Rethink Ireland & Deloitte launch €1.5m fund to help marginalised communities prepare for the future of work

Rethink Ireland has launched the new €1.5 million Skills for Tomorrow Fund in collaboration with Deloitte Ireland and the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.

The fund will support innovative projects helping marginalised individuals and communities develop the skills they need to succeed in the future world of work. The fund will also support successful applicants to strengthen their impact through the practical and responsible use of artificial intelligence.

Skills for Tomorrow will support up to nine organisations over 2.5 years, with cash grants ranging from €137,500 to €200,000.

The fund comes at a time of shifting labour markets and rapid technological change, with increasing concern that individuals and communities already experiencing marginalisation risk being left further behind due to barriers to accessing education, training, digital literacy and employment opportunities.

Applications are encouraged from projects and organisations focused on improving education and employment outcomes for marginalised groups including young people not in education, employment or training, long-term unemployed individuals, people with disabilities, minority ethnic communities, lone parents and those experiencing educational disadvantage.

Launching the Skills for Tomorrow Fund, Deirdre Mortell, CEO of Rethink Ireland, said: “As the world of work continues to evolve, we need to ensure that people and communities already experiencing marginalisation are not further excluded from future opportunities. The Skills for Tomorrow Fund is about creating practical and inclusive pathways into employment, education and lifelong learning.

“Through this fund, we want to support organisations that are already doing transformative work in communities across Ireland and help them scale their impact. We are also particularly excited to support successful applicants to explore how artificial intelligence can enhance and streamline the work they do every day.”

Welcoming the launch of the fund, Lorraine Griffin, Chairperson of Deloitte Ireland, said: “At Deloitte, we are proud to support this multiyear fund with Rethink Ireland. We understand that Ireland’s future innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders will need new skills to meet tomorrow.  Through the ‘Skills for Tomorrow’ fund, we are investing in innovative approaches that support education, digital skill development and training opportunities so more people have the opportunity to succeed in the modern economy.

“As technology expands opportunity for those with access and skills, it can also reinforce barriers for those without. With the right support, more people can participate in and benefit from the future economy. Organisations serving communities are also facing rising demand and equipped with the right technology, they can do more and reach further.”

Reflecting on the impact of previous funding, Stuart Buchanan, Head of Advocacy & Impact at YMCA Dublin, an awardee organisation of Rethink Ireland & Deloitte’s previous fund, said: “Funding like this can completely change what is possible for organisations working at community level. It allows us to reach people who often feel excluded from education, employment and digital opportunities and provide them with the confidence, skills and support they need to build better futures.

“The long-term support from Rethink Ireland helped us grow our impact, strengthen our programmes and create meaningful opportunities for people who are too often left behind.”

The Skills for Tomorrow Fund is seeking applications from two strands, the first is organisations providing supports for young people; and the second is support for adults. Projects supported through the fund should demonstrate innovative and evidence-based approaches to future skills development, digital inclusion and workforce participation.

Applications are now open and will close on 29 June 2026. Further information is available at https://rethinkireland.ie/current_fund/skills-for-tomorrow-fund/

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