Deadline: 14-Mar-23
Are you leading an organisation that tackling a social problem in Ireland in an innovative way? Does your solution support underrepresented and/or marginalised people? Are you ready to scale your organisation? If, yes then apply now for Changing Ireland Accelerator that will provide a range of bespoke supports to social entrepreneurs, including direct funding, mentorship, and access to a network of fellow social entrepreneurs and business experts.
This year, they are looking for up to four social entrepreneur-led organisations who are impacting the problem that they are addressing in Ireland and are ready to grow further. The programme aims to support social entrepreneurs who have a proven solution to a social problem to scale their organisation and grow their impact. The programme runs over twelve months starting in June 2023 and closing in June 2024 and it will be delivered both in person and online.
Funding Information
- Each Awardee will receive €60,000 in funding over the course of the programme.
What they Are Looking For?
- They welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and they are committed to providing equal opportunities regardless of gender identity, marital status, family status, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity or religion. (Equal Status Acts, 2000-2018)
- Social entrepreneur-led projects: The person applying must be the main driver and lead decision maker with an organisation already in operation and achieving impact. You should have an entrepreneurial mindset and be open to learning and developing through the programme. They accept applications from individuals and two-person partnerships. While your project may have more than two founders/ leaders, for the purposes of our selection process and programmes only two partners can apply, and both must be the main decision makers. The person/people who make(s) the application should not be making it on anyone else’s behalf, rather they are the individual(s) who will engage in the SEI support programme.
- A societal challenge: There are a lot of problems and issues to be addressed in Ireland so they’re looking for social entrepreneurs who can clearly demonstrate why the issue you are addressing is of particular importance. It is also important to share your insight and understanding into the social problem, its root cause and symptoms. The societal challenge can be social and/or environmental.
- A new or better solution: Your organisation should be innovative and not replicating what is already being provided. Instead you should be approaching issues from a different angle, improving on what is already being done or introducing a completely new solution altogether. You should be able to clearly articulate what makes your solution unique or more impactful than others in existence.
- Mission-driven & effective: All of their applicants should be leading organisations that are focused on the mission of solving a social or environmental problem. They support organisations with all legal structures, but you must be in a position to convince us that the social mission is the core driver. You should also be able to provide us with evidence that what you do actually works in addressing the problem you’ve identified, proving that it has a positive and lasting impact.
- Ready and ambitious to scale your impact: The social entrepreneurs they support always think big, ultimately looking to change the way the issue they are addressing is dealt with in Ireland. Having the desire and ability to scale strategically is a vital element of this programme. Scaling impact can be achieved in various ways, for example scaling the reach of the organisation (geographic, demographic etc.), scaling breadth or depth, or providing a model that can be replicated.
- Supporting people who are under-represented: Under-represented and underserved communities experience social problems more intensely than anyone else and this is a key focus for the Changing Ireland Accelerator Programme. They are looking for social entrepreneurs who identify as coming from an underrepresented background and/or whose organisation supports people from who are under-represented, underserved, or marginalised.
Eligibility Criteria
- In order to apply to the Changing Ireland Accelerator, you must meet the following criteria:
- You are aged 18 years or over at the time of applying for the programme.
- You are the person (or people in the case of a partnership) leading the organisation – the main driver(s) and decision maker(s).
- You have identified a social or environmental issue and developed a clear solution and business model to solve it.
- Your solution must be new or better than others in existence already in Ireland, and be benefiting people in Ireland.
- The organisation is benefitting underserved and/or underrepresented communities in Ireland.
- You have the ambition to scale and grow the impact of your organisation beyond its current level, and have a plan to do so.
- You are open to and available to take part in the learning and development opportunities provided through the Programme.
- You are willing to work on developing your organisation on a full-time basis (or equivalent if partnership) for the duration of the Programme.
- You have clear and compelling evidence to demonstrate the social impact of the organisation.
- You have been previously successful in raising or generating sufficient income to implement your solution.
- Your organisation is based on the island of Ireland.
Note: Social Entrepreneurs Ireland is not in a position to support research projects, partypolitical projects, or projects with an explicit religious or faith-based agenda – as opposed to projects that are driven by a personal belief system but are open to all the community.
For more information, visit Changing Ireland Accelerator.