Pobal announces Dormant Accounts Fund – Ireland

The purpose of this funding is to support People with Disabilities to access employment, including self-employment or education and training to improve their employment outcomes.

The target group for this measure is People with Disabilities.

For the purpose of the Dormant Accounts Fund, this term refers to people with physical or sensory disabilities, mental health conditions, acquired disabilities, intellectual disabilities, hidden disabilities and people who are neurodiverse.

The programme particularly welcomes applications which demonstrate strong partnership principles in order to maximize the impact of the project.

For example, projects which demonstrate collaboration between an organization with expertise in working with People with Disabilities, potential employers, business supports, training services and/or recruitment agencies may enable the target group to progress further than a project solely providing one to one support.

In any applications provided by such a consortium, the lead applicant must always be the organization with expertise working with People with Disabilities.

The types of equipment and services that will be supported include the following:

• Provision of special equipment e.g. assistive technology in the workplace which is not normally provided by the employer and not available through the Reasonable Accommodation Fund.
• Provision of interpretative services (online or in person) e.g. signs language interpreters, note-takers, communication support at interviews and work.
• Provision of individualized solutions for workplace accommodations not available through the Reasonable Accommodation Fund.
• Provision of specialist employment services/supports designed to improve in employment outcomes including staying in work, promotion, career development and changing job.
• Provision of specialized in-work support such as a support person, job coach, mentor, advocate, communications intermediary/support, to enable People with Disabilities to adapt to the workplace and gain the confidence to work independently of support.

Objectives

There are two key objectives of this funding:

• To support People with Disabilities to: access employment; improve their career progression opportunities ‘in work’; and improve their employment outcomes through education and training.
• To support potential employers to provide employment for People with Disabilities.

Funding Information

• An overall budget of €5 million has been made available. DSP has appointed Pobal to administer this grant programme on their behalf. The maximum grant that applicants can seek is €200,000.

Funding Criteria

• Funding will be available under the measure to provide practical in-work supports to help access work, retain work, flourish in a work environment and achieve personal goals such as promotion, work mobility or availing of other work opportunities and positive action measures.

The types of equipment and services that will be supported include the following:

• Provision of special equipment e.g. assistive technology in the workplace which is not normally provided by the employer and not available through the Reasonable Accommodation Fund.
• Provision of interpretative services (online or in person) e.g. sign language interpreters, note-takers, communication support at interviews and work.
• Provision of individualised solutions for workplace accommodations not available through the Reasonable Accommodation Fund.
• Provision of specialist employment services/supports designed to improve inemployment outcomes including staying in work, promotion, career development and changing job.
• Provision of specialised in-work support such as a support person, job coach, mentor, advocate, communications intermediary/support, to enable People with Disabilities to adapt to the workplace and gain the confidence to work independently of support.

Eligible Funding

Below is an indicative list of the types of expenditure that will be considered for funding:

• Salary costs e.g. project co-ordinator, project worker and/or administrator.
• Staff recruitment costs.
• Venue /Room Hire.
• Course /Training Materials.
• Participant Travel- only eligible when supported by vouched/documentary evidence of the cost and the rate paid is in line with organisations policy in relation to participant travel- for example accessible bus hire for groups or valid taxi receipts for individuals where group transport is not possible..
• Tutors/Facilitators Fees.
• Course and or Accreditation Fees.
• Indirect Overhead costs are eligible for Lead organisation (Community and Voluntary Organisations) only; up to 10% of the total direct costs incurred will apply
• Staff Travel and Subsistence. The applicant must provide details of their organisations policy and rates in relation to travel and subsistence.
• Publicity materials e.g. design, printing.
• ICT costs, which are specific to website development/online, supports and information.
• Small items of equipment necessary for training. Single items must not exceed €1,000 inclusive of VAT, and the total for all such items must not exceed €5,000.
• Items of equipment or assistive technology for people with a disability to enter employment or to continue or progress in employment, up to a maximum of €5,000.
• Provision of interpretative services (online or in person) – sign language interpreters, note-takers, communication support at interviews and work.
• Specialist employment services or supports for example interpreting or job coach.
• Costs associated with the provision of a support person, job coach, mentor, advocate, communications intermediary.
• Costs associated with activities to enable connections and engagement between employers and the target group.
• Costs associated with activities which aim to sensitize employers to the benefits to their business and workforce of employing People with Disabilities.

Ineligible Costs

Please ensure that you review what is ineligible before your complete your application form. Below is a list of costs that are not eligible. This is not an exhaustive list of ineligible costs.

• Redundancy costs.
• Penalties/Interest.
• Building or Refurbishment costs.
• General maintenance and replacement costs.
• Costs not directly related to the project.
• Medical or health assessments
• Supports, therapies, services or aids for participants which are already accessible to them and funded through public sources, for example: general occupational or speech and language therapies (not focused on vocational assessment and intervention). Aids, equipment and assistive technology funded through other grants or schemes funded by the Irish Government.
• Occupational therapy equipment or rehabilitative equipment.
• VAT where applicants are registered for VAT.
• Charges such as bank interest costs, fines, financial penalties, and legal dispute costs.
• Sponsorship and charitable donations.
• Vehicles or other mobile assets. This includes all associated costs in the purchase/lease of these items.
• Depreciation
• In-kind contributions.
• Notional costs e.g. lost opportunity.
• Organisation core costs, including salary and overheads which are not as a direct result of the implementation of the DAF project.
• Costs for actions for which more appropriate funding opportunities already exist.
• Retrospective costs – activity that has already been undertaken prior to date of project approval.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible organizations applying must demonstrate how they meet the following criteria:

• Organizations must have a legal status in Ireland i.e. provide a valid CRO number or Friendly Society Registration Number and governing documents. In the case of a partnership application the Lead Partner must meet this criterion. The grant agreement (contract) will be with the Lead Partner.
• Organizations must have a proven track record of at least three years/strong track record of successfully working with People with Disabilities and have supporting or providing services to People with Disabilities as the main purpose or focus of their organization.

Ineligible Criteria

The following organizations or individuals are not eligible to apply:

• Statutory Bodies – however such bodies may participate in and support community and voluntary based initiatives in the project or as partners
• Private commercial companies and for profit organizations, including sole traders – however such companies are encouraged to participate as programme partners and to provide potential employment opportunities for the target group
• Training providers however such bodies may tender and provide services as part of the project or programme activities to the organization
• Private Trusts or Foundations
• Private Individuals