Grants available for local projects addressing significant global issues

Community and voluntary groups across Donegal are being invited to apply for a small grant for a project that aims to address a local issue that has a global theme. 

ChangeMakers Donegal is offering groups the chance to be awarded a Seeds of Change grant of up to €650 to carry out a new innovative project.  

These projects should address significant global issues, such as discrimination or racism, social inequalities, community engagement on biodiversity loss, or climate change, that bring together both the local and the global perspectives. 

ChangeMakers is an Inishowen Development Partnership Initiative partnered with Donegal ETB, Self Help Africa, Trócaire and Concern Worldwide and funded by Irish Aid. Its goal is to link people's experience in Donegal to that of people worldwide by tackling global issues such as sustainability, climate change, human rights, Fairtrade, fast fashion and more, but on a local level within Donegal. 

The Seeds of Change initiative was designed to enable our local community and voluntary groups to raise awareness of these global challenges. However, their chosen project must have a local idea. 

Kate O’Callaghan, a project development worker with ChangeMakers Donegal, said groups should submit applications under three categories: social justice, economic justice, and environmental justice. 

“We encourage projects from across Donegal that address multiple categories, acknowledging the reality of many of the local and global justice issues we are trying to address in our community,” explained Kate. 

As well as being awarded funding, the successful applicants will receive mentoring support from an experienced ChangeMakers’ facilitator for the duration of the project. 

Alongside this, through their work they can go forward for a ‘Sustainability Passport’ certificate and will be awarded a ‘Seeds of Change’ plaque (presented at ChangeMakers Annual Seminar) upon completion.

Kate explains that this supportive approach aims to deepen the community’s engagement with global issues. 

“Having the opportunity for local groups to work with a facilitator from our ChangeMakers panel will greatly benefit Seeds of Change collaborators. We are interested in hearing from new and established community groups who want to make a change in their community as there are multiple ways to become a Change Maker,” said Kate. 

“This free-of-charge mentoring service is moulded to suit individual groups, is beneficial to participants and helps us to support your longer-term journey as it’s about local people achieving lasting change in their community’. 

The Seeds of Change project is a partnership with the Community Education Support Programme of Donegal ETB’s Further Education and Training (FET) Service.

Information on how to apply is available through www.changemakers.ie under the funding section. The deadline for applications is Monday, October 28 at 2pm. 

For enquiries email changemakers@inishowen.ie or contact Kate on 086-085-0175.