This fund is now closed for applications
What is the Impact Fund for Munster 2024?
Fund Overview
The overarching goal of the Impact Fund for Munster 2024-25 is to foster a sustainable and inclusive future for the Munster region by investing in innovative projects that address interconnected social and environmental challenges. The fund supports the inclusion, involvement and recognition of the diverse communities of the Munster region and strives to empower communities that tend to be left out of conversations.
Through the environmental focus, the fund will support projects that tackle issues such as biodiversity loss, food system deficits, overconsumption, pollution, climate inaction, ensuring that inclusion is at the heart of these projects, and that nobody is left behind. Through its social focus, the fund will address the social needs of marginalised and vulnerable groups within the region, including championing the inclusion and integration of neurodiverse peoples and communities through innovative approaches.
The Fund offers a package of cash grants and non-financial supports to the value of €59,000 for up to 8 projects, to help them expand and increase their social and/or environmental impact.
This includes:
- Up to 8 awards of up to €59,000
- 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
WHAT DOES THE FUND OFFER?
- Cash grants up to €59,000 each over the period from April – October 2025
- 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 the 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 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 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.
- Awardees (successful Applicants) agree to 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 rescinded because you did not comply with the terms and conditions, the Board of 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.