The Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 2023

The goal of the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund is to support innovative projects or organisations across Ireland to: 

1. build skills and remove barriers to help people with disabilities take part in their communities, 
2. provide valuable employment experience to people with disabilities, and
3. support the overall participation of people with disabilities in local activities, in line with the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in communities.

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

Rethink Ireland 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 in the Republic of Ireland
• the project must have the potential and desire to scale (grow) or be copied in Ireland 
• the project must provide evidence that it is up and running, or has at least been tested in a minimal way
• applicants must come from an entity that has a not-for-profit legal form (for example, a charity, social enterprise or voluntary organisation)

The Fund has four strands. All four strands will support projects or organisations working directly with people with disabilities.  A key criteria of the Fund is that project activities must be in addition to the usual business of the applicant organisation and should complement, but not duplicate, existing activities. 

Each of the four strands has a different focus, and different application criteria. The areas of focus, and application criteria for each strand are: 

Strand 1: Building skills and removing barriers to help people with Down Syndrome take part in their communities.

To apply for funding under strand 1, your project or organisation must:

• implement activities that help people with Down Syndrome take part in in their communities through building skills and removing barriers, and
• have a person-centred, rights-based approach (see below).

A person-centred approach means that the project or organisation must:

• be able to measure the outcomes for participants, and
• consult its participants about how the project is designed, delivered and evaluated. 

A human rights-based approach means that a project or organisation:

• empowers people to know and claim their rights,
• increases the ability and accountability of individuals and institutions who are responsible for respecting, protecting and fulfilling rights, 
• gives people greater opportunities to take part in shaping the decisions that impact on their human rights, and
• increases the ability of those with responsibility for fulfilling rights to recognise and know how to respect those rights, and make sure they can be held to account.

Strand 2: Social enterprise initiatives to provide valuable employment experience to people with disabilities. 

To apply for funding under strand 2, your project or organisation must: 

• be a social enterprise, 
• work with people over 18 and with a disability to progress into paid, dignified, inclusive employment or apprenticeships. You must be able to show how your project or organisation helps people to achieve key outcomes (for example, how to access job placement, work experience or apprenticeships), and
• have a person-centred, rights-based approach.

Strand 3: Arts and cultural activities, particularly those that promote awareness of the lived experiences of people with disabilities and that support the participation of people with disabilities in artistic, cultural, and community life.

To apply for funding under strand 3, your project or organisation must: 

• work to provide increased opportunities for participation in arts and cultural activities, including arts or cultural activities that promote awareness of the lived experiences of people with disabilities, and 
• have a person-centred, rights-based approach.

Strand 4: Initiatives aimed at encouraging community participation and inclusion for people with disabilities, including sports and outdoor recreation, promotion of accessibility and accessible shared spaces.

To apply for strand 4, your project or organisation must work to provide increased opportunities for:

• encouraging community participation, and/or 
• engagement in sporting activities, outdoor recreation, and/or
• the promotion of accessibility and accessible shared spaces, and
• have a person centred, rights-based approach.

Fund advantageous criteria (these advantageous criteria are common across all 4 strands) – This is not a requirement:

In addition to the above core criteria per strand, it would be an advantage if your project/organisation focuses on: 

• Multiple Impairments: Project/Organisations that focus on addressing the needs of people with multiple impairments or multiple types of disability
• Technology: Project/Organisations that use innovative technology, including assistive technology,  to enhance the lives of people with disabilities 
• Research: Projects that promote research involving and led by persons with disabilities
• Leadership representation: Projects/Organisations that are led by persons with disability

You can apply to the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund through our online portal from Monday, 20 February 2023 until Friday, 31st March 2023 at 1pm.

Please join us for our fund application outline and help sessions on 8th and 16th March to find out more and answer any questions that you have.

Register for our fund application outline and help session on Wednesday, 8 March at 12 pm here

Register for our fund application outline and help session on Thursday, 16 March at 12 pm here

There will be up to 16 awards available in total across four strands. Each successful applicant will receive:

• a cash grant (minimum €50,000 and maximum €500,000*),
• mentoring support, and
• placement on Rethink Ireland’s capacity building Accelerator programme. 

*The maximum amount of funding per project for this fund is different for each strand.

1. Applicants can apply for one strand only, per project. 
2. If you also have a different project that you would also like to apply for, which has a different person leading this project,  you can fill out the application form again for this other project.

This fund is open to organisations that have a not-for-profit legal form, for example:

• charities
• social enterprises
• other voluntary organisations. 

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 large equipment items)
• 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 cannot apply if they are:

• under 18 years of age,
• commercial companies, 
• Any staff member from Rethink Ireland and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) staff, Directors and their family members. Family members include siblings, parents, spouses or civil partners or children,
• 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,
• consultants currently working with Rethink Ireland.

• cash grants ranging from €50,000 to €500,000 during the year, across 6 months
• a business supports package
• a place on our capacity-building accelerator programme
• project performance management

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
• It also asks you to send us financial documents (listed below) and a short video (2 – 3 minutes) about your project. 

What kind of video do we need to submit?

Providing us with a video is optional. If you do not wish to provide a video you can move to the next question.  

If you are providing a video, 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 grant
• the problem/issue your project is trying to solve
• what you are hoping to achieve with the grant. 

You can then upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo. 

Please do not password protect it. You can insert the URL link and the 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 and then upload it in the relevant section of the application form. 

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 disabilityfund@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. 

You cannot use the grant:

• to pay off debts or buy land, buildings or large equipment items, or
• for subsistence or scholarship payments to beneficiaries.

If my organisation has previously been in receipt of 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.

If my organisation is currently in receipt of 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.

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
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 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.

Who will decide who wins the awards? 

The Board of Rethink Ireland makes the final decisions.

What is the selection process? 

The selection process includes the following steps:

Stage 1: Open call for applications

Stage 2: Review of the applications against general criteria, criteria for each strand and our terms and conditions 

Stage 3: Shortlisted applicants invited to interview – week beginning 24 April

Stage 4: Interviews – 2–8 May

Stage 5: Final checks on short-listed applicants

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

Stage 7: Inform successful applicants – June/July

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 and so on), 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, you cannot apply to the fund.

How can we find out where we 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. 

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).

Can I apply for this funding even though I am still on 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 our organisation make more than one application?

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.

Is it possible for organisations to collaborate in an application (e.g. a community development organisation and an educational provider)?

They can and one organisation should take the lead. Please refer to the eligibility criteria to ensure that your project is eligible for funding.

Can salary and management/overhead costs be applied for?

Your application may include costs for operations/staff, however, you must be able to demonstrate how this is facilitating you to run the project that you are applying for. 

Any further questions?

You can contact the fund team at disabilityfund@rethinkireland.ie if you would like more information.

By applying for the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund, you agree to the following terms and conditions.

Age

You are 18 years of age or older.

Honesty

You have given full and truthful information, both verbal and written, at all stages of the application and selection process. 

Eligible to apply – and rights to apply

You are eligible to apply. This means that your organisation meets the criteria for Rethink Ireland.

You have the right to apply. This means that you hold the necessary rights to carry out the project.

Accept these terms and our Privacy Statement

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 and our Privacy Statement, 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.

Take part in publicity

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 an award is declined or taken back

If you decline an award or if the award is taken back because you did not comply with the terms and conditions, the Board of Rethink Ireland may select an alternative Awardee.

Rethink Ireland’s rights 

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.