An Ciste Infheistíochta Gaeilge

An Ciste Infheistíochta Gaeilge is an independent capital development fund dedicated to empowering Irish language communities through strategic investment in physical infrastructure that fosters cultural revival, social inclusion, and community resilience. Rooted in values of grassroots empowerment, sustainability, and recognition of Irish language as vital to cultural identity, civic participation, and urban regeneration, it drives funding decisions by prioritizing projects that catalyze long-term resurgence of Irish language and culture. Its theory of change emphasizes bricks-and-mortar assets enabling non-profits to deliver enduring educational, artistic, and social programs, amplifying visibility and normalization of Irish-medium activities while addressing structural barriers in deprived communities.

It supports capital projects creating Irish-medium hubs, community centres, and arts venues that advance education through Irish-language classes in music, dance, drama, arts, and heritage skills for children, youth, adults, and families across generations. Funded interventions promote arts, culture, and heritage via public-access performances, workshops, crafts, and exhibitions tackling social isolation and cultural disconnection. Community development activities focus on urban regeneration, enhancing local economic opportunities through paid and volunteer employment linked to builds, while alleviating poverty by generating spaces for citizenship-building, peer-led cultural events, and inclusive social programs. Beneficiaries encompass the Irish language community and general public in high-deprivation urban and rural settings, prioritizing inclusive access for diverse backgrounds facing barriers to language immersion, creative expression, and community cohesion via community-led, preventative infrastructure that sustains holistic cultural education and social economy growth.

Exclusively funding capital developments like new builds, refurbishments, and site purchases for Irish language promotion, it rejects revenue grants, core funding, or non-capital projects, preventing dilution of resources from physical assets. Distinctive as the sole specialist capital funder building foundational infrastructure for Irish language resurgence, it favors grassroots non-profits, language advocacy groups, Irish-medium social enterprises, and community arts providers demonstrating capacity for transformative community impact, cultural normalization, and sustained benefits in education, heritage preservation, and civic engagement.