Funding of €150,000 available for budding social entrepreneurs

Budding social entrepreneurs will have the chance to pitch for up to €150,000 in funding to bring their ideas to reality through two initiatives from Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI).

The organisation is offering €50,000 in seed funding through its ideas academy to individuals with an early-stage innovative idea that solves a social problem. A portion of the seed funding will be awarded to social entrepreneurs to allow them to pilot their ideas. Up to 60 places are available on the programme, with participants receiving support to help them refine their ideas and build skills in core areas.

The 2021 programme is being delivered online, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and associated restrictions.

A further €100,000 in funding is also available to high-potential social entrepreneurs through the impact programme, with successful applicants receiving €20,000 in direct funding along with bespoke non-financial support.

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Awardees will also receive mentorship, training and consultancy in areas such as leadership development, fundraising, governance, strategic planning and communications throughout the nine-month programme.

“All across Ireland there are people with ideas to solve social problems – in some cases, these are people who have direct experience of a problem – and the courage and insight to put forward a solution, and act on it,”

Siobhán O’Keeffe, SEI interim director of impact, said: “Often it is through real challenge that innovation is inspired, and we are anticipating seeing that in this year’s applications in response to the global pandemic. We’re calling on people from all backgrounds who need support to realise their vision to apply to SEI. We know that the first step of the journey is often the hardest one to take.”

Applications for the ideas academy and impact programme are open until April 7th at www.socialentrepreneurs.ie.