Minister McEntee announces opening of 2026 round of the Shared Island Civic Society Fund

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee TD, today announced the opening of the 2026 round of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Shared Island Civic Society Fund.

The Shared Island Civic Society Fund was developed as part of the Government’s Shared Island initiative and promotes practical North-South cooperation between civic society organisations working on either side of the border, consistent with the objectives and the commitments of the Good Friday Agreement. The Fund supports grassroots, cross-border projects that have a clear North South dimension, involving cross-border partners collaborating on a project to strengthen North South civic, economic, cultural, and/or political links.

2026 sees the fifth round of funding under the Shared Island Civic Society Fund and up to €2 million will be available for eligible projects. Announcing the opening of applications, Minister McEntee said: “I strongly encourage civic society organisations across the island who are interested in cross-border engagement to apply as soon as possible. We are open to supporting all types of civic society organisations, the core requirement being an existing or planned partnership with an organisation active in the same field on the other side of the border.

“Some of the sectors supported by the Fund to date include Business and Social Enterprise, Environmental Awareness, Community/Voluntary Sector, Migrant Communities, Sport, Trade Unions, Women’s Groups and Youth Engagement.

“The Shared Island Civic Society Fund seeks to ensure that funding is not a barrier to cross border engagement. We invite innovative proposals in areas that foster meaningful cross-border collaboration. Our experience has been that these grants can be transformative for smaller grass-roots organisations working in their local communities.

“We want to support new collaborations, develop existing partnerships and build a more integrated civic space across the island. If your organisation is interested in cross-border cooperation, this could be the Fund for you.”

ENDS

Press Office

20 April 2026

Notes for Editors

Since its launch in 2023, the Shared Island Civic Society Fund has provided over €5 million supporting 171 projects across the island of Ireland to encourage practical North-South cooperation and engagement through increased cross-border civic society connections.

To be eligible for funding, projects are required to have a clear North South dimension, involving cross-border partners collaborating on a project to strengthen North South civic, economic, cultural, and/or political links.

This is the fifth round of funding under the Shared Island Civic Society Fund and up to €2 million will be available for eligible projects. The maximum grant assistance available is €50,000 per individual project. While the average grant awarded to projects in previous rounds is around €30,000, the Fund welcomes applications are all levels of scale and ambition.

Applications must be made through the grant application portal at: Home · DFAT Grant Application Portal

A full list of successful applicants from previous rounds and further information on the Shared Island Civic Society Fund is available at: Shared Island Civic Society Fund: previous fund rounds

Further information on the Shared Island Civic Society Fund is available at: gov - Shared Island Civic Society Fund (www.gov.ie)