Minister Rabbitte announces awardees under the Disability and Participation Awareness Fund

Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Disabilities, Anne Rabbitte, has this week announced that twenty projects will receive funding under the Disability and Participation Awareness Fund.

Launched in February of this year, the funding has been allocated to support a range of initiatives under four different strands, designed to support the participation of people with disabilities in local activities, to provide valuable employment experience for persons with disabilities, and to help remove barriers to community involvement.

A total fund of €3 million has been made available under four strands, with grants ranging from €69,608 to €393,826.

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

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

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.

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.

Of the twenty recipients in receipt of funding under the Disability and Participation Awareness Fund, a total of six projects received funding under strand one, four under strand two, five under strand three and five under strand four. The projects cover different counties and regions throughout Ireland and will provide meaningful supports to disabled people at the community level.

The fund is operated on behalf of the department by Rethink Ireland, and each of the successful projects will receive both cash grants and non-financial supports as part of the funding model.

Announcing the fund, Minister Rabbitte said:

The Disability Participation and Awareness Fund is operated through Rethink Ireland and is focused on supporting the participation and inclusion of disabled people in local communities, across four different strands, each with a maximum application amount.

The initiative is open to non-profit organisations to support the participation and inclusion of disabled people across four different strands, each with a maximum application amount.

The value of the fund is €3 million.

Strand 1: Building skills and removing barriers to help people with Down Syndrome take part in their communities – Maximum grant €500,000.

Strand 2: Social enterprise initiatives to provide valuable employment experience to people with disabilities – Maximum grant €100,000.

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 - Maximum grant €100,000.

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 – Maximum grant €200,000.

Rethink Ireland will also provide additional non-financial supports to organisations as part of the support offered to each successful organisation.

Twenty projects were successful in securing funding across the four strands. A total of six projects received funding under strand one, four under strand two, five under strand three and strand four. Contracting between Rethink Ireland and the twenty individual projects is complete, and projects will commence operation in the coming period.

The following projects were successful under Disability Participation and Awareness Fund.