Human Rights and Equality Grant Scheme
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 gives the Commission powers to provide grant funding to bodies to carry out certain activities to promote human rights and equality in Ireland.
The themes of this year’s funding are informed by the priorities set out in the Commission’s Strategy Statement 2025-27.
2025-26 Human Rights and Equality Grants Scheme
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission’s 2025-26 Human Rights and Equality Grants Scheme is now open and accepting applications until 3pm, Wednesday 4 June 2025.
The purpose of the grants scheme is to support projects by civil society and trade unions that promote human rights and equality. A total of €350,000 is available for projects.
Grants Scheme Strands
The 2025-26 Grants Scheme’s themes are informed by the Commission’s strategic priorities set out in its Strategy Statement 2025-27.
This year the Grants Scheme will support projects under the following strands:
- Strand A: Applying the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty in combating disinformation, misinformation and hate, and building community solidarity and belonging.
- Strand B: Applying the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty in challenging the structural causes of poverty, its impact on people and communities and the effectiveness of the State’s responses.
- Strand C: Applying the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty to ensure a human rights and equality approach to climate and environmental justice and a just transition.
Please see Guidance on Implementing the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty.
Funding Streams
Funding is available for small and general grants:
- Small Grants up to: €7,000
- General Grants up to: €22,000
Guidance and Application Form
Eligible Organisations
The Grants Scheme is open to civil society organisations working to promote human rights and equality and trade unions in Ireland. Civil society organisations include: local and national community and voluntary organisations, non-governmental organisations, rights-holder-led groups, groups representing area based communities or communities of interest protected under the nine grounds of the Equality legislation, well as groups experiencing poverty, socio-economic discrimination or exclusion, including international protection applicants and migrant communities.
To be eligible, civil society organisations must be not-for-profit and registered with the Company Registration Office (CRO) and/or as a Charity.
Information for current recipients of Funding
Email address for Queries grants@ihrec.ie
