The Urban Uplift Fund is a €762,821 two-year fund created by Rethink Ireland in partnership with JP Morgan Chase, IBM United Kingdom Trust and the Department of Rural and Community Development via the Dormant Accounts Fund. The objective of the Fund is to back innovative projects working towards youth employment and/or youth employability in Dublin’s most disadvantaged areas.
Following the last economic recession, Ireland had made great progress in reducing unemployment rates and barriers preventing people from entering the labour market. However, this progress has not benefited everyone in society on an equal basis and with the onset and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, these inequalities have only increased.
The Urban Uplift Fund aims to address these barriers and enable young adults (aged 18-30) to reach their full potential by supporting innovative projects in Dublin which aim to secure employment and/or apprenticeships for young adults at risk of permanent exclusion and enhancing their full participation in society.
The Fund will aim to empower up to 120 young adults into jobs, apprenticeships or work experience programmes in the green and/or digital economy. In addition, it will aim to enable up to 75 young adults to complete certified training and up to 80 to progress on to further education.
You can apply to the Urban Uplift Fund via the online portal from Monday, August 22nd until Tuesday, 25th October at 5pm.
Please join us for our application clinics to find out more and answer any questions that you have:
Each session will entail a short presentation followed by an open Q&A session, offering you an opportunity to bring any questions you may have regarding the application process to the Fund team.
There will be up to 4 awards available in total, and each Awardee will receive a cash grant (to a maximum of €64,250 each year across two years), mentoring support and placement on Rethink Ireland’s capacity building programme programme.
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 Urban Uplift Fund, as set out below:
Rethink Ireland Criteria
The Urban Uplift Fund Criteria
The Urban Uplift Fund Criteria Applicants to the Urban Uplift Fund must be operating and make their impact in Dublin City. Projects should also meet the criteria below.
Projects/Organisations will:
The Urban Uplift Advantageous Criteria
Which projects cannot apply?
Projects that are not eligible to apply are:
Which applicants cannot apply?
Applicants that are not eligible to apply are:
Complete the application via the online portal from August 22nd until October 25th at 5pm. To complete your application form online, you will need to upload financial and governance information including a 2 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 urbanuplift@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 to the Urban Uplift Fund with a new project. However, any organisation and or project on one of our Funds that has grant payments remaining this year are not eligible.
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
Stage 2: Review the applications
Stage 3: Shortlisted applicants invited to interview – November
Stage 4: Interviews held – early December
Stage 5: Final checks on short-listed applicants
Stage 6: Final decision by Rethink Ireland’s Board – December
Stage 7: Inform successful applicants – December
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 to the Urban Uplift Fund.
Any further questions?
Please contact the Fund Team at urbanuplift@rethinkireland.ie
By applying for the Urban Uplift Fund, you agree to the following terms and conditions.