Apply for Heart of the Community Fund Arts and Culture Grant (Ireland)

Deadline: 02-Oct-2026

The Heart of the Community Fund Arts and Culture Grant supports nonprofit arts organizations and community groups delivering arts-based programs across the island of Ireland. Grants range from £/€5,000 to £/€25,000, with funding available for core organizational activities for arts organizations and specific arts projects for community organizations. The Heart of the Community Fund is the flagship grant program of The Ireland Funds. The fund provides flexible support to nonprofit organizations working to address local needs and strengthen communities throughout the island of Ireland. This grant round focuses specifically on the arts and culture sector, supporting arts organizations as well as community organizations that use arts-based programs to benefit their communities. The grant supports organizations working across different forms of artistic and cultural activity. Eligible work can include programs focused on the: The funded work must take place on the island of Ireland. Arts and culture organizations can apply for core funding to support their ongoing activities and operations. This means eligible arts organizations can seek funding to help sustain their broader organizational work rather than limiting the request to one specific project. Applicants should clearly explain how core funding will contribute to the organization’s mission, activities, and continued work. Community organizations can also apply when they are delivering an arts-based project. Unlike arts organizations applying for core funding, community organizations must demonstrate that the grant will be used for a specific arts project. All proposed expenditure must be directly connected to the arts-based program being supported. The grant is open to nonprofit organizations working across the island of Ireland.

Eligible applicants include:

Arts organizations should demonstrate their role in promoting, preserving, or developing artistic activity. Community organizations should demonstrate how their proposed arts project responds to community needs or creates meaningful benefits for their target communities. Organizations based in the Republic of Ireland must be either: Applicants must also provide the required organizational and financial documentation. Organizations based in Northern Ireland must meet one of the following requirements: Applicants must provide the required governing and financial documents.

Grants range from:

At least $500,000 will be distributed in total through this grant round. The currency applicable to the award will depend on the organization’s location and the relevant funding arrangements. Grant funds must be spent within 12 months from the date the grant is paid. Applicants should therefore develop a realistic implementation and spending plan that can be completed within the 12-month period. For project-based applications, proposed activities and associated expenses should fit clearly within this timeframe. The work supported through the grant must take place on the island of Ireland. Organizations should clearly identify where their activities will be delivered and explain how the proposed work benefits the communities they serve. An organization cannot submit multiple applications for different areas of work or different geographic areas under this grant round. Applicants should therefore identify the most appropriate area of their work to present within a single application. Applicants must provide key documents demonstrating their organizational status, governance, and financial position.

Required documentation includes:

All required documents should be uploaded according to the application guidance notes. Organizations delivering activities for children or young people under 18 years of age must have appropriate safeguarding policies in place. Applicants should ensure that their safeguarding arrangements are suitable for the nature of their activities and the children or young people involved. Safeguarding policies should be in place before delivering funded activities involving under-18s. The online application requires applicants to provide information about their organization and the proposed use of funding. Applicants should be prepared to provide details about: The information should provide a clear picture of the organization’s work, community impact, financial needs, and capacity. Applications must be submitted through the online application portal available on The Ireland Funds website during the open application period.

Applicants should:

Only complete applications submitted before the deadline will be considered. A strong application should clearly connect the organization’s work with the objectives of the Heart of the Community Fund.

Applicants should explain:

Arts organizations requesting core funding should clearly demonstrate the importance of their ongoing activities and operations. Community organizations should provide a focused explanation of the specific arts-based project they want to fund. Applicants are required to provide information about how they monitor the effectiveness of their work. Organizations should identify appropriate ways of understanding whether their activities are achieving their intended outcomes and benefiting their target communities. For project applications, this may include explaining how participation, engagement, outputs, or other relevant outcomes will be monitored. The Arts and Culture grant brings together two related types of nonprofit work. Arts organizations can receive flexible support for their ongoing activities, while community organizations can use funding for specific arts-based projects. This approach recognizes the role that arts and culture can play in maintaining artistic activity while also helping communities respond to local needs and strengthen connections. Arts and culture can provide communities with opportunities for participation, creative expression, cultural preservation, and connection. Suppor