Applications are now open for the TikTok Digital Future Fund, created by Rethink Ireland in partnership with TikTok to enhance the lives of young adults in Ireland.
The TikTok Digital Future Fund is a €750,000 three-year fund. The Fund is part of a €1 million total commitment by TikTok. €250,000 will be granted to Rethink Ireland in TikTok advertising to support fund activities with non-profit organisations in communities.
The objective of the Fund is to support non-profit organisations that build digital and/or creative skills to enhance the lives of marginalised young people aged 15-24 who are experiencing unemployment, underemployment, or wish to upskill. This could be done through:
education programmes
employment readiness programmes
or both
Examples of suitable projects could focus on one of the following areas:
Improving digital skills and digital literacy for young people to prepare them for further steps in education, training and employment.
Inspiring and enhancing creative skills in young people to prepare them for further steps in education, training and employment.
Preparing young people with work readiness skills, including digital skills and creative skills, confidence-building and interview skills to prepare them for employment.
Connecting young people with inspiring mentors and/or work experience opportunities in the digital and/or creative sectors to further their career options.
What does the fund offer?
There will be up to 4 awards available in total, and each Awardee will receive a maximum total cash grant of €117,000 (to a maximum of €39,000 each year across three years), mentoring support, and placement on Rethink Ireland’s capacity building programme.
Rethink Ireland’s non-financial supports have been called the ‘secret sauce’ that help projects to really develop their capacity and sustainability, in addition to the benefit of the cash supports. Non-financial supports will include:
Each Awardee’s project lead and potentially other relevant staff will take part in the Fund’s Accelerator Programme. The Accelerator programme will consist of a series of interactive training workshops on topics such as strategy development, measuring and maximising your impact, communications and storytelling, diversity & inclusion and fundraising.
Awardees will also get some bespoke 1:1 business and capacity building supports from expert business/non-profit consultants in areas such as impact management, theory of change and strategy development. Supports will be designed in consultation with the successful projects.
Awardees will also get access to Rethink Ireland’s networks and have the opportunity to develop networks and contacts with the other Awardees of the Fund, which are often very valuable in the longer term.
Eligibility Criteria
This Fund is open to organisations that have a not-for-profit legal form, e.g. charities, social enterprises and other voluntary organisations.
Projects must meet both Rethink Ireland’s criteria and the specific criteria for The TikTok Digital Future Fund:
Rethink Ireland Criteria
The project must address a critical social or environmental issue
The project must be innovative in an Irish context
The project must be based in the Republic of Ireland
The project must have the potential and desire to scale or replicate in Ireland
The project must provide evidence that it is up and running, or has been tested at least in a minimal way
Applicants must come from an entity that has a ‘not for profit’ legal form for example, a charity or voluntary organisation.
The TikTok Digital Future Fund Criteria
The project must:
work to enhance the lives of young adults aged 15 – 24 and
Be focused on building digital and/or creative skills through either education programmes or employment readiness programmes – or both
This may look like programmes which:
Improve digital skills and digital literacy for young people to prepare them for further steps in education, training and employment.
Inspire and enhance creative skills in young people to prepare them for further steps in education, training and employment.
Prepare young people with work readiness skills, including digital skills and creative skills, confidence-building and interview skills to prepare them for employment.
Connect young people with inspiring mentors and/or work experience opportunities in the digital and/or creative sectors to further their career options.
Ineligibility Criteria
Applicants that are not eligible to apply are:
Applicants under 18 years of age;
Commercial companies, sole traders and individuals;
Individuals, statutory or public bodies, local development companies, LEADER companies, companies limited by shares, and organisations that are funded 100% by state bodies or agencies and continue to be in receipt of that funding.
