About the Sustainability Step-Up Fund:
The Sustainability Step-Up Fund supports social innovations across Ireland to scale their impact and address the climate crisis and its interconnected challenges.
The fund comes at a particularly important time as communities across Ireland face increasing environmental challenges alongside rising inequality. The Sustainability Step-Up Fund seeks to tackle these challenges head-on by supporting up to five organisations that have a social and environmental impact by working in the space of the circular economy, climate stewardship, action and education, biodiversity restoration, community development or sustainable practices.
Both established organisations ready to scale and earlier-stage initiatives that are up and running and looking to step up their impact and strengthen their long-term sustainability are eligible to apply. Applicants must come from an entity that has a not-for-profit legal form, e.g. a company limited by guarantee, social enterprise, a co-operative, trust, or charity.
This award includes:
- A multi-year cash grant worth up to €210,000 over an 18-month project implementation period (per successful project)
- Non-financial supports, including:
- A place on Rethink Ireland’s Accelerator Programme
- Business and capacity-building supports designed in consultation with successful projects on topics such as strategic planning, impact management, communications, and fundraising.
- Access to Rethink Ireland’s networks.
Applicants are invited to join one of our application clinics on Thursday, 7 May or Tuesday, 19 May 2026. These one-hour webinars will provide information on fund eligibility and the application process and offer an opportunity to answer any questions you have. Register for an application clinic here:
- Application Clinic 1 (Thursday, 7 May, 10.00am) – Register here
- Application Clinic 2 (Tuesday, 19 May, 10.00am) – Register here
In the meantime, for any questions you may have, please contact us at [email protected]
Applicants can apply to the Sustainability Step-Up Fund via this online application form. Applications deadline is 28 May 2026 at 1:00PM.
The full list of eligibility criteria can be found here on our website, as well as details on how to submit your online application and all other relevant information.