Deadline: 14-May-21
The Community Foundation for Ireland and the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland are delighted to embark on a new partnership to launch the All-Island Community Fund to provide flexible philanthropic support for civil society engagement on a north-south basis, leading to better understanding, strong relationships and progression towards a fairer, more equitable society on the island of Ireland.
It also represents an exciting opportunity for both Community Foundations to better support civil society engagement North and South, to model partnership and support long term collaboration and change.
Funding Information
- In 2021, grants of between €5,000 and €20,000 to will be made available to interest groups in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland who wish to partner with, or to further partnerships with their counterparts on the other side of the border.
Funding Strands
Lead organizations can apply to one of the Strands below:
- Strand 1: Grants of up to €5,000 will be made available to organisations who have identified a need to work with a relevant eligible partner on a shared issue. This funding should be used to support the establishment of this new partnership and proposals should make reference to activities A to D listed above.
- Strand 2: Grants of up to €10,000 will be made available to organisations who have an existing partnership with a relevant organization on the other side of the border. The funding should be used to amplify that relationship and to increase the level of dialogue and collaboration between partners. Proposals should make reference to activities A to G listed above.
- Strand 3: Grants of up to €20,000 will be made available to organisations who meet the criteria of Strand 2 but who wish to elevate their partnership to include activities H to K listed above.
What can be achieved?
Successful grant-making that will support and facilitate the following:
- Future leaders nurtured and given opportunity to develop skills
- Identify policy positions and support collaboration in specific projects in thematic areas, such as gender, race, immigration and children
- Raise awareness and create better understanding of the post-Brexit context for civil society in Ireland, on key issues (in media, with statutory bodies and in non-profit sector)
- Ensure space is created for healthy, respectful, and productive dialogue on challenges and opportunities created by the ongoing debate about future constitutional arrangements on the island of Ireland
- Build on the best practice from each jurisdiction to further influence policy and legislative development
- Build partnerships between civil society, philanthropy and Government.
This initial pilot funding is to support and foster all-Island partnerships that will look to achieve some or all of the following:
- Create opportunities for those working on similar issues within the community and voluntary sectors to work together
- Build capacity by working together and sharing resources
- Convene stakeholders around a common problem or issue
- Share ideas and insights on the type of society they want to create irrespective of constitutional arrangements.
- Create better understanding of the different cultural identities represented on the island
- Avail of needed training and technical assistance
- Undertake research and needs assessments to identify gaps in services; and collaboratively create new responses
- Initiatives that support leadership opportunities
- Forge partnerships that leverage additional public or private resources.
- Develop shared policy positions
- Speak out together and use the media to raise visibility and action on issues.
Eligibility Criteria
- The Community Foundations are particularly interested in hearing from groups who already enjoy a cross-border partnership through existing work but also welcomes proposals from groups who are working with other vulnerable communities of interest and would like to explore the possibility of new dialogues and partnerships.
Applicant organizations must:
- Be registered charities or community and voluntary groups that are constituted and possess charitable aims.
- Engage their chosen partners prior to submission to agree terms of reference for the collaborative proposal.
- Agree to receive the funding on behalf of all partners listed in the proposal and to share the funding between partners as set out in the proposed budget.
For more information, visit https://www.communityfoundation.ie/grants/types-of-grants/all-island-fund