Collaboration and Innovation Fund Application Information

Apply for the 2025 Collaboration and Innovation Fund 

The Collaboration and Innovation Fund is a great opportunity to fund projects and activities that support adults with unmet literacy, numeracy, digital and financial literacy needs.

If you are interested in applying for the fund, here are the main things you should know.

How much funding is available?

In 2025, the total funding available in the Collaboration and Innovation Fund is €1 million.

The funding will be divided into two strands as follows: 

• €750,000 for local and national projects that provide innovative and collaborative ways to: 

o   support adults with unmet literacy, numeracy and digital literacy needs, and 

o   create a more literacy friendly and equal society.  

• €250,000 for local and national projects that support innovative and collaborative ways to: 

o   improve financial literacy skills for adults with unmet literacy, numeracy and digital literacy needs, and 

o   create a more literacy friendly approach to accessing financial services.  

Why has the fund been divided? 

Ireland’s first National Financial Literacy Strategy will be published in 2025. To support this, the Consumer and Competition Protection Commission (CCPC) has given €250,000 for projects on financial literacy.

How do I apply?

The 2025 Collaboration and Innovation Fund Guidelines are here.

You need to complete an online application form here.

The deadline for submitting your application is 5pm Friday 7 February 2025.

Who can apply?

Organisations that work in the public, not-for-profit, community and voluntary sector can apply for the Collaboration and Innovation Fund. Individuals and private sector organisations cannot apply for the Fund. 

You need a minimum of two organisations working in partnership to apply for the Fund. One organisation is the lead applicant, and the other organisation or organisations are the partner applicants.

The lead organisation will need a tax clearance access number, tax reference number, and charity number, if applicable.

What are the main criteria for getting funding?

Collaborative: There must be at least two organisations involved.

Innovative: Your project is new or innovative.

Beneficial: Your project benefits adults with unmet literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy needs.

Sustainable: Your project could be mainstreamed by the lead/partner organisations and/or another region or service

Cost effective: Your project is good value for money, and is 

·       less than €25,000 for a local project or

·       less than €50,000 for a national project.

What happens after I submit my application?

Your application will be reviewed by a group of people with experience in adult literacy, numeracy and digital literacy. Together, they will decide the applications that will receive funding.   

Once the applications have been reviewed, you will be told if your application was successful or not.

Unfortunately, we receive more applications than we have money for, so we cannot fund every application. If you are not successful, we will provide you with feedback on your application. 

If you are successful, we will provide you with information on what to do next.

Next steps

Please read the 2025 Collaboration and Innovation Fund Guidelines carefully before completing and submitting your application.

Then fill in the online application form which is available from Tuesday 17 December 2024.

The closing date is 5pm Friday 7 February 2025.

If you have any questions, please contact the Regional Literacy Coordinator for your area or the Adult Literacy for Life National Programme Office by email at cif@solas.ie