€1 million available through the 2024 Collaboration and Innovation Fund to fund projects that support adults literacy needs

The Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) office in collaboration with SOLAS has launched a call for applications to the 2024 Collaboration and Innovation Fund.

Details of a new Collaboration and Innovation Fund were announced last week by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris TD, with applications invited across Ireland. The Fund aims to support collaborative and innovative projects that enable adults with unmet literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy needs to fully engage in society and realise their potential.

Organisations that work in the public, not-for-profit, community and voluntary sector can apply for up to €25,000 to fund a local project, or up to €50,000 for a national project. A minimum of two organisations working in partnership is required to apply for the Fund.

In 2024, the total funding available in the Collaboration and Innovation Fund is €1.25 million. €1 million is available to fund local projects in any county in Ireland. €0.25 million is available to fund national projects that have a have a wider, national scope.

The Collaboration and Innovation Fund is an initiative of the Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) Strategy – a 10 year, whole-of-government and society strategy dedicated to ensuring that everyone has the literacy to meet their needs, and that literacy is valued and supported at every level of society. The fund will support collaborative and innovative projects that reach adults with unmet literacy, numeracy and digital literacy needs, through effective cross-community partnerships such as libraries, refugee centres, community and adult education providers.

Cross-community partnerships are encouraged to avail of the Collaboration and Innovation Fund to support adults with unmet literacy needs. The closing date for applications is Thursday 4 April 2024.

Further information about how to apply for Collaboration and Innovation Fund can be found on https://www.adultliteracyforlife.ie/fund/ website.

Minister Harris said: “I am delighted to launch the 2024 Collaboration and Innovation Fund. Last year, the Fund was a huge success with over 50 innovative projects that supported individuals with unmet literacy, numeracy and digital literacy needs. We know that accessing literacy supports can be very difficult for people. There is often a stigma attached to not being able to read, write, or participate in the world online. What is really magic about this Fund is that it supports projects that often inject fun into learning those essential skills. That can mean improving reading and writing skills through the joy of cooking or learning new digital skills.”

In Ireland, more than 500,000 people have unmet literacy, numeracy and digital literacy needs. This means they may be unable to fill in a form, vote, read instructions on medicines, add up a bill, help kids with homework or search the web for information. This can negatively impact their confidence and prevent them from participating fully in society.The aim of the Adult Literacy for Life Strategy and the Collaboration and Innovation Fund is to ensure that no one is excluded, isolated, or stigmatised because of unmet literacy, numeracy, or digital literacy needs.

Tamara Latham, Regional Literacy Coordinator, Laois and Offaly ETB said:

“In the past, literacy was considered to be the ability to read and write. Today, the meaning has evolved to reflect changes in how we live and the skills needed by individuals to participate fully in society. This includes areas such as digital literacy, family literacy, environmental and eco-literacy, financial literacy, health literacy, media literacy and numeric literacy. Literacy is critical to all aspects of day-to-day life and we would love to support innovative projects in Laois and Offaly that support individuals gain these valuable skills – so get your applications into us before the closing date on the 4 April.”

The Collaboration and Innovation Fund can be used support projects and activities that enable adults to gain the necessary literacy, numeracy and digital literacy to fully engage in society and realise their potential. It can also be used to help organisations and services to be literacy-friendly and fully accessible to adults with unmet needs. Further information about last year’s projects is available on the Adult Literacy for Life website.

Available funding

  • In 2024, the total funding available in the Collaboration and Innovation Fund is €1.25 million. €1 million is available to fund local projects in any county in Ireland. €0.25 million is available to fund national projects that have a have a wider, national scope.

Who can apply?

  • Organisations that work in the public, not-for-profit, community and voluntary sector can apply for the Collaboration and Innovation Fund. You need a minimum of two organisations working in partnership to apply for the Fund.

Main criteria for getting funding

  • Collaboration: There must be at least two organisations involved.
  • Innovation: Your project is new or innovative.
  • Beneficial: Your project benefits adults with unmet literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy needs.
  • Cost: Your project is good value for money, and:
  • less than €25,000 for a local project, or 
  • less than €50,000 for a national project

Background information on the Collaboration and Innovation Fund

  • The 2024 Collaboration and Innovation Fund is an initiative of Adult Literacy for Life Strategy. Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) is a 10-year strategy that aims to ensure that every adult has the necessary literacy, numeracy and digital literacy to fully engage in society and realise their potential.
  • A National Programme Office has been established by SOLAS to operate as a central, coordinating office for the Strategy across all departments and stakeholders.
  • At a regional level, sixteen Regional Literacy Coordinators (RLCs) have been appointed in Education and Training Boards, to drive partnerships between organisations that will support the aims of the ALL Strategy.
  • The ALL Strategy is important because it will help people gain the necessary skills to achieve their personal, social and employment aspirations so that they can take part fully in society. It will also help organisations and services to be fully accessible to adults with unmet needs, and support a more inclusive, equal society.

About SOLAS

  • SOLAS is the state agency responsible for Further Education and Training (FET) in Ireland.
  • Our vision is to power the potential of individuals, communities and enterprise through lifelong learning and workforce transformation.
  • In recent years we have led an ambitious FET Strategy Transforming Learninganddriven change across the FET system – providing easier access; simplified pathways; a consistent learner experience; and a stronger identity.
  • This has led to unprecedented growth and demand for FET, with the learner base growing by some 17% from 2022 to 2023.
  • Further information on SOLAS can be found at: www.solas.ie. Follow SOLAS on X: @solasfet. 
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