Rethink Ireland fund to invest €1.1m in community-led change in Cork

Rethink Ireland has launched Impact Fund 2025, a €1.1m initiative designed to support innovative, community-led projects in Cork.

The fund, established by Rethink Ireland in partnership with the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, as well as a suite of philanthropic donors, will back up to eight high-impact projects strengthening social inclusion, wellbeing, and environmental resilience at a local level across the south of Ireland.

Applications are now open at rethinkireland.ie/open-funds and will close on Friday, January 16, at 1pm. Rethink Ireland is the national funding body supporting the most innovative non-profit organisations and social enterprises working to create a more just, equal and sustainable Ireland.

Impact Fund 2025 was created by Rethink Ireland and the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, in partnership with the Parkes Family, Limerick; the Estate of Mary Coffey c/o Pat Toomey, Tipperary; the Hospital Saturday Fund; The Luan Fund, Cork; Ed Murphy, Wexford; Turas Nua and The Ireland Funds.

Speaking at the launch of Impact Fund 2025, minister of state at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Jerry Buttimer, said: “This fund is a partnership in action with government, philanthropy, organisations and communities working together.

“We know every county has pockets of disadvantage, and the most effective response is targeted, place-based support.”

Rethink Ireland CEO Deirdre Mortell added: “Since 2016, Rethink Ireland has invested more than €15.8m in supports for more than 150 projects in the Munster region, including Cork. We’ve seen first-hand the extraordinary creativity and leadership that exists in local communities across Ireland. Previous versions of the Impact Fund proved that when you trust communities to lead, the results speak for themselves, from schools pioneering climate education to young women building confidence and connection.”

Colin Healy, co-founder of Kinsale-based charity Sailing Into Wellness, a not-for-profit social enterprise that delivers therapeutic sailing programmes and an awardee of Rethink Ireland, said: “Thanks to the support of Rethink Ireland, we’ve been able to bring our therapeutic sailing programmes to those who need it most.”

To be eligible to apply for Impact Fund 2025, projects must meet the following criteria:

The project must address a critical social issue; the project proposed must be innovative in an Irish context; it must be based on the island of Ireland and must make its main impact in Munster or Co Wexford; it must have potential and a desire to scale or replicate in Ireland and 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.