Ireland’s equality agenda received a major boost this week as gov.ie confirmed fresh support for community-led inclusion. Minister Norma Foley has announced a new LGBTIQ+ Fund package worth €1.8 million, backing 52 projects across the country while the first annual review of the National LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Strategy II points to measurable progress.
The funding announcement, issued by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, comes during Pride 2026 and signals continued Government focus on inclusion, wellbeing and access to services. It also reflects broader coordination across public bodies and departments including Health, Social Protection, Education, Justice, Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
LGBTIQ+ Fund to support 52 projects across Ireland
The 2026 LGBTIQ+ Fund totals €1,868,367 and is split across two funding streams designed to help both established organisations and smaller community initiatives.
- Scheme A: Grants from €25,000 to €100,000 for existing NGOs and organisations to expand or sustain services.
- Scheme B: Grants from €5,000 to €10,000 for local projects that increase visibility, participation and inclusion.
According to the Department, the investment will help strengthen frontline support, improve community infrastructure and reach groups at greater risk of exclusion, including young people, older people and rural communities.
Among the larger awards were funding for Belong To Youth Services, TENI, LGBT Ireland, ShoutOut, Outhouse, AMACH! LGBT Galway and Outcomers. Smaller grants were awarded to a wide variety of local and specialist projects, from inclusive sport and healthcare initiatives to arts, housing and peer-support programmes.
What the funding is expected to improve
The new LGBTIQ+ Fund is intended to deliver practical outcomes on the ground, including:
- better access to support services
- stronger local visibility for LGBTIQ+ communities
- improved outreach in rural and regional areas
- more inclusive education, health and wellbeing programmes
- enhanced community participation nationwide
The funding framework complements wider public service work often linked with agencies and institutions such as the Health Service Executive (HSE), Tusla, the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), Sport Ireland, the Citizens Information Board and the Data Protection Commission (DPC), depending on the needs of each project and service area.
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Annual report highlights progress on inclusion strategy
Alongside the LGBTIQ+ Fund announcement, the Government published the first Annual Report on the National LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Strategy II for 2024 to 2028. The report, covering progress during 2025, outlines steps taken across Government to improve the lives of LGBTIQ+ people.
Key advances highlighted in the report include expanded mental health and sexual health supports, stronger visibility of LGBTIQ+ people in official data, and added protections against harmful content. Those developments point to joined-up policy efforts across gov.ie, the Department of the Taoiseach and departments overseeing Health, Education, Justice and Social Protection.
Minister Foley said the latest investment will support organisations delivering vital services and that, while challenges remain, the Government is committed to ensuring LGBTIQ+ people are safe, supported and fully included in Irish society.
Why this matters for communities
The significance of the LGBTIQ+ Fund goes beyond headline spending. For many organisations, this funding helps sustain year-round services rather than one-off events. That can mean counselling access, youth support, family engagement, outreach for trans communities, safer social spaces and stronger inclusion in schools and workplaces.
It also reinforces the role of community organisations as key partners in public policy, working alongside State systems supported through gov.ie and, where relevant, public bodies such as the CSO, HIQA, An Garda Síochána and local service providers.
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What happens next
With Pride 2026 as the backdrop, the LGBTIQ+ Fund announcement underlines the State’s intention to move from policy commitments to visible local impact. The combination of direct funding and an annual progress review gives communities a clearer picture of where support is being expanded and where further work is still needed.
For campaigners, service providers and families, the takeaway is clear: the LGBTIQ+ Fund is now a central part of how Ireland plans to deliver inclusion in practice, not just in principle.
Article/Image Courtesy: gov.ie
