Impact Fund For Munster 2022

The Fund will enhance the physical and mental health outcomes of communities in Munster through investments in projects tailored towards the current challenges of physical and mental health, with a particular focus on projects who achieve progress using music, creativity, and the arts as well as focussing on the social determinants of health.

There will be between 8 and 10 awards available in total, and each Awardee will receive a cash grant (to a maximum of €65,000)*, mentoring support, and placement on Rethink Ireland’s capacity building programme.

*The final number of awardees and the value of the grants will be determined by Rethink Ireland’s board 

This fund is open to organisations that have a not-for-profit legal form, e.g. charity, social enterprise, and other voluntary organisations. 

Projects must meet both Rethink Ireland’s criteria and the specific criteria for the Fund, as set out below:

Rethink Ireland Criteria 

The Project must:

• Address a critical social or environmental issue
• Be innovative in an Irish context
• Be based in the Republic of Ireland and have its main impact in Ireland
• Have the potential and desire to scale or replicate in Ireland 
• Provide evidence that it is up and running, or has been tested at least in a minimal way

Impact Fund for Munster Core Criteria 

• Projects must be working towards improving the physical and mental health of their beneficiaries, one or more of the following ways:
  • Addressing negative mental health outcomes by using physical health interventions;
  • Addressing negative physical health outcomes
  • Tackling the rising rates of mental health disorders brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, including but not limited to rising levels of depression, anxiety and loneliness;
  • Using Creativity, Music, and the Arts to address negative health outcomes, either physical and/or mental;
  • The reduction of negative physical health outcomes, including but not limited to non-communicable diseases;
  • Helping tackle drug abuse, misuse and addiction using methods such as, but not limited to education, prevention and/or intervention.

• The applicant must not be a public body. Collaborations with public bodies, where the main applicant(s) are community or third sector projects, can be considered for funding.

Fund Advantageous Criteria (Not Required)

The below criteria will be considered advantageous in applications, however, orgnaisations who meet the core criteria but do not meet the advantageous criteria are encouraged to apply. 

• Projects using Music, Creativity and the Arts to improve physical and/or mental health outcomes. 
• Projects whose main beneficiaries are disadvantaged or marginalised communities such as, but not limited to: 
  • Travellers
  • Migrants
  • Refugees
  • People in the asylum process
  • Roma People
  • Other Ethnic minorities, young adults and teenagers, the elderly, people experiencing socio-economic disadvantage. 

Which projects cannot apply?

Projects that are not eligible to apply are:

• Research projects
• 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 that are not eligible to apply are:

• Applicants under 18 years of age
• Commercial companies
• Rethink Ireland staff, directors and their immediate family members
• Any philanthropic donors supporting this fund 
• Individuals, statutory or public bodies, local development companies, LEADER companies, companies limited by shares, and organisations that are funded 100% by state bodies or agencies and continue to be in receipt of that funding.

• Cash grants up to €65,000
• A tailored business supports package
• A place on a 6-month Rethink Ireland Accelerator Programme:

Rethink Ireland’s Accelerator is a unique offer, equipping awardees with the skills needed to expand and deepen their impact. It provides training from best-in-class experts across the private, nonprofit and public sectors. Training is provided across a range of functions and may include;

• Impact measurement and management
• Theory of change and business planning
• Communications strategy and social media storytelling
• Project performance management which will include consultant support and guidance.

Complete the online form by Tuesday June 14th at 1 pm. To complete your application form online, you will need to upload financial and governance information including a one-year budget for your project. 

 Accessibility

We have tried to make the application process as accessible as possible but we understand that there may still be some difficulties for applicants. If you have access needs or are struggling with the application form, please contact impactmunster@rethinkireland.ie

What can cash grants be spent on? 

You may only spend the grant on the project which won the award. Rethink Ireland will agree on the specific use of the grant with you. 

Please note: you cannot use the grant to pay off debts or buy land, buildings or equipment and it cannot be used for subsistence or scholarship payments to beneficiaries.

If my organisation has already or is currently in receipt of a grant from Rethink Ireland, can I still apply?

Yes. If you have previously been funded or are currently being funded by Rethink Ireland, you can still apply with a new project.

Who will decide who wins the awards? 

Final decisions are made by the Board of Rethink Ireland.

What is the selection process? 

The selection process includes the following steps:

Stage 1: Open call for applications (May 4th – June 14th 2022)

Stage 2: Review the applications 

Stage 3: Shortlisted applicants invited to interview – week beginning July 18th 

Stage 4: Interviews held (July 25th – August 5th 2022)

Stage 5: Final checks on short-listed applicants

Stage 6: Final decision by Rethink Ireland’s Board – September 2022

Stage 7: Inform successful applicants – September 2022

Can organisations make multiple applications? 

Yes, organisations can make multiple applications. These applications must be for different projects.

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 your organisation is 100% funded through state sources then you are not eligible to apply. 

Any further questions?

Contact the Fund Team at impactmunster@rethinkireland.ie

By applying for the Impact Fund for Munster, 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.