Open Call: Irish Youth Foundation Flagship Fund (Ireland)

Deadline: 16-Oct-2026

The Irish Youth Foundation Flagship Fund supports registered not-for-profit and charitable organisations helping children and young people aged 5–25 who experience poverty or marginalisation in Ireland. Applicants can seek €10,000–€30,000 through the Promising Programmes Fund or €1,500–€10,000 through the Grassroots Fund, with awarded funding to be spent within 12 months and by the end of November 2027.

About the Irish Youth Foundation Flagship Fund

The Flagship Fund invests in organisations creating meaningful change in the lives of children and young people experiencing poverty, exclusion, or marginalisation. It supports both pioneering programs and smaller community-based projects across the Republic of Ireland. The fund values innovative, practical, and collaborative approaches that help young people overcome adversity and build more secure futures. Purpose of the Fund

The Flagship Fund aims to:

- Improve outcomes for children and young people experiencing disadvantage. - Reduce the effects of poverty and marginalisation. - Support positive educational transitions. - Improve educational attainment. - Promote physical and emotional wellbeing. - Strengthen personal and social development. - Develop skills and employability. - Support pathways toward economic independence. - Fund innovative youth programs. - Strengthen grassroots organisations. - Encourage collaboration within communities. - Create sustainable and measurable change. Funding Streams The Flagship Fund offers two funding streams: - Promising Programmes Fund. - Grassroots Fund. Applicants should select the stream that best matches the size, purpose, maturity, and budget of their proposed work. Promising Programmes Fund The Promising Programmes Fund supports pioneering initiatives that use innovative or dynamic approaches to address challenges affecting young people.

Available awards range from:

- Minimum grant: €10,000.

- Maximum grant: €30,000.

This stream may be suitable for initiatives that: - Test a new approach. - Develop an existing successful model. - Bring organisations together. - Respond creatively to an unmet need. - Have clear and measurable outcomes. - Demonstrate potential for wider impact. - Support young people facing significant barriers. Applicants should explain what makes their program promising, innovative, or different from existing provision. Grassroots Fund The Grassroots Fund supports community-based projects and smaller organisations working directly with children and young people.

Available awards range from:

- Minimum grant: €1,500.

- Maximum grant: €10,000.

Funding may support:

- Daily running costs. - Program expenses. - Youth activities. - Materials and supplies. - Community-based events. - Direct project-delivery costs. - Other eligible operating expenses. Salary costs are not eligible under the Grassroots Fund. Funding Period

All awarded funding must be:

- Spent within 12 months of receipt. - Fully spent by the end of November 2027. Applicants should prepare a work plan and budget that can be completed within both conditions. The project schedule should allow sufficient time for: - Participant recruitment. - Program delivery. - Monitoring. - Evaluation. - Financial reporting. - Completion of all funded activities. Focus Areas Applications must align with one of three focus areas: - Positive educational transitions and attainment. - Health and wellbeing from childhood through adulthood. - Skills and employability for economic independence. Applicants should select the focus area that most closely reflects their primary intended outcome. Positive Educational Transitions and Attainment This focus area supports children and young people as they enter, progress through, or leave different stages of education.

Projects may address:

- Transition into primary school. - Progression from primary to secondary education. - School attendance. - Educational engagement. - Academic achievement. - Prevention of early school leaving. - Transition to further or higher education. - Alternative education pathways. - Homework and study support. - Mentoring. - Literacy and numeracy. - Digital inclusion. - Support for young people excluded from mainstream education. Applicants should explain the educational barriers participants face and how the project will improve engagement, progression, or attainment. Health and Wellbeing This focus area supports the wellbeing of children and young people from childhood through adulthood.

Eligible initiatives may promote:

- Emotional resilience. - Positive relationships. - Physical activity. - Healthy lifestyles. - Social connection. - Confidence and self-esteem. - Community participation. - Safe recreational opportunities. - Prevention-focused wellbeing education. - Personal-development skills. - Support during major life transitions. Counselling and therapy services are not eligible for funding. Applicants should distinguish eligible wellbeing programs from clinical, therapeutic, or counselling provision. Skills and Employability This focus area helps young people develop skills, access opportunities, and move toward economic independence.

Projects may include:

- Employability training. - Career exploration. - Workplace-readiness activities. - Communication skills. - Digital skills. - Leadership development. - Financial literacy. - Entrepreneurship education. - CV and interview preparation. - Mentoring. - Work-experience preparation. - Vocational skills. - Connections with employers. - Progression into education, training, or employment. Applicants should explain how activities will lead to identifiable improvements in participants’ skills, confidence, opportunities, or economic prospects. Target Beneficiaries Funded activities must support children and young people: - Aged 5–25. - Living in Ireland. - Experiencing poverty or marginalisation. Priority participants may include young people affected by: - Low household income. - Educational disadvantage. -