Children’s disability service grant fund
If you offer services or support to children with a disability, you can apply for funding under a new grant scheme.
Grants are open to a number of organisations, including community groups and service providers. The children your organisation serves must be on a waiting list for Children’s Disability Network Team services.
Funding will be awarded at the end of November 2023. You can apply for funding for up to 3 years, to the end of 2026.
An approved service providers list will be set up based on successful applications, from which the Children’s Disability Network Managers will draw down supports for their CDNTs’ waitlisted children and families based on prioritised needs.
Successful projects will need to:
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add value to existing HSE children’s disability services
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state the expected benefit to children
Important dates
Monday 13 November 2023 – closing date for applications
Monday 27 November 2023 – letters issued to successful applicants
Monday 11 December 2023 – first instalment of funds available to successful applicants
Organisations that can apply
You can apply for funding if you are 1 of the following:
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Organisation with an existing service arrangement or grant agreement with us.
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Community group.
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Voluntary group.
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Private service provider.
Joint applications
You can apply with other organisations or community groups. But you need to tell us who is the lead organisation.
Projects we can fund
Projects we fund include:
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recognised sensory programmes
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evidence-based therapies such as equine therapy
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respite – including clubs, evening and weekend sessions, Saturday clubs, sports sessions, activities designed to meet the needs of disabled children
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additional therapy sessions – for example, for managing distress giving rise to challenging behaviours
We will also fund other types of projects. If you are unsure if your project or service is eligible, contact us by email.
Projects we cannot fund
Funding will not be awarded for:
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pay increases for staff or management
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services that are already funded by the HSE, except if it is for additional support to an existing service
If you are proposing an addition to an existing service, you need to show its value.
How to apply
You can only apply online.
Complete the children’s disability services application form online.
You will need to include:
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a description of the project or service
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why you believe it will benefit children or their families
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how it will add value to existing services
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expected outputs, benefits and key performance indicators (KPIs)
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budget
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timescale and milestones
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an assigned person who will be accountable for the project
If you have any queries about the application form you can contact us by email.
How we will assess your application
A panel will assess all applications.
They’ll look at it based on the following criteria:
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quality and coherence of proposal
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contribution to wellbeing of service users
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potential lasting impact
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capacity and sustainability of providers to deliver person-centred services and comply with standards
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value for money
We may suggest changes to your proposal before we approve it.
If you are successful
We will write to successful applicants from 27 November 2023.
You’ll be able to draw down the first instalment of funding from Monday 11 December 2023.
Grants of more than €25,000
Funding will normally be transferred in 3 stages.
You will receive:
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one third of the funding when your proposal is approved
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one third at an agreed project milestone, and when we get an interim report
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the balance when we get your final report