Rethink Ireland’s 2020-2023 Education Innovation Fund

Deadline: 8-Mar-21

The Rethink Ireland has created the 2020 – 2023 Education Innovation Fund to improve equal access to education and promote economic empowerment.

The Education Fund is a €4.5 million Fund which will support up to 10 projects. Rethink Ireland created the Education Fund with the support of the Department of Rural and Community Development. They will match funds raised by applicants and they will provide cash grants and a variety of business supports.

This Fund has three strands:

• Transitions in Education: The pandemic affects people making ‘transitions in education’. For example, students sitting their Leaving Certificate this year experienced increased anxiety.
• 21st Century Models and Methods of Education: A 21st-century education gives learners the skills they need to succeed. It also helps them to grow their confidence in practising those skills. It teaches skills such as motivation, creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and social-emotional learning in an educational setting.
• Reversing the Effects of Poverty on Educational Outcomes: It is well-documented that poverty affects educational disadvantage. People living in poverty face more stress and anxiety during this period of uncertainty and high unemployment. Educational guidance at this critical time can have a lasting impact on employment opportunities in the future.

• The minimum commitment accepted is €20,000 and the maximum commitment accepted is €200,000. The period for this commitment must be more than 2 years.

Benefits

• A 50% cash ‘uplift’ on funds raised;
• A strategic non-financial supports package to help organizations expand and deepen their impact;
• A place on Rethink Ireland’s Accelerator Programme;
• Project performance and impact management;
• Access to Rethink Ireland’s networks.

Applicants must provide evidence to verify the private funding has been secured

• Rethink Ireland invites applications from organizations that support children, young people and adults who are socially excluded, marginalized or living in poverty. Organizations will also be working to mitigate educational disadvantage in Ireland.
• Projects that support the following target age groups are all eligible to apply to this Fund:
  • Pre-school population  (0-4 years);
  • Primary (5-12 years);
  • Secondary (13-18 years);
  • Young adults (19-24 years);
  • Adults (25-64 years).
• The Fund will especially focus on projects that:
  • work to reduce educational disadvantage;
  • encourage innovative ways of overcoming educational disadvantage;
  • address systemic obstacles in education;
  • fill current gaps in education support across the lifespan.
• For this reason, they particularly welcome projects which support:
  • members of the Traveller community;
  • Roma people;
  • people experiencing homelessness.

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. a school, charity, social enterprise, voluntary organization or Higher Education Institution.

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