Overview

The RISE Community Fund supported by National Broadband Ireland and Granahan McCourt is aimed at addressing the rural digital divide and will award 5 monthly grants of €1,000 each to empower local businesses, community groups, farms and social enterprises to enhance their digital strategy. The Fund offers an immediate financial injection into your local community, boosting the digital ecosystem.

Fund Application

National Broadband Ireland

National Broadband Ireland is a private company contracted by the Irish Government to design, build and operate a new high-speed fibre broadband network for communities Ireland across rural Ireland under The National Broadband Plan (NBP). The NBP is the largest ever telecommunications project undertaken by the Irish State. It aims to radically transform the country’s broadband landscape through the delivery of quality, affordable high-speed broadband to all parts of Ireland where such services would not be delivered commercially.

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The work being undertaken by NBI, over a multi-year build programme, will cover 96% of the landmass of Ireland, reaching over 554,000 homes, farms, schools and businesses.

The social and economic impact of the NBP will be transformational and will ensure that all people and businesses have access to high-speed broadband, no matter where they live, work or play.

Learn more about NBI and the team delivering Ireland’s most ambitious project for the future at www.nbi.ie

Start Your Fund Application

Fund Application

Locations and Deadlines

County Cork

Start Date: May 2nd / Application Deadline: May 31st / Successful Applicants Announced: June 13th

Your organisation must be located within the County selected for that calendar month.

County Kilkenny

Start Date: June 1st / Application Deadline: June 30th / Successful Applicants Announced: July 7th

Your organisation must be located within the County selected for that calendar month.

County Monaghan

Start Date: July 1st / Application Deadline: July 31st / Successful Applicants Announced: August 10th

Your organisation must be located within the County selected for that calendar month.

County Donegal

Start Date: August 1st / Application Deadline: August 31st / Successful Applicants Announced: September 12th

Your organisation must be located within the County selected for that calendar month.

County Clare

Start Date: September 1st / Application Deadline: September 30th / Successful Applicants Announced: October 9th

Your organisation must be located within the County selected for that calendar month.

County Limerick

Start Date: April 3rd / Application Deadline: April 30th / Successful Applicants Announced: May 13th

Your organisation must be located within the County selected for that calendar month.

County Westmeath

Start Date: March 1st / Application Deadline: March 26th / Successful Applicants Announced: April 6th

Your organisation must be located within the County selected for that calendar month.

County Galway

Start Date: February 1st / Application Deadline: February 28th / Successful Applicants Announced: March 13th

Your organisation must be located within the National Broadband Plan within the County selected for that calendar month. Check your eligibility by inserting your eircode on the NBI Network Map.

County Mayo

Start Date: January 2nd / Application Deadline: January 31st / Successful Applicants Announced: February 13th

Your organisation must be located within the National Broadband Plan within the County selected for that calendar month. Check your eligibility by inserting your eircode on the NBI Network Map.

County Louth

Start Date: December 1st 2022 / Application Deadline: January 10th 2023 / Successful Applicants Announced: January 13th 2023

Your organisation must be located within the National Broadband Plan within the County selected for that calendar month. Check your eligibility by inserting your eircode on the NBI Network Map.

County Tipperary

Start Date: November 1st / Application Deadline: November 30th / Successful Applicants Announced: December 15th

Your organisation must be located within the National Broadband Plan within the County selected for that calendar month. Check your eligibility by inserting your eircode on the NBI Network Map.

Macra na Feirme Partnership

Macra na Feirme Partnership

Start Date: October 30th / Application Deadline: November 30th / Successful Applicants Announced: December 13th

RISE Community Fund supported by NBI has a new partnership with Macra na Feirme, offering cash grants to entrepreneurial farmers with plans to use technology in innovative ways.

County Kerry

Start Date: October 3rd / Application Deadline: October 31st / Successful Applicants Announced: November 15th

Your organisation must be located within the National Broadband Plan within the County selected for that calendar month. Check your eligibility by inserting your eircode on the NBI Network Map.

County Sligo

Start Date: September 1st / Application Deadline: September 30th (5pm GMT) / Successful Applicants Announced: October 13th

Your organisation must be located within the National Broadband Plan within the County selected for that calendar month. Check your eligibility by inserting your eircode on the NBI Network Map.

Castlebar, Dundalk & Gort and surrounding townlands

Start Date: August 2nd / Application Deadline: September 1st (5pm GMT) / Successful Applicants Announced: September 12th

View list of Castlebar and surrounding townlands. View list of Dundalk and surrounding townlands. View list of Gort and surrounding townlands. *Locations are subject to change.

Carlow, Wexford & Kilcoole and surrounding townlands

Start Date: July 1st / Application Deadline: August 1st (5pm GMT) / Successful Applicants Announced: August 4th

View list of Carlow and surrounding townlands. View list of Wexford and surrounding townlands. View list of Kilcoole and surrounding townlands. *Locations are subject to change.

Galway, Ballinasloe & Roscommon and surrounding townlands

Start Date: June 1st / Application Deadline: June 28th (5pm GMT) / Successful Applicants Announced: July 7th

View list of Galway and surrounding townlands. View list of Ballinasloe and surrounding townlands. View list of Roscommon and surrounding townlands. *Locations are subject to change.

Cavan and surrounding townlands

Start Date: May 2nd / Application Deadline: May 25th (5pm GMT) / Successful Applicants Announced: June 7th

View list of surrounding townlands. *Locations are subject to change.

Carrigaline and surrounding townlands

Start Date: March 14th / Application Deadline: April 15th (5pm GMT) / Successful Applicants Announced: May 1st

View list of surrounding townlands. *Locations are subject to change.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I submit my application?

All applications must be submitted through the RISE website application link.

Who is eligible?

All applicants must be over 18 years of age and operate within the monthly Community Fund Location area (Please see the calendar above).

What initiatives does the Community Fund support?

Each applicant’s submission must support the positive impact of technology on their project highlighting an identified digital need. Non-technology related applications will not be considered.

Can you make more than one application?

Each organisation can submit only one application in each community location area within the indicated deadline. Please note the deadline for your area as late applications will not be considered (Please see calendar above).

How many grants are allocated?

5 monthly grants of €1,000 in each community location chosen by RISE.

Who will decide which applicants are successful?

The RISE Team and Board will review, shortlist and decide the successful applicants.

How and when do applicants find out where they are in the selection process?

We will contact all applicants by phone or email after final decisions have been made between 4-6 weeks after the application has been submitted.

How will I receive the €1,000 grant funds?

Each successful applicant will receive their €1,000 grant via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). We will require a recent bank statement matching the organisation’s name to facilitate quick payment.

Testimonials

John Finnegan from Killoscully Development Association, County Tipperary commented: “We are thrilled to receive this grant from the RISE Community Fund with the support of NBI and Granahan McCourt. Like so many community groups, our work involves supporting rural residents in many different ways, which includes educational programmes which will benefit people’s future. With this grant from RISE, we can continue to invest in state-of-the-art programmes to bring coding skills to the community, which will not only increase digital literacy but put people on a pathway to be empowered to embrace new technologies.”

“This grant from the RISE Community Fund and NBI makes a huge difference. We are hugely passionate about empowering our community and finding innovative ways to support small-scale growers, food producers, crafters and artists in the Cavan area, and with this grant funding we will be able to introduce some fantastic new initiatives to benefit our members”.

“The Ballycanew Ballyoughter Community Development Association was delighted to receive funding from the RISE Community Fund, this funding will be used to add services to our FAB LAB. The FAB Lab was established to create a fun and creative way to Learn in the Community. We are delighted that thanks to RISE we can now add a 3D Scanner and extra 3D printer, which will not only benefit the wider community, but provide STEM Education to the Local Primary School which we facilitate on a Tuesday Morning. It is only when we work in Partnership can we achieve great things”.

“We are excited to receive this grant from the RISE Community Fund and NBI. As a small community, we work incredibly hard to raise money so that we can continue delivering a growing number of services, and this grant money is going to help us bring in new technology which is critical to our plans. We’re very excited to be able to put this money to good use.”

Terms & Conditions

  • You are 18 years of age or older.
  • You have given full and truthful information, both verbal and written, at all stages of the application and selection process.
  • Each applicant’s submission must support the positive impact of technology on their project highlighting an identified digital need. Non-technology related applications will not be considered.
  • RISE/NBI will hold the personal details which you submitted with your application form and will not share with third parties.
  • Awardees will be requested to take part in publicity about the grants and allow NBI and RISE to publish the names and images of successful applicants.
  • Awardees will be contacted by RISE to share updates on their project’s progress and outcomes.
  • Awardees will be expected to share the successful outcomes of their projects in supporting other organisations where relevant and sharing best practice.
  • Applicants must be located within the community fund location calendar and within the deadline dates listed.
  • Due diligence is critical to RISE, organisations must be able to satisfy by supplying additional information upon request
  • Annual turnover must not exceed €500,000
  • By sending in your application, you accept these terms & conditions and privacy statement.

Latest News

30th April 2023

RISE Community Fund Awards Five Cash Grants in Westmeath

6th April 2023

RISE Community Fund Awards Four Cash Grants in Louth

23rd March 2023

Local Mayo community groups receive technology grants

1st March 2023

Local Tipperary community groups express delight at receiving cash injection to invest in new technologies

12th December 2022

€25,000 donation to SVP Killarney and RISE grants to six local groups as National Broadband Ireland marks milestone in Kerry

19th December

Thank you for all your support in 2022 and Merry Christmas

1st November 2022

€1,000 grant scheme now open for Tipperary companies and community groups

31st October 2022

RISE Community Fund partners with Macra na Feirme to award cash grants to entrepreneurial young farmers

25th October 2022

Inaugural NBI Social Spins Cycle | Funds raised for the RISE Community Fund supported by NBI

4th October 2022

€1,000 grant scheme now open for Kerry companies and community groups

1st September 2022

€1,000 grant scheme now open in County Sligo for small businesses, community groups and social enterprises

1st September 2022

RISE Community Fund Awards Five Cash Grants in Carlow, Wexford and Kilcoole

2nd August 2022

The Cottage Market Cavan on how it will use the RISE Community funding

1st August 2022

RISE Community Fund Opens Grant Applications in Castlebar, Dundalk, Gort and surrounding townlands

4th July 2022

RISE Community Fund Opens Grant Applications in Carlow, Wexford, Kilcoole and surrounding townlands

31st May 2022

RISE Community Fund Opens Grant Applications in townlands across Galway and Roscommon

26th May 2022

RISE Community Fund Awards Five Cash Grants in Cavan and Surrounding Townlands

23rd May 2022

RISE Community Fund Awards Four Cash Grants in Carrigaline and Surrounding Townlands

5th May 2022

RISE Community Fund opens grant applications in Cavan - Anglo Celt

3rd May 2022

Northern Sound Radio Interview

31st March 2022

Carrigaline set to benefit from RISE grants - Cork's 96FM

23rd March 2022

Digital Funding Available For Community Groups - The Echo (Cork)

22nd March 2022

RISE Community Fund Opens Grant Applications in Carrigaline

19th March 2022

€5k digital grant for Carrigaline enterprises - Echo Live

17th March 2022

NBI launches fund to support rural communities - Agriland.ie

16th March 2022

NBI, Rise Global Foundation launch community fund - TechCentral.ie

16th March 2022

NBI Partners with RISE Global Foundation to Launch Community Fund - Irish Tech News

15th March 2022

RISE Global Foundation Partners with NBI to Launch Community Fund

Grant Recipients

  • 121 Digital, Co. Wicklow
  • Achonry Farmers Market, Co. Sligo
  • Ballinderreen Community Centre, Co. Galway
  • Ballycanew Ballyoughter Community Development Association, Co. Wexford
  • Banna Community Rescue Boats, Co. Kerry
  • Bree Community Development Group, Co. Wexford
  • Brockagh Resource Centre, Co. Wicklow
  • Cabragh Wetlands Trust. Co. Tipperary
  • Carrigaline GAA Club, Co. Cork
  • Carrigaline Mens Sheds, Co. Cork
  • Castlelyons Community Centre, Co. Cork
  • Cheshire, Co. Kerry
  • Clonoulty Rossmore Community First Responder group, Co. Tipperary
  • Comharchumann Mhic Dara, Co. Galway
  • Community of Lough Arrow Social Project CLG, Co. Sligo
  • Cottage Market Cavan, Co. Cavan
  • Courtbrack Community Centre, Co. Cork
  • Creggs Rural Development, Co. Galway
  • Drom Community Centre, Co. Tipperary
  • Foodie Save Ltd, Co. Mayo
  • ICA Cavan Federation, Co. Cavan
  • Inch Community Council, Co. Kerry
  • Inishbofin Development Company CLG, Co. Galway
  • Island OrganiX, Co. Kerry
  • Kilchreest Community Recreational Group, Co. Galway
  • Killarney Cardiac Response Unit, Co. Kerry
  • Killoscully Development Association, Co. Tipperary
  • Listowel Community Centre, Co. Kerry
  • Midlands Polish Community, Co. Roscommon
  • Mullahoran Community Centre, Co. Monaghan
  • Neurology Support Centre, Co. Sligo
  • Organic Growers Ireland, Co. Galway
  • Parke Community Hall CLG, Co Mayo
  • Ray Community Centre, Co. Donegal
  • Rossmore NS, Co. Tipperary
  • Shercock Killann Rural Development Company, Co. Cavan
  • Sligo Yacht Club, Co. Sligo
  • Templeport Community Centre, Co. Cavan
  • Tulsk Macra Community Hall, Co. Roscommon
  • Wexford Farmers Market, Co. Wexford