merrion street

Taoiseach Enda Kenny today launched Social Innovation Fund Ireland, a non-profit organisation set up by the Government to help develop social innovation in Ireland. 

The organisation will provide growth capital and support to the best social innovations in Ireland, helping to maximise their impact. 

In December last year, Social Innovation Fund Ireland launched their Animate Programme, which supports early stage projects and organisations and helps them get to the next stage of their development. The award consists of a financial and non-financial supports that target growth, including a grant of up to €10,000, a mentor, supports from a business consultant, technical supports and access to Social Innovation Fund Ireland's networks. 

The TAoiseach presented the first winners of the Animate Awards today, to: 

• Carebright: a social enterprise developing a new model of care for people with dementia called Dementia Hub
• ReCreate: a national social enterprise that takes surplus stock from businesses and makes them available for free and in unlimited quantities for reuse as arts and educational materials for all kind of creative purposes
• Save a Selfie: an interactive mobile app that allows members of the public to take "selfies" alongside emergency equipment, with the potential to save lives all around the country
• Thriftify: a web-based platform that helps charities realise the true value of unsold donated stock, particularly donated book. 

You can find more information about Social Innovation Fund Ireland on their website here.