Microsoft 2026 Community Fund will provide €100,000 for community changemakers to deliver projects on sustainability and digital skilling
Life
Microsoft has officially announced aplications for 2026 round of its Community Fund. The new fund, managed by non-profit ChangeX, will support individuals, community groups, schools and non-profits across south and west Dublin by providing funding to deliver impactful community projects focused on environmental sustainability and digital skilling.
“By supporting changemakers across Ireland and beyond, ChangeX is helping to build a more resilient and connected world,” Niamh McKenna, co-founder and head of impact at ChangeX, said.
She added: “Our long-term partnership with Microsoft is making a real difference in supporting local changemakers in Dublin to enhance sustainability and community prosperity.”
As part of this year’s €100,000 fund, communities will be able to choose from a portfolio of exciting, proven ideas that have already had a positive impact in other communities around the world.
Including hands-on STEM workshops to enhance digital skills for students, an initiative to support the development of local biodiversity, a project to encourage sharing goods and resources across the community, and an educational programme to promote knowledge about renewable energy.
A special event in the Áras Chrónáin cultural centre in Clondalkin unveiling the Microsoft 2026 Community Fund brought together 35 local groups, including schools, local sports clubs, NGOs, and other changemakers who received support from last year’s fund to celebrate their achievements and the positive community impact.
Last year’s fund alone engaged more than 11,000 local people near Microsoft’s data centre operations in Clondalkin, supporting the delivery of impactful projects that helped build greener, more connected communities where people and ideas can thrive.
The Community Fund is one of many ways Microsoft is delivering on its Data Centre Community pledge, which aims to ensure that the company is a responsible and supportive neighbour to local communities near its data centre operations.
Successive funds have supported 103 different community projects, focusing on the development of digital skills and empowering local sustainability, and benefitted nearly 30,000 local people.
Since 2008, Microsoft has invested €4.5 million in projects supporting local communities near its data centre operations.
“At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person to achieve more. As we invest in and operate data centres across Ireland and globally, we recognise that this comes with both responsibility and opportunity,” said Lavinia Morris, general manager of Microsoft’s EMEA data centre operations.
She added: “The Community Fund is one of the practical ways we deliver on our Data Centre Pledge locally. It is about backing real projects, led by local people, that make a difference on the ground in the communities closest to our data centre operations.”
Applications for funding are open to individuals, groups, schools and non-profits across the south Dublin and Fingal County Council areas.
Funding of up to €10,000 per project is available, with a simple step-by-step application process in place to support groups to secure funding.
Applications will be reviewed against eligibility and scoring criteria. Applicants will be asked to complete a number of simple steps, such as sharing a project plan, to unlock their initial funding.
The application deadline is 3 March.
Patryk Goron