Rethink Ireland launches Call for Applications for Equality Fund 2020 – 2023

Deadline: 14-Sep-20

Rethink Ireland has launched a call for applications for the Equality Fund 2020 – 2023 for supporting communities to make Ireland a more equal place.

This €3 million Fund is supported by the Peter Kinney and Lisa Sandquist Foundation and the Government of Ireland. This Fund will support organisations and groups that empower marginalised communities and tackle systemic inequality.

Strands

This Fund has three strands.

• Empowering Women: This strand supports projects to empower more women from minority communities into employment. This strand will also fund projects which support women who are employed on an informal basis, in low paying jobs, or who find it difficult to assert their rights
• Strengthening Communities: This strand supports projects which empower communities to advocate for themselves. They will strengthen equality in Ireland through community work and collective action.
• Building Equality Together: This strand supports projects or networks to work together to enhance equality. They seek applications from two or more organisations who have come together to promote equality. This includes existing networks and collaborations.

Note: You cannot apply for both strands 1 and 2 for the same project. If you apply to strand 1 or 2, you can still apply to strand 3. This is because you will apply to strand 3 as part of a group or network of projects.

The Fund will especially focus on projects that:

• Address poverty inequality
• Work with communities experiencing many discriminations and stigma
• Work with marginalised communities affected by COVID-19
• Are based on communities speaking and acting for themselves

To enable this work the Fund further welcomes projects which emphasis:

• Freedom of civil society, solidarity between groups and collaborations
• Changing hearts and minds
• Systemic change
• Leadership support

Funding Information

• Cash grants of between €55,000 and €75,000 each year for three years
  • Strand 1 (Empowering Women) – Up to €65,000 per year each year for 3 years
  • Strand 2 (Strengthening Communities) – Up to €55,000 per year each year for 3 years
  • Strand 3 (Building Equality Together) – Up to €75,000 per year each year for 3 years
• A strategic supports package to help organisations expand and deepen their impact
• A place on Rethink Ireland’s Accelerator Programme
• Project performance and impact management, including managing its impact
• Access to Rethink Ireland ’s networks of civil society,  Government and donors

The Rethink Ireland Board will decide how much money to award, which may be less than the amount requested. The amount of the award will depend on how many organisations are selected.

Eligibility Criteria

• They invite applications from organisations that support marginalised women, migrant people (including people in need of international protection), people from minority ethnic communities, the Traveller and Roma communities, people with disabilities and LGBTI+ people. These organisations will also work to strengthen equality in Ireland.

Criteria

Projects must meet the below criteria.

• Rethink Ireland
  • Core Criteria
    • The project must address a critical social issue
    • The project must be innovative in an Irish context. (The innovation could be a tested project which tackles inequality in new ways)
    • The project must have the potential and desire to scale or replicate in Ireland.
    • The project must provide evidence that it is up and running, or be 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 have a not-for-profit legal form. For example, a company limited by guarantee or trust.
• Equality Fund criteria
  • Strand 1. Empowering Women:
    • Core criteria
      • Projects should meet one or more of the criteria below.
        • Projects focused on supporting marginalized and minority women. This includes one or more of the following:
          • Traveller and Roma women
          • Migrant women, (including women in need of  international protection)
          • Women from minority ethnic communities
          • LGBTI+ women
          • Women with disabilities
          • Women living in poverty
    • Projects which address barriers faced by marginalized and minority women when accessing employment
    • Projects which support marginalized and minority women move into employment.
    • Projects which work with women who are informally employed, underemployed, in low pay and who find it difficult to assert their rights.
    • Projects which support employers in making workplaces more accessible to marginalized women.
    • Projects which work to enhance leadership amongst marginalized and minority women.
    • Projects which promote community development approaches.
  • Advantageous criteria
    • Projects which have evidence of sustained impact.
    • Projects which have a demonstrable commitment to equality and human rights for all.
    • Projects which are committed to sustainability beyond the lifetime of this investment.
• Strengthening Communities:
  • Core criteria
    • Projects which focus on enhancing equality for one or more of the following
      • Traveller and Roma people
      • Migrant people, (including people in need of  international protection)
      • People from minority ethnic communities
      • LGBTI+ people
      • People with disabilities
      • People living in poverty
    • Projects should meet one or more of the criteria below:
    • Projects which apply community work approaches, promote community empowerment and leadership.
    • Projects which are committed to tackling poverty inequality, and related issues.
    • Projects which are committed to tackling stigma and discrimination. This includes racism, transphobia, ableism, classism.
  • Advantageous criteria
    • Projects which are willing to collaborate with others in their work
    • Projects which work to improve the lives of people who experience multiple discrimination.
    • Projects which are committed to systemic change
    • Projects which have evidence of sustained impact.
    • Projects which have a demonstrable commitment to equality and human rights for all.
    • Projects which are committed to sustainability beyond the lifetime of this investment.
• Building Equality Together:
  • Core criteria
    • Projects should meet one or more of the criteria below
      • Projects which work collaboratively to build civil society’s ability to promote equality. This includes through networks and coalitions
      • Projects which work to remove barriers faced by civil society
      • Projects which promote systemic change approaches to pursuing equality
      • Projects which aim to  transform work towards equality across several areas
      • Projects which provide opportunities to advance emerging equality issues in Ireland.
      • Projects which tackle stigma and discrimination,  such as racism, transphobia, ableism, classism, collectively
  • Advantageous criteria
    • Projects which have consulted widely and are evidence-based
    • Projects which are housed in organisations with evidence of sustained impact
    • Projects which have a demonstrable commitment to equality and human rights for all.
    • Projects which are committed to sustainability beyond the lifetime of this investment.

Which Projects cannot apply?

Projects that are not eligible to apply are:

• Projects seeking funds for capital items such as buildings, vans, renovations, or equipment
• Projects where research is the primary activity
• Projects promoting or aligned with a political party
• Projects that only accept participants of a particular faith or religious denomination
• Projects where the main impact is outside the Republic of Ireland
• Projects led by people under 18 years of age
• Projects that do not seek to advance equality in Ireland

Ineligibility Criteria

• Applicants under 18 years of age
• Commercial companies
• Staff, directors and their immediate family members of Rethink Ireland

For more information, visit https://rethinkireland.ie/current_fund/equality-fund-2020-2023/