The RISE Community Fund has announced that it is inviting national schools to apply for a new round of cash grants as part of a nationwide initiative to empower young people in rural communities through technology.
The not-for-profit fund is calling on primary schools to apply for funding to support plans to use broadband and technology to enhance learning experiences for children or to improve school infrastructure and operations.
Supported by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) and a group of corporate partners involved in the delivery of the Government’s National Broadband Plan, the RISE Community Fund plans to award cash grants to schools across all 26 counties throughout 2026, in line with the completion of the national broadband fibre rollout.
With an investment of €314m, 82,000 homes, farms, businesses and schools in county Cork, for instance, are included in NBI’s rollout of the Government’s National Broadband Plan. Over 53,800 of these premises are already able to place an order for high-speed fibre broadband, and take-up rates exceed 60% in areas of the country where the network has been live longest.
DIGITAL WORLD
Established by NBI chairman David McCourt, the RISE Community Fund has awarded over 160 cash grants since its launch, supporting rural schools, farms, small businesses, social enterprises and community groups that are using technology to scale the positive impact of their work. This new funding round represents a focused effort to ensure that children in rural communities nationwide can fully benefit from high-speed broadband connectivity as it becomes available.
“From the outset, RISE was created to complement the National Broadband Plan by helping communities make the most of high-speed connectivity. As we look ahead to completing the broadband rollout in 2026, we’re delighted to support national schools, giving young people in rural communities the tools, skills and opportunities they need to thrive in a digital world,” David McCourt, chairman of NBI and founder of the RISE Community Fund, said.
The RISE Community Fund encourages national schools to outline how grant funding could support digital learning initiatives, classroom technology, connectivity projects, or other creative uses of technology that benefit pupils, teachers and the wider school community.
Applications are open until 14th February, 2026 – further details and the application form are available at www.riseglobalfoundation.com
