids.

Physiotherapy, Hydrotherapy, Acupuncture, Speech Therapy, Osteopathy, Chiropractic treatment, Reflexology, Massage Therapy and Aromatherapy.

Home adaptations, walk in showers, accessibility adaptations to bathrooms, access ramps, non-slip flooring, stair lifts.

Deadline: Various deadlines

More info: https://hospitalsaturdayfund.org/apply-for-a-grant/

The community-based CCTV grant aid scheme supports communities and local authorities who wish to install and maintain CCTV security systems in their area to increase public safety and to deter illegal or anti-social behaviour.

The maximum grant available for each CCTV system is €45,000.

Applicants to the scheme can include not-for-profit organisations within the community, as well as relevant statutory or voluntary organisations. For example, applicants may include:

• area partnerships
• community development projects
• family resource centres
• local authorities
• community enterprises

Applications are also welcome from groups such as a not-for-profit consortium of private and community interests which has come together to formulate an application.

Deadline: Ongoing

More info: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/3a6b2-community-based-cctv-grant-aid-scheme/

The grant programme is open all year round and you can apply for funding by completing a funding application form. The grant offer is valid for 12 months to give you plenty of time to identify the community priorities, find an external expert and develop your energy masterplan in consultation with your community.

SEAI will provide a 100% grant to cover the costs of an external expert to help your community develop an Energy Master Plan. The Energy Master Plan funding ranges in value depending on the level and scale of the Sustainable Energy Community. The scale of the SEC is linked to the estimate of the energy spend in your community.

Funding available is from €10,000 to €25,000 depending on size of community.

Deadline: Open all year round

More info: https://www.seai.ie/community-energy/sustainable-energy-communities/join-the-sustainable-ener/

LEADER Programme 2023-2027 grant support is available in rural areas under the following indicative themes:

• Economic Development and Job Creation

• Rural Infrastructure and Social Inclusion

• Sustainable Development of Rural Environment and Climate Change Mitigation

To get a good insight into projects supported in the past, this booklet produced by CAP Network Ireland (formerly National Rural Network) has an excellent compilation of case studies:  LEADER Programme 2014-2020 Case Studies from Ireland. Hopefully you can gain some inspiration from that.

Click here to find your Local Development Company

More info: https://capnetworkireland.eu/leader/

PayPal Giving Fund Ireland helps people support their favourite charities online and raises funds to benefit charities through PayPal and other technology platforms. We receive donations and make grants to our donors’ recommended charities.

Deadline: ongoing

More info: https://www.paypal.com/ie/webapps/mpp/givingfund/home

Does your community group have an idea for creating a workspace for artists? Your Local Authority may be able to assist you realise your ambition.

Applications are now open for Local Authorities under the Pilot Artist Workspaces Scheme to increase the provision of artists’ workspaces across Ireland.

The primary focus of this pilot scheme is to provide funding to Local Authorities to enable them to provide additional capacity and availability of artist workspaces in their regions on a sustainable basis. Under this scheme Local Authorities are therefore invited to propose projects which can accommodate and address the demand for artist workspaces in their regions and produce workspaces that are fit for purpose, design focused and accessible.

Deadline: No closing date, any funds not allocated within nine months from the launch

of the scheme may be re-distributed to Local Authorities who have already applied and

made significant progress with their projects subject to a detailed Business Case.

More info: https://grantsandfunding.ie/minister-martin-announces-e6-million-in-funding-to-deliver-artist-workspaces-nationwide/

Baboró is delighted to offer a small Go See Fund to support artists and creatives to travel within Ireland to see work for children. The fund is designed for those who make or wish to make work for children and are looking for inspiration, new approaches to presentation, etc.

To ensure this small fund can benefit as many individuals as possible, it will support the cost of event tickets and travel within the island of Ireland only, up to a maximum of €100 per application.

Deadline: ongoing

More info: https://www.baboro.ie/artists/grow/go-see-fund

The government has agreed a range of measures with the aim of reducing costs for small and medium sized businesses, brought forward by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke. While Social Enterprises aren’t specifically mentioned,  many of these are applicable to various social enterprises.

Key measures include:

• introducing a second payment of ICOB for businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors
• doubling the Innovation Grant Scheme to €10,000
• increasing the maximum amount available under the Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme to €10,000 and reducing the business contribution rate from 50% to 25%
• widening the eligibility for the Trading Online Voucher, extending it to all sectors up to 50 employees, modernise eligible expenditure and doubling the grant to €5,000
• increasing the lending limit for Microfinance Ireland loans to €50,000 from €25,000
• widening the eligibility for the Digital for Business Consultancy Scheme and extending it to all sectors with up to 50 employees

For the full list of supports and more details visit: https://grantsandfunding.ie/government-agrees-measures-to-support-smes/

International

Non-governmental organisations worldwide invited to apply for funding for football-related social projects

• A record 130 entities from across 54 countries were selected in 2024 instalment
• Programme targets underprivileged children and young people

Launched in 2019, the FIFA Foundation Community Programme has been working with local projects that harness the power of football to effect positive social change and address the most pressing global challenges facing underprivileged children and young people within the communities in which they operate.

Funding amount: up to USD30,000 per year

Deadline: 26th July 2024

More info: https://inside.fifa.com/social-impact/news/applications-open-for-2025-26-edition-of-fifa-foundation-community-programme

The aim of Stiftung Artenschutz is the conservation of highly threatened animal species, especially those that have been lacking resources and interest, as well as the protection and restoration of their habitats.

Our two funding schemes include a special grant for the conservation of amphibians, the “Amphibian Conservation Fund”, and a Small Grants Programme open for all animal species and conservation activities.

Deadline: July 31, 2024.

More info: https://www.stiftung-artenschutz.de/en_US/grants/?f

Lady Freethinker is now accepting applications to our annual Urgent Need Fund grant program for projects helping animals across the world!

Since the program began, LFT is proud to have awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to amazing organizations — funding a range of creative initiatives to provide medical care, food, shelter, and other forms of aid to animals around the world.

Deadline: 9th Aug 2024

More info: https://ladyfreethinker.org/know-an-animal-organization-in-need-of-help-lfts-2024-urgent-need-fund-grant-program-is-open/

The Climate Creatives Challenge is a global initiative serving as a catalyst for innovation in climate communication. This international design competition, supports new and novel approaches for communicating the impacts of climate change and the benefits of mitigation, adaptation and resilience.

Deadline: 16th August 2024

More info: https://www.climatecreativeschallenge.com/challenge05

The ProVeg Grants program is accelerating the transformation of our food system by providing support for organisations involved in this vital work. Since 2019, ProVeg International has provided more than 500 grants to organisations and individuals in over 70 countries. They provide both financial support and assistance with capacity-building. ProVeg Grants offers financial support of between $5,000 and $50,000 per year.

Deadline: Quarterly – 1st September, 1st December 2024

More info: https://proveg.org/advocacy/grants/

Patagonia supports environmental organisations with bold, direct-action agendas and a commitment to long-term change.

They support innovative work that addresses the root causes of the environmental crisis and seeks to protect both the environment and affected communities.

Deadlines: September 30th 2024 and January 31st 2025

More info: https://eu.patagonia.com/ie/en/how-we-fund/

The Global E-STEM Awards are back and once again recognizing excellence and innovation in E-STEM with awards up to $50,000 USD!

Does your organization engage students aged 11 to 22 in STEM topics, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to take action to advance climate change solutions, sustainable energy, or sustainable transportation? If yes, you are invited to apply for the Global E-STEM Awards! The Global E-STEM Awards are presented by Pratt & Whitney in collaboration with NAAEE.

This awards program supports promising programs that build and use STEM knowledge and skills in environmental learning and problem solving. Preference will be given to nonprofit organizations working with underrepresented audiences in STEM and using partnerships to boost their impact.

Deadline: July 8th 2024

More info: https://naaee.org/programs/e-stem/e-stem-awards

Wildlife Acoustics is proud to offer a grant program to support the advancement of wildlife research, habitat monitoring, and environmental conservation. Our quarterly grant program provides scientists with bioacoustics research tools to further their study of bats, birds, amphibians, and other vocal wildlife.

Deadline: August 15, 2024

More info: https://www.wildlifeacoustics.com/grant-program

Get €500 to fund your coding event. Starting today, May 22nd, non-profit organizations can submit their proposals for workshops, lectures, hackathons, coding competitions, and more! This year, the application window is extended until September 30th, giving you more time to craft your dream event, which must be hosted from June 17 to October 31.

Here’s what you need to know:

Who can participate? Anyone with a passion for code and digital skills can get involved! Schools, IT professionals, nonprofit organizations and even computer clubs can design events for children and youth aged 8-24. However, the official event organiser needs to be a charitable organisation to secure funding.

Deadline: 30th September 2024

More info: https://meet-and-code.org/gb/en/news-show/697