Over €3.8M raised by viewers to benefit communities across Ireland
Statement by RTÉ and Community Foundation Ireland
Following on from another hugely generous response from the public last November, the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal is now open for applications from children’s charities right across Ireland.
Over €3.8m was raised by viewers across that weekend, bringing the total raised to over €17m since its inception in 2020.
The first of two grant round applications are now open. In the first round, grant applications are invited from organisations who are undertaking larger scale projects (up to maximum grant level of €75,000). Closing Date for applications: Friday 10th February 2023
A second grant round, inviting applications from smaller, community level groups will open for application in early February.
The 2022 RTÉ Toy Show Appeal awarded grants to over 160 different charities, with a project supported in every county. This is estimated to have benefitted over 1.1 Million children and family members.
This year the appeals charity partner, Community Foundation Ireland, is inviting applications under three strands:
- Addressing Essential Needs – for groups which are supporting the most vulnerable children, including those whose homes have been hit by the cost-of-living crisis.
- Improving Health and Wellbeing – supporting services for children with disabilities and those which promote good health and wellbeing.
- Creativity and Play – recognising the importance of play in terms of children’s overall development, this aims to ensure that every child has access to arts, play and creative spaces.
Applications are being invited through www.communityfoundation.ie
Announcing the opening of applications, Dee Forbes, Director-General of RTÉ said:
“The Late Late Toy Show not only celebrated some of Ireland’s most amazing children, it created enough money to help change the lives of children across the island of Ireland in the months ahead. The funds raised are a testament to our audience’s generosity, and their passion to help children. These grants will be a lifeline to many different charities and to everyone that donated to make this possible, a huge Thank You.”
Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of Community Foundation Ireland, added:
“From today we start turning the generosity of RTÉ Toy Show Viewers into action in communities which will benefit children in every part of Ireland. Applications are being invited under strands which are informed by our network of 5,000 partner organisations working on the ground in communities.
By having two rounds of applications, we can ensure that larger projects with wider national or regional impact are supported as well as those smaller groups which are delivering essential services with a community focus. The impact the appeal has already had on young lives has been transformative for many, through this process we will ensure that positive impact will extend to more children into the future.”