Community Groups in Waterford and Wexford Encouraged to Apply for €1 Million Collaboration and Innovation Fund

Community groups across Waterford and Wexford are being invited to apply for funding through the €1 million Collaboration and Innovation Fund, aimed at addressing unmet literacy needs in the region. The funding, available through the Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) Programme Office, will support projects that focus on financial literacy, family literacy, and addressing broader literacy challenges such as numeracy and digital skills. The fund, launched by Minister of State Marian Harkin TD at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, is open to community partners in Waterford, Wexford, and nationwide. With over 700,000 people in Ireland facing unmet literacy needs, this initiative aims to empower adults with the skills needed to navigate daily tasks such as filling out forms, managing finances, and helping children with homework. In the past, the ALL Collaboration and Innovation Fund has supported successful projects in the Waterford and Wexford region, including a financial literacy programme for individuals recovering from addiction. This initiative, led by Aiséirí Progression Programme, Waterford, and Journi Credit Union, helped participants create financial literacy tools that have been turned into a useful booklet for wider distribution. Edel Finan, Regional Literacy Coordinator for Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board (WWETB), highlighted that funding in 2025 helped to transform communities across Wexford and Waterford City. She encouraged more local partners to come together to tackle literacy challenges and reduce the stigma surrounding unmet literacy needs. Through these collaborative efforts, adults in vulnerable communities were able to build confidence and participate more fully in society. Yvonne McKenna, Director of the ALL Programme Office at SOLAS, stressed the importance of the Collaboration and Innovation Fund in improving literacy skills for adults who face barriers to education, including older adults, migrants, early school leavers, and members of the Traveller community. Application Details Community groups interested in applying for funding can find more information and application guidelines on the ALL Programme Office website at www.adultliteracyforlife.ie/fund (https://www.adultliteracyforlife.ie/fund/) . The deadline for applications is 12pm on Thursday, 22nd January 2026. This initiative presents a valuable opportunity for local organisations to enhance literacy support and help create literacy-friendly communities in the Waterford and Wexford regions.