Tánaiste announces €1 million in funding for 35 cross-border projects under the Shared Island Initiative
- Published on: 6 May 2024
- Last updated on: 12 April 2025
The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin today announced a list of organisations awarded funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs Shared Island Civic Society Fund.
Selected from across the civic society sector, north and south, 35 projects were granted funding. Each of these projects have a strong cross border dimension and will facilitate the development of new links and strengthen existing relationships on issues of common concern for civic society groups on both sides of the border.
Announcing the grants, the Tánaiste said:
“I am delighted to announce funding for 35 new projects, amounting to €1 million. These projects are in a broad range of sectors and themes, including in the areas of climate and the environment, community development, heritage, social enterprise, charitable and voluntary work, and sports.
“I established the Shared Island Initiative in 2020 with a positive vision for the future of our island – a vision of a more confident, inclusive, and prosperous island for everyone, North and South.
“The Shared Island Civic Society Fund promotes practical cooperation and interaction in civic society on this island. This latest round of grants will promote North South cooperation and enhance cross-border civic, economic, cultural, and community links across the island.”
The Tánaiste also spoke of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ plans for future funding calls under the Shared Island Civic Society Fund:
"There has been huge interest in the fund, following its launch last year, which clearly illustrates there is a real and growing appetite across the island for increased cross-border cooperation. People and communities are reaching out to each other, identifying areas of common interest, and agreeing ways to work together to address joint concerns.
"This is the essence of the Shared Island Initiative. Communities working together for the betterment of the island for everyone who calls this place home. And we can do more.
"I am pleased to confirm that we will be making increased levels of support available through the Shared Island Civic Society Fund in a further round that will open for applications in the coming months.”
Notes
The Shared Island Civic Society Fund is a €3 million initiative, which promotes practical North South cooperation and engagement, across a range of sectors and themes, consistent with the objectives and commitments of the Good Friday Agreement. The Shared Island Civic Society Fund is part of the government’s Shared Island initiative and supported through the Shared Island Fund.
Further information on the Shared Island Civic Society Fund is available at: Shared Island Civic Society Fund.
A full list of organisations supported in this round of the Fund is below.
| Applicant | Partner | Project title | Amount | |
| Accidental Theatre | Smock Alley Theatre | Shared Cultures Across Borders | €50,000 | |
| All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care | Foyle Hospice | Compassionate Communities in Palliative and End of Life Care – Inaugural in person island of Ireland community-centred conference | €26,698 | |
| Association of Irish Local Government (AILG) | Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) | Importance of Leadership at Local Level and Civility In Public Life | €15,000 | |
| Centre for Democracy and Peace Building | IMMA | Arts and Culture Collaboration Lab | €15,250 | |
| Common Purpose Ireland | Common Purpose Charitable Trust | All-Island Legacy | €49,994 | |
| Compass Advocacy Network Ltd (CAN) | Ability West | Best Buddies Beyond Borders | €9,000 | |
| Cooley Connect Well | Yellow Road Wellbeing Centre and Social Farm | Growing Social Garden for Nature /Gardening South Gardening North | €14,500 | |
| Co-operation Ireland | N/A | Connecting for Change: Promoting Sustainable Community Engagement on an All-Island Basis | €21,485 | |
| County Donegal Railway Restoration CLG | North West Learning Disability Centre | Railway Connections | €8,100 | |
| Create | ArtsEkta | Intercultural Dialogues | €25,000 | |
| Development Trusts NI | Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Groups | Community: Enterprise, Ownership, Wealth Building & Well-Being in Ireland (North & South) | €50,000 | |
| Falls Community Council | Youth Work Ireland | Civic Visions: Inspiring North-South Cooperation | €28,508 | |
| Falls Women's Centre | Ronanstown Women’s Community | Constitutional Challenges: A Voice for Grassroots Women (pilot project) | €9,663 | |
| Feasta | North West Play Resource Centre T/A The Playhouse | Cultural Creatives - Transformation Catalysts for a Well-being Economy | €25,000 | |
| Football Association of Ireland | NI Football League | 2024 All-Island Cup | €50,000 | |
| Girl's Allowed | Belturbet Hens' Shed | Women on the Border | €10,000 | |
| Humanist Association of Ireland | Northern Ireland Humanists | Shared Island Humanist Conference | €9,000 | |
| Inishowen Development Partnership | The Rural Area Partnership in Derry | Networking Community Collaboration for Environmental Stewardship | €24,000 | |
| Irish Association for Cultural, Economic and Social Relations | N/A | A Vision for the Future of North South Cooperation? | €30,000 | |
| Irish Youth Opera (t/a Opera Collective Ireland) | Newry Chamber Music | The Walk from the Garden by Jonathan Dove- A Church Opera in One Act | €42,800 | |
| Lifestyle Development Group CLG | Rural Health Partnership | Shared Roots and Routes | €31,075 | |
| Meitheal an Iarthair | Dún Uladh | Ceol na nÓg Folk Orchestra | €9,990 | |
| Mother Tongues | ArtsEkta | Exchanging Intercultural Practices: A journey for change | €25,000 | |
| National Forum of Family Resource Centres | National Forum of Family Resource Centres | Healthy Living Centre Alliance | €31,050 | |
| Northern Ireland Union of Supported Employment | Kare | Mind the Gap - Employment Gap of Disabled People on the Island of Ireland | €48,550 | |
| Portlaoise Family Resource Centre | Colin Neighbourhood Partnership | Stepping Stones to Resillience | €44,900 | |
| Redemptorist Community | Scala | Justice and Peace Animators | €15,250 | |
| Royal British Legion ROI District | Royal British Legion NI District | The RBL 'Battle of Somme' Ceremony | €6,000 | |
| Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland (SERI) | Social Enterprise NI | Capacity Building for Income Generation (C-BIG) | €25,000 | |
| St. Patrick’s Festival | Belfast Summer School of traditional music t/a Belfast TradFest Belfast – Dublin | St. Patrick’s Festival Partnership | €50,000 | |
| The John Hewitt Society | Irish PEN | Freedom to write | €33,240 | |
| The Nerve Centre | Spraoi Agus Sport | Film Skills NW | €47,950 | |
| The Wheel | NICVA | iCommunity Amplifying Youth Voices and New Partnerships for a Shared Future | €49,886 | |
| Trinity College Dublin | Queens University | Shared Island Innovation Challenge | €25,000 | |
| University College Dublin | Queens University | A Shared Island Forum for Nurturing Secure Climate Futures through Cybersecurity and Environmental Resilience Education | €25,000 |