Social Innovation Fund: Seeking Applications for Youth Education Fund

Deadline: 18 May 2018

Social Innovation Fund is seeking applications for its Youth Education Fund to improve access to higher and further education for students (up to age 25) affected by disability or disadvantage.

The Youth Education Fund aims to have wider impact and will contribute to Ireland’s achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Youth Education Fund has been created by Social Innovation Fund Ireland (SIFI) in partnership with the Department of Rural and Community Development. The Department of Rural and Community Development provides match funding for all philanthropic funds raised by Social Innovation Fund Ireland, via the Dormant Accounts Fund.

Objectives

Social Innovation Fund is calling out to innovative projects or programmes in Ireland that:

Improve the retention of youth learners up to age 25 who are affected by disadvantage or disability at level 1 to 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) or equivalent accredited programmes/courses; and
Demonstrate movement of learners along the NFQ ladder or equivalent.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be over 18 years old.
Applications must come from an entity that has a not for profit legal form e.g. a school, charity or social enterprise. For profit entities are excluded.
Social Innovation Fund Ireland staff, directors and their immediate family members, are excluded from applying.
Applicants must have not-for-profit legal status to be considered for the Youth Education Fund. For example: charity, company limited by guarantee, trust etc.
Projects applying to the Youth Education Fund must meet the standard SIFI and Youth Education Fund core criteria listed below:
- Social Innovation Fund Ireland Core Criteria
  - The project must address a critical social issue – in this case educational disadvantage
  - The project proposed must be innovative in an Irish context
  - The project must have potential and a desire to scale or replicate in Ireland (it may also have potential internationally, but this is not a requirement)
  - The project must provide evidence that it is up and running, or has been tested at least in a minimal way
  - The project must be based on the island of Ireland and make its main impact in the Republic of Ireland
  - Applicants must come from an entity that has a not-for-profit legal form e.g. school, charity, social enterprise, voluntary organisation or Higher Education Institution
- Youth Education Fund Core Criteria
  - Projects that are focused on the retention of youth learners up to age 25 affected by disadvantage or disability (learning, intellectual or physical) leading to awards at level 1 to 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) or equivalent accredited programmes/courses
  - Projects that can demonstrate progression of learners within the NFQ or to equivalent accredited programmes and thereby improving access to further and higher education and training
  - Projects that have secured a minimum of €20,000 per year for 2 years in private pledged donations