Shared Island Funding

Up to €10,000 from small community based organisations. Other funding up to €25,000 per successful project with scope for awards of a maximum of €50,000 where necessary for larger projects.

The Shared Island Civic Society Fund, which will complement the vital work supported through the Reconciliation Fund and other Government resources, will encourage and support civic society and community organisations to develop new cross-border links, to further strengthen existing partnerships, or to create or broaden cross-border connectivity on issues of concern for the island of Ireland.

Applications are invited from civic societies, business and trade union representative groups and other regional or national representative bodies, including of underrepresented voices of women, young people, older people, ethnic minorities, and LGBTQI+.

Funding is intended to support the emergence of new cross-border civic projects and forums. Funding may complement and add to specific project work that is already taking place on a North South basis, or serve as seed funding for regional or national civic society organisations establishing new strategic links on a cross-border basis.

The following additional eligibility criteria also apply:

• Applications must have a clear North South dimension and only applications from:
  • Civic society organisations based in the South engaging in new project/programme work with a partner(s) in the North
  • Civic society organisations in the North engaging in new project/programme work with a partner(s) in the South
  • All island bodies engaging in new project/programme work in the North and South will be considered. East/West dimensions and partners to such projects will also be welcomed.
• Only direct project/programme work will be eligible for funding
• An organisation may only make one application for funding
• Organisations already in receipt of funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and/or other Government Departments/public bodies are eligible to apply for this fund, although activities supported must be distinct and additional to those being supported by other Government funding schemes.

Applications will be assessed on the following criteria and will be required to reach a minimum threshold under each of these headings in order to be recommended for funding:

• How the project/programme outcomes align with the Fund’s objectives
• The impact of the project/programme based on clear expected outputs and outcomes
• Capacity of the application organisation to deliver results
• The organisation’s financial management capacity, governance arrangements, monitoring and evaluation systems, and sustainability

For further information check www.dfa.ie.

Email: sharedislandcsfund@dfa.ie