Breaking Barriers Fund
10/01/2025
This fund is now closed for applications.
A Plain English version of the application form is available to download here.
A plain English version of the fund information is available to download here.
What is the Breaking Barriers Fund?
Fund Overview
Rethink Ireland is partnering with the State Street Foundation, and the Department of Rural and Community Development on the three-year Breaking Barriers Fund to support projects or organisations that are working towards Equity in both education and the workplace in Ireland. The fund will support access-to-workplace initiatives, sustaining employment and educational initiatives, in support of the fact that educational attainment leads to better employment opportunities.
The Breaking Barriers Fund aims to support awardees that tackle discrimination and inequality in the Irish labour market and education system. The fund will achieve this through investments in innovative projects offering tailored solutions combating discrimination and inequality in the Irish labour market or education system with outcomes including (but not limited to); sustainable jobs, work placements & internships as well as training and education. The ultimate goal of the fund is to find and back change-making projects that support beneficiaries from the minority communities we have identified into sustainable employment, work placements, education or internships while also tackling discrimination, prejudice and inequality.
The fund will focus on projects which rise to the challenges captured in the following themes:
- Addressing Discrimination and Inequality: This includes tackling labour market discrimination and barriers to employment related to race, ethnicity, and nationality.
- Increasing Participation and Access: The fund aims to increase the participation of minority and disadvantaged groups in the labour market and facilitate better access to higher education, further education, and apprenticeships for those who face barriers (i.e through tailored employability programmes, holistic skills development courses, bespoke employment supports).
- Eliminating Barriers: This involves reducing both structural and practical barriers to employment, work placements, and educational opportunities for people/groups who face these barriers.
- Supporting Career Development and Skills Growth: The fund supports the career development and personal skills growth of employees/future employees who are under-represented at senior levels.
- Systems Change Approach – Empowerment of Marginalised Communities: The fund aims to empower leaders from marginalised and disadvantaged communities to self-advocate and champion their cause, strengthening networks and partnerships to challenge discriminatory practices and support systemic reforms that enhance access to decent work or education for the most marginalised communities.
NOTE: For theme 5 – As a charity we cannot fund advocacy that targets legislative or policy change unless in certain circumstances, which are outlined here.
A comprehensive systems change agenda is imperative to address the deeply rooted discrimination and inequality pervasive in Ireland’s societal fabric. This type of change necessitates innovative interventions that have a systems change approach, and collaborative efforts to inform policy makers, enhance enforcement mechanisms and promote diversity in leadership roles.
Therefore in this theme we are looking to support: alliances, projects led by two or more organisations applying together, joint partnerships, and/or collaborative initiatives embracing a systems change approach across sectors.
e.g.
- Disruptive social innovation models to improve the system (access to education and/or employment for marginalised communities)
- Collaboration across sectors (e.g. employers associations/networks, training providers and non-profits) to build inclusive pathways to sustainable jobs, placements and internships
- Collaboration across sectors (e.g. non-profits and educational institutions) to reduce educational barriers and improve access for marginalised groups.
Target Groups:
This fund will work with organisations that directly support beneficiaries most affected by discrimination and inequality of access, in both education and employment, from the following population groups:
- Travellers/Roma (minority community)
- Migrant communities including refugees & undocumented migrants (minority community)
- Ethnic minorities (including people of colour )
- Minority religious and cultural groups (minority community)
- People seeking asylum (the majority of whom are living in direct provision)
The fund offers a package of cash grants of up to €189,000 and non-financial supports for up to 5 projects to help them expand and increase their social impact.
This includes:
- Up to 5 awards of up to €189,000*
- 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
* The Rethink Ireland Board will decide how much money to award, which may be less than the amount requested. The final amount of the award will depend on how many organisations are selected.
This fund is now closed for applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will we hear about our application?
What happens after we submit our application?
- Applications will go through a rigorous selection process (for more information see below).
- Interviews will take place online from 24th February 2025 – 03rd March 2025 (if you are invited to an interview you will be informed on 14th February 2025
- Successful interview applicants will be informed in late April 2025
- The cash grants will be delivered in two parts each fund year – one at the beginning and in the middle of the fund year, and are tied to agreed performance milestones.
- The Accelerator Programme will run for approximately six months per fund year, commencing from (July 2025)
- The Accelerator supports will be designed in consultation with the awardees and reflect organisational/project needs.
- The fund will close in Q2 2028
How does the selection process work?
The selection process is very rigorous and consists of a number of stages:
- Stage 1 – Open call for applications 18th November 2024 to 1pm on 10th January 2025
- Stage 2 – Internal and external reviews of all applications 13th January 2025 – 13th February 2025
- Stage 3 – Interviews for shortlisted applicants 24th February 2024 – 03rd March 2024
- Stage 4 – Due Diligence/Governance checks on short-listed applicants.
- Stage 5 – Final decision by Rethink Ireland board in late April.
*Note the dates above are subject to change
Who will decide who wins the awards?
All applications will be reviewed thoroughly through a rigorous process. The Board of Rethink Ireland will make the final decision on successful applicants and the number and value of the final awards given.
How do applicants find out where they are in the selection process?
We will contact all applicants by email to let them know whether or not they have been shortlisted and invited to interview. Interviews will be conducted via online video link. When final decisions have been made on the successful applicants, we will contact all shortlisted applicants by phone or email to let them know whether they have been successful.
What does the fund offer?
Up to five awarded projects will receive:
- Cash grants up to €189,000 (up to €63,000 each year across 3 years)
- A business supports package
- A place on our capacity building Accelerator Programme
- Project performance management
What can cash grants be spent on?
The cash grant must be spent on the project that won the award and must be ring-fenced for work you are undertaking. The specific use of the cash grant will be agreed between Rethink Ireland and the awardee.
The funding may be used to cover operations/staff costs but you must be able to demonstrate in your application how this is facilitating you to run the project that you are applying for. Cash grants may not be used to pay off debts or for capital items such as renovations, or for vehicles, land, buildings or large equipment.
What non-financial supports will be provided to successful applicants?
Rethink Ireland’s non-financial supports have been called our ‘secret sauce’ that help projects to really develop their capacity and sustainability, in addition to the benefit of the cash supports. Non-financial supports will include:
- Each awardee’s project lead and potentially other relevant staff will take part in the Fund’s Accelerator Programme The Accelerator programme will consist of a series of interactive training workshops on topics such as strategy development, measuring and maximising your impact, communications and storytelling, diversity and inclusion and fundraising.
- Awardees will also get some bespoke 1:1 business and capacity building supports from expert business/non-profit consultants in areas such as impact management, theory of change and strategy development. Supports will be designed in consultation with the successful projects.
- Awardees will also get access to Rethink Ireland’s networks and have the opportunity to develop networks and contacts with the other awardees of the fund which are often very valuable in the longer term.
What is expected of awardees?
The project lead will be expected to take part in the six-month Accelerator Programme, which includes attending approximately 6 workshops and spending time working 1:1 with a business/strategy consultant. Project leads will be expected to spend a minimum of two days per week working on the awarded project and working towards agreed goals.
Terms and conditions of the fund
By applying for the fund, you agree to the following terms and conditions.
- You are 18 years of age or older.
- You have given full and truthful information, both verbal and written, at all stages of the application and selection process.
- You are eligible to apply. This means that your organisation meets the criteria for Rethink Ireland and, as described.
- You have the right to apply. This means that you hold the necessary rights to carry out the project.
- By sending in your application, you accept these terms and conditions and our Privacy Statement. If you do not comply with these terms and conditions, you may be disqualified and may have to return any award granted.
- Rethink Ireland will hold the personal details which you submitted with your application form. We will only share this information with the third parties administering the application and selection process unless we agree otherwise with you. Please see our Privacy Statement for full details.
- The awardees must take part in publicity about the grant. Rethink Ireland reserves the right to publish the names of organisations that are successful in their applications.
- If you decline an award or if the award is taken back because you did not comply with the terms and conditions, the Directors may select an alternative awardee.
- Rethink Ireland reserves the right to disqualify any entrant, to change the terms and conditions without notice, or to cancel the application process at any stage.
- Rethink Ireland staff (excluding board members) and donor/s, their family members and consultants currently working with Rethink Ireland are not eligible to apply. Family members include siblings, parents, spouses or civil partners or children.
If you have questions, please contact breakingbarriers@rethinkireland.ie
