Successful participants will be supported to continue delivering their solutions, build their confidence and resilience as a leader, strengthen their organisation, establish and deepen relationships with other key stakeholders, and begin to explore their role and potential to contribute to the process of transforming the cultural, institutional, or political systems within which their problem exists.

It has been designed around bringing together individuals at similar stages and with shared needs in structured group sessions, fostering learning from both experienced mentors and sector experts. Monthly individual support sessions ensure that each social entrepreneur's needs are heard, allowing for bespoke interventions throughout the programme. Funding of €20,000 is available for each awardee, and support to leverage more funding from Social Entrepreneurs Ireland’s network of supporters.

Previous awardees of the Impact Programme, Aisling Kirwan and Mark Kirwan, co-founded Positive Carbon to provide fully automated food waste monitoring to commercial kitchens across Ireland. They were awarded €20,000 in unrestricted funding, as well as nine months of bespoke mentorship. Operating nationally, Positive Carbon are working with some of the largest food service providers in Ireland, including KC Peaches, and Aramark, as well as Dalata’s Clayton Hotels and Irish Universities.

Speaking about the support they received from Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, Aisling says: “The Impact Programme was one of the most positive experiences we took part in as a young company. The support from the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland team as well as the other participants was invaluable to us.” In November 2023, the co-founders shared the announcement that they raised 2.3m. in seed funding to further help tackle the growing problem of food waste.

Commenting on the national call for applications, CEO of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, Tim Griffiths said: “Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, and our dynamic community of supporters, are determined to provide support and help accelerate the pace of social change in Ireland. We believe that social entrepreneurs are vital in making that happen, and I would encourage anyone who wants to grow their impact, to apply to the 2024 Impact Programme.” 

Donal Murphy, Chief Executive of DCC plc, the international sales, marketing and support services group, which is supporting Social Entrepreneurs Ireland’s National Call for Applications, adds: “Over the past twelve years, the team at DCC plc have personally and professionally seen the incredible power and community that of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland. The impact of social entrepreneurship to champion and drive solutions to solve Ireland’s social problems is transformative.” 

Applications for the Impact Programme will remain open until midnight on Wednesday 24th April 2024.