Minister O’Donovan launches €1 million Collaboration and Innovation Fund to tackle unmet literacy needs
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From: Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
- Published on: 27 December 2024
- Last updated on: 12 April 2025
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Patrick O’Donovan has today announced funding of €1 million to support adults with unmet literacy, numeracy, digital and financial literacy needs.
The Minister made the announcement as the latest figures from the Programme for International Assessment for Adult Competencies (PIAAC), published by the OECD, showed that 1 in 4 adults in Ireland struggle with everyday maths, while 29% of adults are at Level 1 or below for adaptive problem solving.
Furthermore, 1 in 5 adults in Ireland, aged between 16-65, are at or below Level 1 in literacy. This means that around 740,000 adults in Ireland struggle with reading and understanding everyday text. They may, for example, be unable to fill in a form, read instructions on medicines, add up a bill, and help kids with homework.
Speaking today, Minister O’Donovan said:
"I am delighted to launch the 2025 Collaboration and Innovation Fund. Over the last number of years, the Fund has supported almost 150 innovative projects in communities across Ireland.
“We know that accessing literacy supports can be very difficult for people, and the recent survey by the OECD shows that unmet literacy needs are prevalent in our society.
“Literacy is a human right as it allows us to fully engage in society and be active citizens. We must do more to support people with unmet literacy needs as we know there is often a stigma attached to not being able to read, write, or participate in the world online, and it can create isolation.
“Initiatives such as the Collaboration and Innovation Fund are vital with critical investment used to support projects and activities that enable adults to gain the necessary literacy, numeracy, digital, and financial literacy they need to fully engage in society and realise their potential.”
The purpose of the Collaboration and Innovation Fund, managed by the Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) National Programme Office in SOLAS, is to support a more inclusive and equal society by awarding collaborative and innovative projects that support adults with unmet literacy, numeracy, digital, and financial literacy needs.
This year the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) are contributing €250,000 towards a financial literacy strand of the Collaboration and Innovation Fund.
Yvonne McKenna, Director of the ALL Programme Office at SOLAS said:
"Through the ALL Collaboration and Innovation Fund we can move towards our goal of ensuring that all adults in Ireland have the literacy to meet their needs, and that we have a more literacy-aware and literacy-friendly society.
“The Fund will enable the delivery of a diverse and broad range of responses to benefit adults in Ireland with unmet literacy needs.
"This Collaboration and Innovation Fund will help a range of learners including older adults, Travellers, migrants, lone parents, and early school leavers gain access to key supports to benefit their needs to participate more fully in society."
Kevin O’Brien, member of the CCPC, said:
“We’re delighted that the CCPC is partnering with SOLAS to fund financial literacy projects though the Collaboration and Innovation Fund.
“We want more adults across Ireland to have access to practical tools and education to manage their finances effectively. By partnering with SOLAS we hope to reach those communities that need it most.”
Further information about last year’s projects is available on the Adult Literacy for Life website.
Notes
Find out more information about the Collaboration Fund.
How much funding is available
In 2025, the total funding available in the Collaboration and Innovation Fund is €1 million.
The funding is divided into two strands as follows:
€750,000 for local and national projects that provide innovative and collaborative ways to:
- support adults with unmet literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy needs, and
- create a more literacy friendly and equal society
€250,000 for local and national projects that support innovative and collaborative ways to:
- improve financial literacy skills for adults with unmet literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy needs, and
- create a more literacy friendly approach to accessing financial services
Who can apply
Organisations that work in the public, not-for-profit, community and voluntary sector can apply for the Collaboration and Innovation Fund. You need a minimum of two organisations working in partnership to apply for the Fund.
Main criteria for getting funding
Criteria for funding:
- supporting the aims of the ALL Strategy: The projects should address unmet adult literacy, numeracy and digital literacy needs and/or support organisations to create a more literacy friendly society
- collaboration and innovation: At least two organisations must be involved, and the project should be new or innovative. Organisations must be public or not-for-profit
- outcomes: Your project has clear positive outcomes for adults with unmet literacy, numeracy, digital and financial literacy needs, including making Ireland more literacy friendly
- sustainability: The potential for your project to be mainstreamed by your organisation and/or another region or service
- cost: Your project is good value for money
- local or national project:
- less than €25,000 for a local project, or
- less than €50,000 for a national project
Background information on the Collaboration and Innovation Fund
The 2025 Collaboration and Innovation Fund is an initiative of Adult Literacy for Life Strategy. Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) is a 10-year strategy that aims to ensure that every adult has the necessary literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy to fully engage in society and realise their potential. SOLAS have established a National Programme Office to operate as a central, coordinating office for the Strategy across all government departments and stakeholders.
The ALL Strategy is important because it will help people gain the necessary skills to achieve their personal, social and employment aspirations so that they can take part fully in society. It will also help organisations and services to be fully accessible to adults with unmet needs, and support a more inclusive, equal society.
Competition and Consumer Protection Commission
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is the statutory body responsible for promoting compliance with, and enforcing, competition and consumer protection law in Ireland.
It also provides information to consumers about their rights and personal finance, through a consumer helpline, a website, public awareness campaigns and through various financial education initiatives.