Home News Council Laois social enterprises encouraged to apply for €1.6 million development fund

Laois social enterprises encouraged to apply for €1.6 million development fund

Laois County Council Offices

Laois social enterprises are being encouraged to apply to the €1.6 million social enterprise development fund.

Social Innovation Ireland (SIFI) launched the €1.6m Social Enterprise Development Fund for a second year running.

The fund is financed by the Department of Rural and Community Development, from the Dormant Accounts Fund and IPB Insurance.

This year, social enterprises will have a chance to win cash grant amounts ranging from €10,000 up to €50,000.

Sixteen successful applicants will each win a cash investment and a place on Ireland’s National Accelerator Programme for social enterprises.

The accelerator programme provides training from experts across the private, non-profit and public sectors .

This year, the programme will include an Accelerator Fund, whereby each participant will have an opportunity to pitch for a share of an additional €100,000 in funding on completion of the six-month programme.

The fund is now open for applications from social enterprises in Laois.

Chief Executive of Laois County Council, Evelyn Brownrigg, said: “The Social Enterprise Development Fund presents a great opportunity for social enterprises to achieve their goals and ultimately create measurable social impact in their communities and across Ireland.

“We hope to see all of Laois’s innovative social enterprise projects apply to be part of this excellent funding initiative in 2019.”

The fund is open for applications from social enterprises until January 25 2019. Further details are available here.

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