Call for Proposals: Resilient Cork Fund 2024-2025 (Ireland)

By providing financial support to projects and organisations that work directly with marginalised communities, the overarching goal of the Fund is to empower individuals and groups facing various forms of disadvantage. It will do so by enhancing the capacity of organisations that are working with people living at the intersection of discrimination in Cork City and County, with a particular focus on migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, other ethnic minorities and other groups facing discrimination and social exclusion.

Objectives 

• Tackle inequality, poverty, and social exclusion: By supporting projects that address the root causes of these issues, the Fund seeks to create a more equitable and inclusive society.
• Empower disadvantaged communities: Through targeted funding, the Fund aims to build the capacity of communities to overcome challenges and create opportunities for themselves.
• Promote social inclusion: By supporting projects that foster social connection and participation, the Fund seeks to break down barriers and create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
• Improve mental resilience and wellbeing: Recognising the disproportionate impact of mental health challenges on marginalised groups, the Fund will prioritise projects that promote mental resilience and support.

Funding Information

• The Fund offers a package of cash grants and non-financial supports (NFS) to the value of €570,000+ for up to 6 projects, to help them expand and increase their social impact.
• This includes:
  • Up to 6 awards of up to €65,000 each
  • The non-financial supports will include:
    • a place on Rethink Ireland’s Accelerator Programme
    • bespoke business and capacity building supports designed in consultation with the successful projects on topics such as strategic planning, maximising your impact, communications, storytelling and fundraising.
  • Access to Rethink Ireland’s networks.

Who can apply? 

• This fund is open to organisations that have a not-for-profit legal form, e.g. a company limited by guarantee, a co-operative, trust, charity, and other voluntary organisations. Projects must meet both Rethink Ireland’s criteria and the specific criteria for the Resilient Cork Fund, as set out below:
  • Rethink Ireland Core Criteria
    • The project must address a critical social issue
    • The project proposed 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, eg:
      • A company limited by guarantee
      • A co-operative
      • Charity
      • And other not for profit legal forms
  • Resilient Cork Fund Criteria
    • The project must be based on the island of Ireland and must make its main impact in Cork City or  Co. Cork (for this fund projects must be based in Co. Cork or operate under a national organisation with a Cork branch or focus, and aim to have an impact in this region).
    • Projects need to target at least one criteria including:
      • Projects must focus on tackling inequality, poverty and/or social exclusion, addressing the root causes of these issues.
      • Projects empowering disadvantaged communities and working to achieve social impact primarily in inequality, poverty and/or social exclusion.
      • Projects that are working directly with marginalised communities or other minority groups to overcome social and economic barriers to their integration in Irish society.
      • Projects aiming to improve mental resilience and wellbeing of marginalised communities and/ or minority groups.
  • Advantageous criteria
    • Projects that are working directly with children and young people that are coming from disadvantaged backgrounds to overcome systemic, social and economic barriers to their integration in Irish society.
    • Project/Organisations that use innovative technology, including assistive technology, to address social and economic inequalities.
    • Project/Organisations that involve the target community in the planning and implementation of the initiative will be given preference
    • Organisations that have a positive effect on Ireland’s Green Transition through their activities/interventions. This criteria applies if the organisation tackles issues related to the environment and green transition, such as carbon reduction, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, pollution and/or the just transition.

For more information, visit Rethink Ireland.