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Communication Grants

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22/10/26

Eibhlin Fitzpatrick - Community Manager

Grant Eligibility Criteria

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• Must be exclusively used for marketing and communications costs related to circular activities.

Circular activities include initiatives that:

• reduce overall consumption and packaging
• rethink product use and design
• reuse products via swapping or resale
• repair items for further use
• refurbish older models
• repurpose products into new uses

Projects centred on downcycling or waste processing (such as recycling) are not eligible.

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Who is eligible for the

Circular.ie Communication Grants?

• Non‑profit organisations
• Community groups
• Social enterprises
• Small businesses with a community focus

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Types of Grants Available

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• A €1,000 grant to support communications and marketing activities that strengthen an initiative’s physical presence

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• A €5,000 grant to support initiatives looking to expand their digital presence

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• A €10,000 grant to support established initiatives looking to scale their communications and reach.

€1,000 Physical Communications

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For local initiatives that want to raise their physical presence in their local area

€1,000 Physical Communications

Includes

• In store and exterior signage
• Signs, banners, pull up banners, branded gazebos for events
• Leaflets, business cards
• Graphic design services for signage and printing

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Previously Successful Applicants

Cara - Phort FRC

• Purchased signs and a new banner to advertise their charity shop, food cloud and pantries initiatives.
• “We have seen additional footfall to our service and a greater number of people coming for one service then engaging in another”

Trim Climate Action

• Purchased signage and flyers for their returnable coffee cup scheme.

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Previously Successful Applicants

Mud Island Community Garden

• Notice board, branded gazebos, signage and graphic design.

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• “The grant gave us the chance prioritise the garden's Circular initiatives. Clearer signage around the garden and better materials for events makes a huge difference. Everything is beginning to feel more connected and welcoming.”

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Donabate Portrane SEC

• PVC banners and leaflets to promote the Swap Shop events
• Attendance increasing to approximately 150–200 participants…around five times higher than previous events. In addition, we recorded a 12% increase in social media followers as a result of the communication campaign and subsequent event.

€5,000 Digital Communications

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For initiatives who want to raise their presence online

€5,000 Digital Communications

Includes

• Social media videos
• Educational videos
• Targeted social ads
• Sales decks to promote workshops
• Professional photography and graphic design for digital content
• Basic website updates or development
• Training sessions for content creation skills (arranged by Circular.ie)

Previously Successful Applicants

Carrickmacross Toy Library

• Produced a series of videos for social media featuring their members - this was backed by a targeted advertising campaign on social media and a newsletter

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• 45 new members sign up between July and September 2026, which is a 114% increase on the previous quarter.

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• Facebook Views 452,966 - a 441% increase

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Previously Successful Applicants

An Mheitheal Rothar

• Developed a consistent branding and marketing strategy, professional photography and graphic design.

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• Hit over 1,000 followers on Instagram, driven by an 82% increase in page views.

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• A 176% jump in content interactions, and a 95% spike in new follows.

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• “Crucially, we’ve found that this online success has translated directly into foot traffic in our shop; every single month of 2026 so far has broken records for general sales and refurbished bike sales compared to the same months in previous years”

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€10,000 National Communications

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For established initiatives who are ready to expand regionally or nationally, or replicate their impact through skills sharing and partnerships

€10,000 National Communications

Includes

• Tailored 1:1 mentoring
• Branding and social media templates
• Website design and development
• Social media/educational videos
• Targeted social ads
• Sales decks to promote work
• Professional photography and graphic design for website and digital content

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Eligible Projects

• Initiatives already communicating well in their own community, ready to be seen nationally
• Repair, reuse, or sharing projects whose model could be taken up anywhere in Ireland
• Groups that need a permanent online home so other communities can find them and follow their lead

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Eligible Projects

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• A repair café that has run in one town for years, now ready to share its repair guides and volunteer training so other towns can start their own
• A community swap or share initiative whose model is proven, needing a national online home where groups in every county can learn how to set one up
• A mature reuse initiative ready to document and publish its approach, so its years of learning become a resource for the whole country

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Ineligible Costs

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• Staff salaries, wages or in-house consultancy
• Rent, utilities, or general overhead costs
• Capital works or building refurbishment
• Fundraising costs or commercial revenue activities
• Political or religious campaigning and any other promotions unrelated to circular economic activity
• Food, catering, or hospitality
• Personal benefit (e.g. purchasing personal devices)
• Unreceipted, undocumented, or untraceable cash payments

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Assessment Criteria

• Community Impact
• Vision and Innovation
• Feasibility and Value
• The panel also weighs geographical spread, needs, and a mix of activity types
• Previous grant recipients are eligible to apply - different project phase, activity or expenditure.

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The Application Process

Important Considerations

• Application deadline midnight November 9
• Successful applicants will receive a notification by December 7
• One application per organisation is permitted
• Successful applicants will not be paid the full grant amount directly.
• Implementation period Jan 1 to June 30, 2027

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Application Notes

• Applicant name - point of contact for the entire grant process.
• Pay careful attention to the application word count.
• Consider the T's & C's before starting.
• Grants are paid through suppliers appointed directly, not as a lump sum to recipients.
• Check your capacity and timeline before applying.

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Application Advice

Be specific

• Name your target audience precisely.
• Say who benefits and why - just mentioning the environment is not enough.
• Quantify the impact you’re aiming for - pick one or two measures.
• Keep promises proportional to your capacity.

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Making the most of your grant

• Spend it on what you applied for. Keep the focus on the activities that win you the grant
• Show up for the support that comes with it.
• Track as you go, not at the end. Count what changes from day one.
• Share your learnings.

Q & A