- Overview
- Project Partners
- Apply for Funding
Overview
Overview
The Civil Society Fund (CSF) is Irish Aid’s main project funding scheme. Applications are accepted on an annual basis from Irish and invited international civil society organisations to carry out development projects of between one and three years in duration. The process is highly competitive and not all applications will be successful.
Project Partners
Project partners
Who are our project partners?
The Civil Society Fund (CSF) provides support to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to carry out development projects of between one and three years' duration. It is primarily aimed at Irish development NGOs but a limited number of international NGOs are also supported on the basis of identified policy gaps, mainly in the area of human rights. Grants totalling €9.02 million over three years were awarded under the 2021 Civil Society Fund to support a diverse range of projects. Below is a list of our current Partners.
| CSF Partner | Application Year | Duration | Total Grant Awarded |
| A Partnership with Africa | 2021 | 3 | €750,000 |
| Aidlink | 2021 | 3 | €1,140,000 |
| Brighter Communities Worldwide | 2021 | 3 | €960,000 |
| Christian Blind Mission | 2021 | 2 | €740,000 |
| ECPAT International | 2020 | 1 | €100,000 |
| Fields of Life | 2019 | 3 | €750,000 |
| Global Witness Trust | 2019 | 2 | €360,000 |
| Health Poverty Action | 2019 | 3 | €260,000 |
| ILGA World | 2019 | 3 | €750,000 |
| International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) | 2021 | 3 | €720,000 |
| International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) | 2020 | 3 | €750,000 |
| Irish League of Credit Unions International Development Foundation (ILCUF) | 2021 | 3 | €960,000 |
| Martin Ennals Foundation | 2019 | 3 | €150,000 |
| Minority Rights Group | 2021 | 3 | €600,000 |
| Nepal Leprosy Trust | 2021 | 3 | €270,000 |
| Nurture Africa | 2019 | 3 | €900,000 |
| Orbis Ireland | 2019 | 3 | €750,000 |
| Proudly Made in Africa (PMIA) | 2021 | 1 | €70,000 |
| SaferWorld | 2021 | 3 | €1,200,000 |
| Serve in Solidarity Ireland | 2021 | 3 | €840,000 |
| SHEP | 2018 | 3 | €270,000 |
| Tearfund Ireland |
2020 | 2 | €700,000 |
| The Carter Centre | 2018 | 3 | €600,000 |
| The Leprosy Mission NI | 2019 | 3 | €210,000 |
| University College Cork (UCC) | 2021 | 1 | €50,000 |
| UPR Info | 2020 | 3 | €300,000 |
| War on Want NI | 2021 | 2 | €320,000 |
Apply for Funding
Civil Society Fund 2024 Round
The 2024 Grant call is now closed.
The Civil Society Fund accepts applications annually from Irish and invited international civil society organisations for grants for overseas development projects. For successful applications, the Department will fund up to 100% of annual project costs up to the maximum grant limit. From 2024, the maximum available grant will increase to €800,000 per annum (previously €400,000 per annum) and the timeframe to carry out projects will increase to up to five years in duration (it was previously up to three years in duration). Income received from the Department, either directly or indirectly, must not exceed 60% of the overall organisational income of the applicant. This should be calculated based on an average of published audited accounts over the last two years and excludes in-kind income.
Interventions for long-term humanitarian crises will be eligible for support under the Civil Society Fund. However, response to sudden-onset acute emergencies is not eligible for support.
Key Documents
- 2024 Call for Applications
- OECD DAC Country Codes
Process
Organisations based in Ireland that consider they meet the criteria set out in the 2024 Call for Applications and who wish to apply for funding can request an Eligibility Form by emailing the Civil Society Fund team at the email address provided in the 2024 Call for Applications. Completed Eligibility Forms should be submitted to the Civil Society Fund mailbox, no later than 5pm on Monday 2 October 2023. Please also include a Tax Clearance Certificate or equivalent, accounts for the past two years and any relevant safeguarding policies.
A limited number of international civil society organisations may be invited to the Civil Society Fund each year, based on policy priorities and only those specifically invited are eligible to apply.
Organisations that submit a completed Eligibility Form will be notified of their eligibility in late October 2023. The application form will then be emailed to eligible organisations.
The application form must be submitted to the Civil Society Fund Team by 5pm on Friday, 1 December 2023. Please note that forms received after the relevant deadlines will not be considered.
Please subsequently submit a hard copy of the application form, signed by the legal representative of your organisation to:
Civil Society Fund
Civil Society Unit
Development Cooperation and Africa Division
Department of Foreign Affairs
Riverstone House
23-27 Henry Street
Limerick
V94 R7YE
It is intended that appraisal of applications will take place in Quarter 1 2024 and notification of funding decisions will issue in May 2024.
Questions or queries should be addressed directly to the email address provided in the 2024 Call for Applications and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) will be posted on the website.
Please note that individual meetings cannot be held with representatives of applicant organisations in connection with the application form once the Call for Applications issues until the date of communication of funding decisions. Any attempt to influence the outcome of the decision-making process in relation to grant applications will result in disqualification.
Read more about Civil Society funding
See Irelands Official Development Assistance Annual Report 2019 - Annexes for a list of organisations that received funding through the main civil society funding schemes administered by Irish Aid HQ.