Call for new donors as €5.5 million Innovate Together fund reopens for applications

In the wake of Covid-19, a new €5.5 million fund has been established to help social innovations to continue offering innovative solutions to communities across Ireland.

“The Innovate Together fund was set up in partnership with the Irish government,” explains Mortell. “Through all the contacts we have with our previous Awardees, we were aware of just how much innovation was happening on the ground in response to the changing needs of people and communities all over the country in the early stages of the pandemic.”

The fund has also received additional funding contributions from Medtronic, Twitter and Oakfield Trust The fund has also received additional funding contributions from Medtronic, Twitter and Oakfield Trust.The need to act and adapt quickly gave rise to innovative solutions, suggests Mortell. “We could see just how many of the organisations we support, which are involved in community work, were being incredibly creative at either continuing to offer their services, or adapting their services so they could make sure that people who needed them were still getting them,” she says.

“Essentially what they're looking at is to adapt a model developed to help small scale fisheries in South Africa. This is an app that enables them to log their daily catch and connect to buyers. The end result is a traceable product with a system that gives more empowerment to the fishers, that is ecologically responsible, and also socially fair.”

As well as offering a cash grant to awardees, Rethink Ireland offers business support and training to ensure that projects make the biggest potential impact. “Providing the funding is part of the picture,” says Mortell, “but we also have an Accelerator Programme that provides skills and training, and collective learning opportunities for the successful Awardees.

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