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About the Fund
The CIRCULÉIRE Innovation Fund 2026 supports collaborative circular economy demonstration projects that help Irish industry test, demonstrate and scale practical circular solutions. The Fund is designed to help organisations de-risk innovation, build cross-sector partnerships and generate learning that can support wider adoption across the CIRCULÉIRE network and the wider circular economy ecosystem.
The Innovation Fund is not intended to support one-off pilots in isolation. Our goal is to identify and back the most promising circular innovations—projects capable of delivering tangible environmental, social and economic benefits while helping to accelerate Ireland’s transition to a circular economy
Successful applicants will clearly articulate both the short-term and longer-term impacts their project seeks to achieve and how these will be measured. Projects should generate practical learning, evidence and transferable insights that can benefit the wider CIRCULÉIRE network and the broader circular economy ecosystem.
Supporting Industry-Led Circular Transformation We are particularly seeking projects that demonstrate:
Funding Impactful Projects with Potential to Scale
Applications must be led by a CIRCULÉIRE member and involve collaboration between at least two organisations.
We are particularly seeking projects that demonstrate:
A clear circular economy opportunity or challenge
Strong collaboration between industry, research and/or value chain partners
A credible and measurable pathway to impact
Alignment with CIRCULÉIRE's circular economy impact priorities
High potential for replication, scale-up and wider market adoption.
Supporting Industry-Led Circular Transformation
Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) welcomes the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment's support for the relaunch of the CIRCULÉIRE Innovation Fund. The Fund provides a vital opportunity for organisations to access RD&I funding dedicated to collaborative circular economy innovation.
We encourage all CIRCULÉIRE members to build ambitious, high-potential consortia and bring forward the ideas, technologies and partnerships that will help shape Ireland's circular future.
Ready to Apply?
Explore the Application Guide, eligibility criteria and supporting resources to start building your consortium and shaping a high-impact circular innovation project.
Funding Range
The CIRCULÉIRE Innovation Fund 2026 will support projects across three indicative funding bands:
Small scale projects: up to €50,000 grant requested
Medium scale projects: up to €150,000 grant requested
Large scale projects: up to €250,000 grant requested
The maximum grant requested must not exceed €250,000 per project. The grant requested is not the same as the total project cost. The total project cost may be higher where partner contribution is required. Projects may be 6 or 12 months in duration.
Further information about co-funding rates (etc.) can be found in the Guide for Applicants document.
Deadline & Countdown
The deadline for full proposal submissions is 31st August 2026 at 23:59 Irish time.
Applications must be submitted through the CIRCULÉIRE Innovation Fund 2026 online submission platform, hosted on Awards Force. Applicants should allow sufficient time to complete all online fields, upload all required documents and check that the information entered in the platform matches the uploaded Application Form and Project Budget Application Workbook.
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Please cross-check the Application Checklist (Section 7 of the Application Form) to ensure all required documentation has been uploaded. Late applications will not be considered.
Please ensure the email used to register on Awards Force is the same as that used in the application form.
Past Funded Projects
From 2020 to 2022, CIRCULÉIRE actively supported the development of a circular economy in Ireland through a dedicated Innovation Pilot Project Fund.
Backed by our strategic partners —DCEE, EPA, and EIT Climate-KIC— the Innovation Pilot Project financed 10 large-scale, system-wide innovation projects within the CIRCULÉIRE network.
Visit the CIRCULÉIRE website for an overview of the successful projects, case studies and other useful resources
The 2022 Innovation Fund brought together Farrell Furniture and ATU Connemara to collaborate on the project Do More with Less, advancing furniture remanufacturing and design preservation.
Guidance for Applicants
Applicants should review the Guide for Applicants and cross-check the Submission Checklist before preparing a submission. The Guide explains the fund objectives, eligibility requirements, funding rates, budget rules, selection criteria, evaluation process, communication outputs, De Minimis requirements and award conditions.
Applicants should also review the Application Form, Project Budget Application Workbook, De Minimis Aid & UiD Declaration Form, FAQs and Terms and Conditions before submitting.
Application Form
De Minimis Aid & UiD Declaration Form
Project Budget Application Workbook
FAQs
The FAQs document provides practical answers to common applicant questions, covering everything from how to submit through Awards Force, what documents must be uploaded, who can lead or participate in project, how funding rates apply, how De Minimis works, what budget rules apply, and what communication outputs are expected from funded projects.
Applicants are encouraged to review the FAQs document before contacting the CIRCULÉIRE team, as many common eligibility, budget and submission questions are addressed there.
Terms & Conditions
Applicants should review the CIRCULÉIRE Innovation Fund 2026 Terms & Conditions before submitting an application. The Terms & Conditions set out the obligations that apply to funded projects, including use of funding, eligible costs, reporting and monitoring, payment arrangements, project changes, completion requirements, De Minimis and State Aid compliance, data protection, audit access and other grant management responsibilities.
If a project is approved for funding, the Lead Partner and relevant Project Partners will be required to comply with the Terms & Conditions, the Letter of Offer, the Guide for Applicants, the approved Application Form and the Project Budget Application Workbook.
Other Resources
Watch our recap information session below
Strategic Partners
