Eligibility & Criteria

This fund is open to organisations with a not-for-profit legal form, e.g. a company limited by guarantee, co-operative, trust, charity and other voluntary organisations that meet the following criteria. Projects must meet both Rethink Ireland’s criteria and the specific criteria for the Brighter Futures Fund, as set out below:

Rethink Ireland Core Criteria

• The project must address a critical social or environmental issue 
• The project 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, e.g. a company limited by guarantee, a co-operative, trust, charity.

Rethink Ireland defines a not-for-profit as any organisation whose constitution indicates it has public benefit purposes and is neither privately owned nor controlled by the State.

Brighter Futures Fund Criteria
Projects must be working towards enhancing positive outcomes in mental health for beneficiaries in marginalised communities, including one or more of the following:

• Using early interventions that prevent mental ill-health from occurring in the first place.
• Fighting levels of depression/social anxiety/social isolation/loneliness/stress for individuals in marginalised communities.
• Enhancing the positive mental health of marginalised communities using evidence-based approaches and/or community development approaches. Please note: by community development we mean groups of people with commonalities not necessarily located in the same geographical area. 
• Demonstrating a commitment to cultural competence, accessibility, and inclusivity, ensuring that mental health initiatives are tailored to the unique needs of diverse communities. 
• Increasing the confidence and resilience of people from marginalised communities to maintain positive mental health in the longer term.
• Enhancing mental health literacy within marginalised communities to empower individuals to recognise signs of mental health challenges, access appropriate support services, and engage in self-care practices to promote well-being. 

Advantageous criteria 

• Projects that prioritise early intervention in addressing mental health and well-being disparities among vulnerable groups in Ireland. 
• Organisations that are led or co-led by individuals from the participant communities they support, ensuring that the voices of those with lived experiences are central to the project’s design, implementation, and decision-making processes.
• Organisations that actively promote peer leadership models, where individuals from within the target communities are trained and empowered to take on leadership roles, facilitate support groups, or act as mental health ambassadors.
• Projects that recognise and address the social determinants of health that contribute to poor mental health and wellbeing within marginalised communities.

Which projects cannot apply?

• Projects where research is the primary activity
• Projects seeking funding for capital assets (such as buildings, vans or equipment)
• Projects promoting or aligned with a political party
• Projects that only accept participants of a particular faith or religious denomination
• Projects focused on animal welfare
• Projects based outside the Republic of Ireland
• Projects led by people under 18 years of age
• Projects that are an idea (only) and that have not yet started

Which applicants cannot apply?

• Applicants under 18 years of age
• Commercial companies, sole traders and individuals
• Any staff member from Rethink Ireland and their family members. Family members include siblings, parents, spouses, civil partners or children.
• Individuals
• Statutory or public bodies, companies limited by shares and organisations that are state bodies or agencies that are not registered charities
• Any consultant currently working with Rethink Ireland

If my organisation has previously received an award from Rethink Ireland, can I still apply?
Yes, if Rethink Ireland has previously funded your organisation, you can still apply. Previous awardees must be able to demonstrate they have performed well on a prior programme and capture in the application form how the new funding being applied for is a logical continuation from the original investment, fitting the new fund criteria in particular.

If my organisation/project is currently receiving an award from Rethink Ireland, can I still apply?
Projects on one of our funds that have cash grant payments remaining before the commencement of the new fund programme are not eligible to apply. 

Organisations on one of our funds that have cash grant payments remaining before the commencement of the new fund programme are still eligible to apply with a different project and different project lead.

Is this just for large-scale, national organisations?
No, it is not, and indeed, we welcome applications from organisations of all sizes once they are not-for-profit organisations with a legal form (see criteria above).

Can I apply for this funding even though I am still at the ideation stage?
Unfortunately, no, this fund needs proof that the project is up and running or at least has been tested and shown results in some way.

Can organisations make multiple applications?
Yes, your organisation can make more than one application for separate projects. However, due to the competitive nature of this fund and its selection process, it is very unlikely that we will fund more than one project from any organisation. We encourage organisations to submit one strong application rather than multiple applications.

If my organisation is funded by a Government/state agency (HSE, TULSA, etc), are we eligible?
Yes, you can apply if you are in receipt of funding from a government or state agency. However, If more than 50% of your board is nominated by the Government your organisation is ineligible for funding.

Is it possible for organisations to collaborate in an application (e.g. a community development organisation and an educational provider)?
They can, but one organisation is required to take the lead. Please note that if your application is successful, the lead applicant will be required to sign a contract and fulfil all legal obligations associated with the project’s performance. Please always refer to the eligibility criteria to ensure your project is eligible for funding.

What does the Brighter Futures Fund offer to Awardees?

• Cash grants up to €95,000 each year across three years –  €285,000 in total
• Business supports package
• 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 in running 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 develop their capacity and sustainability, in addition to the benefit of the cash support. Non-financial supports will include:

1. Each Awardee’s project lead and potentially other relevant staff will take part in the fund’s Accelerator Programme. The Accelerator Programme consists of interactive training workshops on strategy development, measuring and maximising your impact, communications and storytelling, diversity and inclusion and fundraising.
2. Awardees will receive bespoke 1:1 business and capacity-building support from expert business/non-profit consultants in areas like impact management, theory of change and strategy development. Supports will be designed in consultation with the successful projects.
3. 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 Accelerator Programme, which includes attending approximately six workshops and spending time working one-to-one with a business or strategy consultant. Project leads will be expected to spend at least two days per week working on the awarded project and working towards agreed goals.

What is involved in completing the application form?

The application form asks you for information about:

• your project and organisation
• the problem your project tackles
• what makes your project different from others
• who it benefits
• how your project meets the fund conditions
• how you test or evaluate how well your project is doing 
• referees
• other details
• financial documentation (listed below)
• a short video about your project (optional)

What kind of video do we need to submit? (Optional)
Including a video in your application is optional. Don’t worry – you don’t need to produce a high-quality or expensive video. You can use a smartphone or tablet to record yourself. We want to hear you telling the story of your project in 2 – 3 mins max. Please tell us:  

• who you are
• why you are applying for the award
• the problem/issue your project is trying to solve
• how you will do that 
• how your solution is innovative or creative. 

You can then upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo, either unlisted or password-protected, if you wish. You can insert the URL link and any needed password in the application form.

What financial information do we need to submit with our application?

1. The documents you need to complete depend on whether you are applying in relation to a project within an organisation or you are applying as an organisation as a whole:
   • If applying for a project within a larger organisation, the project’s management accounts and the organisation’s most recent audited/full accounts are needed.
   • If applying for an organisation as a whole, the most recent audited/full accounts are needed.
2. All applicants must outline how they intend to use the funds from Rethink Ireland if successful and upload a proposed budget. A spreadsheet template is provided in the relevant section of the application form.

How do we upload our project budget (planned income and expenditure)?
In the relevant section of the application form you will be provided with a link to a budget template in Excel. Please click on the link provided and DOWNLOAD this document to your computer. Then, fill in your financial information and save the document with your project’s name before uploading it in the relevant section of the application form.

What happens after we submit our application?

1. Applications will go through a rigorous selection process (details included below).
2. Interviews will take place online between 28 April and 9 May 2025. You will be informed by 18 April 2025 if you are invited to an interview.
3. Successful applicants will be informed in early July 2025.
4. The cash grants will be delivered in two parts each year across the three years of funding. Funding disbursements will be dependent on project performance against the agreed-upon goals. 
5. The Accelerator Programme will run for the full three years of funding, estimated to start in August 2025. 
6. The business supports will be designed in consultation with the awardees and reflect organisational/project needs. 
7. The fund will close in 2028.

How does the selection process work?
The selection process is very rigorous and consists of several stages:

• Stage 1 – Open call for applications 27 January – 24 March 2025
• Stage 2 – Internal and external reviews of all applications March – April 2025
• Stage 3 – Interviews for shortlisted applicants April – May  2025
• Stage 4 – Due diligence and g0vernance checks on short-listed applicants
• Stage 5 – Final decision by Rethink Ireland board July 2025

Who will decide who wins the awards?
All applications will be reviewed thoroughly in a rigorous process. The Board of Rethink Ireland makes 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 are conducted via an online video link. When final decisions have been made on the successful applicants, we contact all shortlisted applicants by phone or email to let them know whether they have been successful.

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 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 Rethink Ireland 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, as well as their family members and consultants currently working with Rethink Ireland, are not eligible to apply. Family members include siblings, parents, spouses, civil partners or children.