The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has opened this year’s round of a grant scheme for organisations and groups working on issues of human rights and equality.

IHREC says that the Human Rights and Equality Grant Scheme 2023 will support projects that focus on one of two strands:

• Promoting access to justice, and equipping individuals to better understand, claim, and vindicate their equality and human rights, and
• Projects that promote the eradication of ableism, ageism, racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia through public understanding and State action.

Civil-society organisations applying for funding under the scheme can make an application for either a small grant (of up to €6,000), or a general grant (of up to €20,000), with a total of €400,000 available.

Partnerships welcome

Grants are open to organisations such as national or local groups and voluntary organisations, networks, non-governmental organisations, rights-holders groups, area-based community groups, communities of interest groups, and trade unions.

Applications involving a collaborative partnership between two or more organisations are also welcome, according to the human-rights body.

Now in its eighth year, the initiative has already funded 210 human-rights and equality projects across Ireland – including research programmes, training and resource activities, conferences, events, and cultural initiatives.

The deadline for receipt of applications is Wednesday 26 April 2023 at 3pm.

The commission will also run three online information sessions on the scheme, on the 24, 28 and 29 March.