From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
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Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Disabilities, Anne Rabbitte, has launched the next iteration of the Disability and Participation Awareness Fund, designed to support people with disabilities to participate in community life.
The new €3.5 million fund will help to promote disability awareness and training in local communities, increase participation among disabled people in social, cultural, arts and sporting activities, and support pathways for young people with disabilities in transitioning through education.
A total of €1.1 million will be made available for up to six strong performing projects that applied under the 2023 Disability Participation and Awareness Fund. Additionally, an open call for funding will issue in respect of the remaining €2.4 million available, which will allow up to a maximum of 10 projects to apply under the following strands:
Strand 1
Supporting community, social, cultural, arts, sports and physical participation: Funding projects/organisations that improve and encourage the accessibility of, and participation in, community life for persons with disabilities.
Strand 2
Promoting disability awareness and training: Funding projects/organisations that initiate disability awareness capacity building and training at local level in communities, that is, carrying out awareness training, supporting disability champions, engaging with Disabled Person’s Organisations.
Strand 3
Promoting innovation in supports and pathways for teenagers transitioning from secondary school through the use of innovative and meaningful services, products or programmes.
Each of strands has a distinct focus and will support organisations working with or involving people with disabilities. Each applying organisation must seek to address one or more of the key issues contained in the strands.
Rethink Ireland will operation the Fund on behalf of the department, and applying organisations can make an application under the different strands through the Rethink Ireland website. Support for organisations to make an application will also be available.
Announcing the fund Minister Rabbitte commented:
"I am thrilled to announce the launch of the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund for 2024, which has a strong focus on supporting persons with disabilities in their own communities, with a view to increasing participation across the country of Ireland.
"I am delighted to again be working with Rethink Ireland on this important fund, which will promote disability awareness among our citizens, and support disabled people to get involved in a range of different community activities, as well as helping young people to transition through their education.
"This fund will provide organisations with an opportunity to consider new and innovative solutions to the challenges facing disabled people today, and to demonstrate the reasons why this fund is so beneficial."
The Disability Participation and Awareness Fund will be operated through Rethink Ireland and is open to non-profit organisations to support the participation and inclusion of disabled people in local communities, across three different strands, each with a maximum amount.
Supporting community, social, cultural, arts, sports and physical participation: Funding projects/organisations that improve and encourage the accessibility of, and participation in, community life for persons with disabilities - €50,000-€200,000
Promoting disability awareness and training: Funding projects/organisations that initiate disability awareness capacity building and training at local level in communities, that is, carrying out awareness training, supporting disability champions, engaging with Disabled Person’s Organisations - €50,000-€200,000
Promoting innovation in supports and pathways for teenagers transitioning from secondary school through the use of innovative and meaningful services, products or programmes - €50,000-€200,000
The fund is being split into two parts, with €2.4 million being made available as part of an open call process, which will require applying organisations to meet certain set criteria. A further €1.1 million will be allocated to up to six projects from the previous iteration of the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund from 2023.
Further information on the fund can be found on Rethink Ireland’s website.
Applications can be made now and can be made directly to Rethink Ireland: