Apply Now: Brighter Futures Fund (Ireland)

Deadline: 24-Mar-25

Rethink Ireland is seeking applications for the Brighter Futures Fund aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing for marginalised groups in Ireland.

They invite applications from projects and organisations that proactively identify mental health challenges within marginalised communities, enabling early intervention that can prevent the escalation of these issues.

Brighter Futures Fund will support organisations representing a diverse range of vulnerable groups in Ireland dedicated to addressing mental health and wellbeing disparities. These may include groups such as LGBTQI+, Traveller, Roma, migrant, or refugee communities and other vulnerable groups.

Whilst this fund aims to support projects and organisations focusing on early intervention, they understand that such a timely intervention is not always possible. Therefore, the projects/organisations who apply for the Brighter Futures Fund can be working across the full spectrum of mental health initiatives, including early interventions, wellbeing and resilience programmes, confidence-building supports, and/or initiatives for fighting depression/social anxiety/loneliness/stress etc. This is not an exhaustive list. They want to back organisations who will equip marginalised communities with the skills they need to improve and maintain their mental health and wellbeing over time.

Funding Information

• The Fund offers a package of cash grants and non-financial supports to the value of €1.9 million for up to six projects to help them expand and increase their social impact.
• This includes:
  • Up to six awards of up to €285,000 (up to €95,000 per year for three years)
  • The non-financial supports include:
    • a place on Rethink Ireland’s Accelerator Programme
    • bespoke business and capacity-building supports designed in consultation with successful projects on topics such as strategic planning, maximising your impact, communications, storytelling and fundraising
    • Access to Rethink Ireland’s networks

Which projects cannot apply?

• Projects where research is the primary activity
• Projects seeking funding for capital assets (such as buildings, vans or equipment)
• Projects promoting or aligned with a political party
• Projects that only accept participants of a particular faith or religious denomination
• Projects focused on animal welfare
• Projects based outside the Republic of Ireland
• Projects led by people under 18 years of age
• Projects that are an idea (only) and that have not yet started

Eligibility Criteria

• This fund is open to organisations with a not-for-profit legal form, e.g. a company limited by guarantee, co-operative, trust, charity and other voluntary organisations that meet the following criteria. Projects must meet both Rethink Ireland’s criteria and the specific criteria for the Brighter Futures Fund, as set out below:
• Rethink Ireland Core Criteria
  • The project must address a critical social or environmental issue
  • The project must be innovative in an Irish context
  • The project must be based on the island of Ireland and must make its main impact in the Republic of Ireland
  • 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.
  • Applicants must come from an entity that has a not-for-profit legal form, e.g. a company limited by guarantee, a co-operative, trust, charity.
• Brighter Futures Fund Criteria
  • Projects must be working towards enhancing positive outcomes in mental health for beneficiaries in marginalised communities, including one or more of the following:
    • Using early interventions that prevent mental ill-health from occurring in the first place.
    • Fighting levels of depression/social anxiety/social isolation/loneliness/stress for individuals in marginalised communities.
    • Enhancing the positive mental health of marginalised communities using evidence-based approaches and/or community development approaches. Please note: by community development we mean groups of people with commonalities not necessarily located in the same geographical area.
    • Demonstrating a commitment to cultural competence, accessibility, and inclusivity, ensuring that mental health initiatives are tailored to the unique needs of diverse communities.
    • Increasing the confidence and resilience of people from marginalised communities to maintain positive mental health in the longer term.
    • Enhancing mental health literacy within marginalised communities to empower individuals to recognise signs of mental health challenges, access appropriate support services, and engage in self-care practices to promote well-being.
• Advantageous criteria 
  • Projects that prioritise early intervention in addressing mental health and well-being disparities among vulnerable groups in Ireland.
  • Organisations that are led or co-led by individuals from the participant communities they support, ensuring that the voices of those with lived experiences are central to the project’s design, implementation, and decision-making processes.
  • Organisations that actively promote peer leadership models, where individuals from within the target communities are trained and empowered to take on leadership roles, facilitate support groups, or act as mental health ambassadors.
  • Projects that recognise and address the social determinants of health that contribute to poor mental health and wellbeing within marginalised communities.

Which applicants cannot apply?

• Applicants under 18 years of age
• Commercial companies, sole traders and individuals
• Any staff member from Rethink Ireland and their family members. Family members include siblings, parents, spouses, civil partners or children.
• Individuals
• Statutory or public bodies, companies limited by shares and organisations that are state bodies or agencies that are not registered charities
• Any consultant currently working with Rethink Ireland

For more information, visit Rethink Ireland.