Rethink Ireland, Ireland
SOCIAL
Rethink Ireland is a social innovation fund that was founded in 2013 and was formerly known as the Social Innovation Fund Ireland until 2020. It was established by the Irish government with the ultimate aim of fostering the development of social innovation. Through a variety of dedicated funds, Rethink Ireland provides financial and strategic support to non-profit organisations, including social enterprises and charities, at various stages of development. This support helps them to increase their impact and address important social and environmental issues.
Rethink Ireland was established with the aim of creating a substantial fund to support the development and growth of social innovations with the potential to address critical social issues in Ireland following the economic recession of 2012.
Rethink Ireland's main objective is to create funds that provide cash grants and business support, enabling social innovations to develop and maximise their impact. Since its creation, Rethink Ireland has developed specific funding calls focused on topics such as education, health, social enterprise, equality, the green transition, and the response to the pandemic. These funds combine multi-year cash grants with capacity-building support to encourage social entrepreneurs to invest in testing, piloting, measuring and growing their social innovations. They also contribute to creating a network where social entrepreneurs can establish partnerships and engage with other public and private sector stakeholders.
Since 2016, Rethink Ireland has launched 58 dedicated impact funds, providing awards and business support to 448 social innovation initiatives. These initiatives have collectively secured EUR 109 million in social investment, positively affecting more than one million people. Rethink Ireland has received over EUR 56 million in government investment (including EUR 42 million matched by philanthropy).
Rethink Ireland has invested EUR 36.9 million in 127 education projects, reaching at least 651 000 people. In the health sector, it has supported 127 recipients with EUR 23.1 million in combined financial and non-financial support, impacting over 134 000 people.
Through its social enterprise funds (EUR 16.6 million), Rethink Ireland has supported 177 ventures, affecting over 528 000 people. In the equality sector, 140 awardees have received EUR 12.4 million, enabling over 4 600 volunteers to get involved and reaching 319 000 beneficiaries. Finally, over EUR 5.9 million has been invested in 54 green transition projects supported by two dedicated funds focused on environmental innovation.
Rethink Ireland. (2024, May). One Million Strong Impact Report. Retrieved from https://rethinkireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/One-Million-Strong-Impact-Report.pdf
Rethink Ireland. (2025). Rethink Ireland - Education. Retrieved from https://rethinkireland.ie/our-funds/education/
Rethink Ireland. (2025). Rethink Ireland - Equality. Retrieved from https://rethinkireland.ie/our-funds/equality/
Rethink Ireland. (2025). Rethink Ireland - Green Transition. Retrieved from https://rethinkireland.ie/our-funds/green-transition/
Rethink Ireland. (2025). Rethink Ireland - Health. Retrieved from https://rethinkireland.ie/our-funds/health/
Rethink Ireland. (2025). Rethink Ireland - Homepage. Retrieved from https://rethinkireland.ie/
Rethink Ireland. (2025). Rethink Ireland - Social Enterprise. Retrieved from https://rethinkireland.ie/our-funds/social-enterprise/