Maurice Quinlivan
Ceist:252. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if worker, consumer and member co-operatives can avail of the €50 million Social Innovation Fund Ireland. [40218/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 3 October 2018
Ceisteanna (252)
Freagraí scríofa
The Social Innovation Fund Ireland (SIFI) was established in 2013 following on from the recommendations of a 2012 report of the Forum on Philanthropy and Fundraising. Its mission is to provide growth capital to Ireland's best social innovations, investing in solutions to social problems and creating jobs. SIFI finds and backs innovative solutions to critical social issues in Ireland and is charged with establishing a philanthropic fund of significant size and impact to aid the development of social innovation.
My Department has recently agreed a three-year contract with SIFI which will include a continued commitment to match philanthropic funding raised by SIFI with State funding. Since 2016, SIFI has opened 15 public calls for applications and supported 47 innovations to date.
The Fund will accept applications from eligible non-for-profit legal forms, including companies limited by guarantee, charities, trusts or foundations and some co-operatives. Projects applying for any fund created by SIFI must also meet the following standard SIFI core criteria:
- the project must address a critical social issue;
- the solution proposed by the applicant must be innovative in an Irish context;
- the applicant’s solution must have potential and a desire to scale or replicate in Ireland (it may also have potential internationally, but this is not a requirement);
- the project must provide evidence that it is up and running, or has been tested at least in a minimal way;
- the project must be based on the island of Ireland and make its main impact in the Republic of Ireland.
In addition, some further criteria are tailored to specific funds operated by SIFI.