Connected Communities Fund
Working to promote inclusion and strengthen communities across Ireland
The Connected Communities Fund is a three-year fund that aims to build inclusive and resilient communities and strengthen social cohesion across Ireland.
This €1.5 million fund is created by Rethink Ireland in partnership with Mason Hayes & Curran LLP and the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht via the Dormant Accounts Fund.
The fund aims to promote equity and inclusion, encourage media literacy and community awareness initiatives, and empower communities to develop meaningful connections across diverse groups.
It offers a package of cash grants and non-financial supports to five projects dedicated to scaling innovations that strengthen civil society, build community cohesion and empower communities to develop solutions that work for all, helping these organisations to expand and increase their impact.
Awardees
Foróige
Foróige is a National Youth Development organisation whose purpose is to enable young people to involve themselves consciously and actively in their own development, and in the development of society.
The Blend is an integration and inclusion-focused youthwork project in North Dublin.
Hope and Courage Collective
Supporting Communities, Elevating Hope will work to ensure communities across Ireland can safely respond to hate while staying grounded in the values of inclusion and care.
This project will connect community leaders locally, regionally and nationally, creating skilled networks of support, while elevating powerful stories of communities united in solidarity, rejecting fear and building hope.
Neighbourhood Network
Neighbourhood Network came from the team behind Street Feast, a national neighbourhood street party event to celebrate community. They are a community development charity organisation, all about building and strengthening neighbourhoods and kickstarting ideas for positive community participation.
They focus on reducing loneliness and social isolation by creating community connections, and running projects that promote neighbourliness, social inclusion, volunteerism and creativity in the community.
National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI)
Common Cause is an initiative of the National Youth Council of Ireland that aims to better resource youth workers to address rising hate and hostility through good quality, thoughtful and transformative youth interventions.
This project will work with youth workers to develop skills in specific areas, with a focus on difficult conversations, community repair after hateful incidents happen in communities, and supporting young men with positive male role models.
ShoutOut
Empowering Allies is a nationwide education and awareness programme to counter anti-LGBTQI+ misinformation and champion inclusion. The project focuses on media literacy, allyship and training for educators and civil society leaders.
