Applicants should submit any questions about the 2025 What Works Enhancing Quality Fund or the application process to whatworks@dcde.gov.ie. Anonymised versions of these questions and the DCDE responses will be published below.
Q: Do you accept applications from staff employed by a statutory organisation?
A: As stated in the Guidance Note, individuals and statutory organisations are not eligible to apply for funds under this measure. However, they can act as financial host organisations for successful applicants that are not set up with bank details.
Q: Can the Department comment on an individual application?
A: The Department cannot comment on an individual application. Please complete the Application Form bearing in mind the definition of Enhancing Quality and objectives as described in the Guidance document.
Q: Is there a word limit on the responses in the Application Form?
A: The word limits for each response are stated in the descriptions for each question.
Q: Can the funding be used to upskill one member of staff with a post-graduate study in this field?
A: No, ‘Training and Upskilling’ specifically refers to the development of policymakers, providers and practitioners in the appraisal and application of evidence-informed approaches in prevention and early intervention for children and young people. This does not include individual funding for academic qualifications.
Q: Can organisations in receipt of other funding apply for the Enhancing Quality Fund?
A: Yes, organisations in receipt of other funding can apply for the Fund. Other funding sources should be listed in Section 5 of the Application Form.
Q: Is it permissible for an organisation to submit two applications to the fund, for different projects?
A: An organisation can have multiple applications for multiple projects. You are welcome to apply with your projects and they will be taken into consideration.
Q: Is this funding aimed at a research piece or is it aimed at starting a new programme?
A: The goal of the Enhancing Quality Fund is to support organisations to improve the monitoring, evaluation and analysis of their supports and services, and to use this information to improve and develop their prevention and early intervention initiatives. The Fund is open to supporting the spectrum of activities as described in the Objectives section of the Guidance Note. More information on the kinds of projects supported by the previous What Works fund, the Building Evidence Fund, can be found here.
Q: What is the age range for this fund?
A: The Fund’s commitment to Enhance Quality in prevention and early intervention is informed by Young Ireland, Ireland’s National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2023-2028. According to Young Ireland, a child or young person can be defined as being aged from birth to 24.
Q: Can a consortium of different applications submit a joint application for this fund?
A: Yes, a consortium of organisations may submit a joint application.
Q: Can funds be transferred to a third party after the award is drawn down by the awardee to speed up the payments process?
A: Due to the need for Grantees to comply with
- the terms and conditions of the fund as well as the contract established between the grantee and DCEDIY
- and the Statement of Principles for Grantees of Circular 13/2014, Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds,
we would not be able to permit the transfer of funds to a third party for the purpose described.
Q: Are educational institutions permitted to apply for this fund?
A: The Enhancing Quality Fund is open to practitioners and service providers in not-for-profit organisations working with children, young people and their families and who have a strong emphasis on prevention and early intervention. Educational institutions are permitted to apply for the fund so long as they meet that definition, as well as the other eligibility criteria listed in the Guidance Note.
Q: Are supporting materials accepted as part of applications?
A: Supporting materials are not permitted for this funding call and any additional documentation sent will not be considered. Applicants will be marked solely on their submitted application forms.
Q: For larger organisations, should all sources of 2025 funding be listed in Section 5?
A: In this case, only sources of funding relevant to the initiative or project seeking funding should be listed.
Q: Are indirect costs an eligible expense for this fund?
A: Indirect costs will be deemed eligible or ineligible according to the costs section in the Guidance Note. Rental of premises, for example, is not an eligible cost, while staffing costs are eligible. Certain indirect costs such as advertising and travel and subsistence costs qualify under the ‘Administration’ heading and are capped at 15% of overall funding.