This fund is open ONLY 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: 

Eligibility & Criteria 

Projects must meet both Rethink Ireland’s criteria and the specific criteria for the Clare Communities 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 main impact of the project must be in County Clare 

• 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 with a not-for-profit legal form, e.g. a company limited by guarantee, a co-operative, a trust or a 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.  

Clare Communities Fund Criteria  

Eligible projects must align to one or more of the following criteria:  

• Promote social inclusion in County Clare through embodying a strong sense of community and wellbeing  

• Use arts, music, or culture as a tool for engagement and empowerment  

• Provide increased opportunities for participation in community and cultural activities for those with limited access  

• Develop or improve creative, cognitive, social and emotional skills  

• Prioritise addressing health and well-being disparities in line with Ireland’s Wellbeing Framework  

• Demonstrate long-term impact and sustainability. 

Advantageous Criteria – This is not a requirement 

• Projects that tackle poverty, disadvantage and social exclusion in marginalised or vulnerable communities 

• Projects that are designed, led, or implemented with direct input from the target communities, ensuring cultural relevance and meaningful participation 

• Projects that foster coalitions, partnerships and cross-sectoral collaborations to maximise the impact of their initiatives 

• Organisations that have a positive effect on Ireland’s Green Transition through their activities/interventions. This criterion 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.

Which projects cannot apply? 

• Projects that don’t have a direct impact in County Clare 

• 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 island 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, Michael Guinee Charitable Foundation and their family members. Family members include siblings, parents, spouses or 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 you have previously been funded by Rethink Ireland, you can still apply. Previous awardees must be able to demonstrate they have performed well on a previous 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.   

Projects on a Rethink Ireland fund with cash payments left after the start of this fund programme (June 2027) are not eligible to apply. 

Organisations on one of our funds with remaining cash payments due before the new fund programme begins can still apply with a different project and project lead. 

If I applied to the first open call of the Clare Communities Fund, can I still apply? 

If you are currently part of the Clare communities Fund, you can still apply to this open call with a different project and project lead. You cannot apply with the same project as you are currently awarded. 

If you had previously applied but weren’t selected, you can apply again to this round. Read the criteria thoroughly and make sure to consider any feedback received. 

Is this just for large-scale, national organisations? 

No, it is not, and indeed we welcome applications from organisations of all sizes once it is a not-for-profit organisation with a legal form (see criteria above). Remember that no matter the size of the organisation, the impact of the project needs to be directly in County Clare. 

Can I apply for this funding even though I am still at the ideation stage?  

Unfortunately, no, this fund needs to see 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, there is nothing stopping your organisation from making 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 or 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)? 

Yes, 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 that your project is eligible for funding. 

• Cash grants up to €67,500 (€45,000/annum) 

• A business supports package 

• A place on our Capacity Building Accelerator Programme 

• Project performance management 

• Access to Rethink Ireland’s networks 

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 Accelerator Programme, which includes attending workshops and 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. 

• 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 criteria 

• how you test or evaluate how well your project is doing  

• referees 

• other details 

It also asks you to send us financial documents (listed below) a short video about your project (optional) and your organisational/project strategic plan (if available) 

What kind of video do we need to submit? Optional 

Don’t worry – you don’t need to produce a high quality or expensive video. You can use a smartphone or tablet. We just 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.  

 Upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo and include the URL link in the application form. Both platforms allow you to upload an “unlisted” video, which is accessible only via the link and not visible to the public. 

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

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. 

• 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 and then upload it in the relevant section of the application form.  

What if my organisation does not have a strategic plan?  

If your organisation has a strategic plan, we encourage you to share it with us, as it enables us to get a greater understanding of your work. However, it is not mandatory and if your organisation does not have a strategic plan, this will not affect your 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 between 8 and 16 February 2027 (if you are invited to interview, you will be informed by mid-January 2027)

• Successful applicants will be informed by July 2027. 

• The cash grants will be delivered in two tranches. Funding will be dependent on performance against agreed upon goals 

• The Accelerator Programme will run throughout the lifetime of the fund 

• The business supports will be designed in consultation with the awardees and reflect organisational/project needs  

• Project Implementation of the Clare Communities Fund [Open Call 2] will end in December 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: 19 October – 7 December 2026 at 1 pm 

• Stage 2 – Internal and external reviews of applications: 15 December 2026 – 7 January 2027 

• Stage 3 – Interviews for shortlisted applicants: 8-16 February 2027 

• Stage 4 – Due Diligence/Governance checks on short-listed applicants: 17–26 February 2027 

• Stage 5 – Final decision by Rethink Ireland board: July 2027. 

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. 

Will AI be used to assess my application?  

Rethink Ireland may use AI-enabled tools to support certain administrative aspects of the application process, such as initial eligibility checks and application processing. These tools support our team and do not replace human judgement or decision-making. All substantive assessments and decisions are made by members of the selection process team. AI is not used to make the final interview or funding award decisions. You will have the option to opt out of the use of AI-enabled tools before starting your application. 

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.  

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 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.